One Last Adventure
When people think of retirement, they may imagine spending their days sitting around on their porch or waiting for their grandkids to visit. But instead, you could have a whole new adventure. Many seniors are opting to sell their houses or blow their retirement savings on world cruises, where you can live on a massive ship for over a year and explore a new port every day.
1. See The World
The biggest perk of choosing a retirement cruise is you’ll finally get the opportunity to see the world. Most cruises cover hundreds of ports and dozens of countries, with most hitting five to six of the seven continents. There’s no better way to explore everything this planet has to offer.
2. All-Inclusive Lifestyle
Cruises know you’ll be hunkering down for months to almost a year, so they make things inclusive and convenient. Not only will you have access to your room and fixed free meals, but you’ll also be able to go shopping, visit parks, and hit up some spa services as needed.
3. New Friends
Instead of being alone at home with your spouse, you’ll have the opportunity to make plenty of friends as cruises are full of people and staff who would be happy to have conversations. Plus, you can make international friends at the many ports you’ll visit too.
4. For the Foodies
Cruises also give you the opportunity to try plenty of different foods. Not only can you eat for cheap at the ports, but there’s always a free buffet on the ship, as well as specialty restaurants that will cover a plethora of cuisines.
5. Better Than Alternatives
When comparing cruising the world to the alternative of staying home, downsizing, or moving to a retirement community – it just seems like a no-brainer.
6. Once-In-A-Lifetime
Cruises truly are a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it’s something most people would long to do. However, constraints like jobs, family responsibility, and expenses can make it impossible until much later in life.
7. Affordability
Speaking of expenses, for someone of retirement age who has saved up plenty of money, a cruise is accessible and achievable. By simply downsizing from a house to an apartment, you’ll have money for a few cruises.
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8. Competitive Packages
Plenty of cruises can also be extra cheap if you take advantage of deals or keep an eye on pre-booking. Additionally, many of them have great plans for retirees.
9. Like-Minded Retirees
Cruises are a very popular option for retirees, so you shouldn’t be surprised if you hop on board to see most people are in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. With so many like-minded people, it’ll be easier than ever to make friends.
10. It’s Fun
Of course, one of the best perks is that a world cruise is a fun adventure, and in later age, those can be rare and few and far between. Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to have fun—especially when this kind of fun is meant for seniors.
Now that we have discussed all the reasons why having a world cruise at retirement age is worthwhile, here are 10 ships to start your journey with.
1. Azamara World Cruise
This cruise starts in early January and lasts a whopping 155 nights. With prices ranging from $40,000 to $157,000, you better believe it’s all-inclusive and will feature ports in South America, New Zealand, French Polynesia, and Asia.
2. Cunard – Queen Mary 2 World Cruise
On the flip side, one of the shortest cruises covered in this list is the 98 days you can spend aboard the Queen Mary 2 for as little as $33,000 or as much as $173,000. You can expect to see everything from the tip of Africa to cities in the Middle East on this all-encompassing experience.
3. Princess Cruises – Island Princess
On the shorter side, this cruise begins in January and only lasts 115 days, but you’ll still get to visit six out of seven continents and 26 countries. To match the shorter span, the cruise is only priced from $20,600 to $37,000, making it one of the most affordable options.
4. Viking Sky World Cruise
With a name like that, you can expect to see much of the world—over 28 countries, to be exact. For those with a summertime heart, you’ll be spending plenty of time in Mediterranean and French Polynesian ports, and since it’s a smaller ship, you can expect extra attention.
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5. Regent Seven Seas Mariner World Cruise
On the more expensive side, this cruise ranges from $90,000 to $256,000 and lasts an impressive 150 nights. The experience is for those that want luxury, as everything is well thought out and extensive, and you’ll be visiting over 25 countries and 97 ports.
6. Silversea Controtempo on the Silver Dawn
The lowest fare offered by this cruise is $92,000, but you can still expect to enjoy 136 scenic days exploring the world, which in this case includes Tokyo, Rome, Greenland, and Saudi Arabia, to name a few. Of course, the cruise is also very luxurious and has all-inclusive shore excursions.
7. Seabourn – Sojourn World Cruise
Lasting a moderate 129 nights, if ultra-luxury is what you want while exploring the world, then that’s what you get with Seabourn. The price is pretty reasonable compared to other cruises too, ranging from $85,000 to $94,000 to visit 63 locations and indulge in personalized services.
8. Royal Caribbean – Serenade of the Seas
Every cruise enthusiast has heard about Royal Caribbean, and they offer a shockingly long cruise at a whopping 274 nights. Starting in late December, this cruise promises over 150 stops, including landmarks like the Great Wall of China and Easter Island.
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9. MSC Magnifica World Cruise
MSC is a trusted and reputable cruise line that has been helping adventurers explore the world for years. Their world cruise starts in early January and lasts 116 days. Despite this shorter time frame, they still assure 50 ports over five continents, with key stops at the Panama Canal and Easter Island.
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10. Oceania Vista World Cruise
On the longer side, this cruise lasts 197 days and ranges in price from $63,000 to $268,000. You can expect to start in late December and enjoy everything from gourmet dining to intimate cruising. Ports of note include Bora Bora, Madagascar, and of course, New Zealand.
