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Older travelers also seeking more adventure
Small cruise ships catering to senior citizens carrying fewer than 165 passengers on European river cruises have become the most popular travel option at Grand Circle Travel.
“Some cruise travelers want a big casino, but not our travelers,” said Priscilla O’Reilly, vice president of public relations.
Her Boston-based company also operates adventure trips for senior citizens, which are second in popularity to the European river cruises that the company has been developing in recent years.
Grand Circle has acquired 45 ships, some of them barge boats.
The average age of their cruisers is 72.
“Our travelers can unpack once. Their cabins are a good size. They have a lounge, a sundeck, a bar area, a library and a formal dining room,” she said. There is no assigned seating, which is popular, she added.
Partly because it operates its own fleet of ships, Grand Circle keeps price down, often under $1,000, which includes airfare from the New York area.
Grand Circle’s adventure travel offerings, which generally include home-like elements such as dinners with local families, indicate travelers are never too old for adventure. The average age is 65.
Somewhat upscale adventure travel for older Americans is fast-growing.
“We have a lot of travelers who want to go to Africa on a safari, but they don’t want to have to sleep in a tent,” said Ms O’Reilly.
The American market that books Grand Circle is also interested in some more adventurous and perhaps unexpected destinations such as Israel, Turkey and Africa.
“Botswana is selling like hot cakes,” said Ms O’Reilly.
Grand Circle has also started offering 13-day “Discover South America: Chile & Argentina” vacation trips starting as low as $1995, including airfare from Miami or New York.
The fall and winter season offers a cooler climate in that area of the world.
Grand Circle, established in 1958, says it offers “international travel, adventure and discovery trips for Americans aged 50 and older.”
Report by David Wilkening
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