Retirees that dedicated do not come in huge numbers, but Prince said that there is a noticeably growing coterie of such-minded people utterly disinterested in package tours to Florida or trudging with the herd to the Louvre or the Prado.
But despite their reluctance to be viewed like their parents and grandparents, boomer seniors will still flock to classic travel patterns and destinations.
Catherine Kaloutsky of Via Rail said that intercontinental passengers can still play cribbage or bingo, do puzzles or watch movies. But there are also recent additions that make trips “more of a learning experience.”
On the Montreal-Halifax leg, for instance, there are onboard “vignettes” about the 1907 collapse of the Quebec Bridge near Quebec City, various tartans in the Maritime provinces and tide patterns in the Bay of Fundy.
Kaloutsky added that Via Rail also hires activities coordinators on longer trips. They are trained to evaluate the interests of particular passengers, after which they can better judge if they are in the mood for talks on geography, history, cuisine or other cultural subjects.
For their part, cruise lines don’t have to strain too hard to woo the older set. Retired or older passengers still account for the majority of cruise clientele, which is why instead of marketing to that captive segment, companies pedal hard to dispel the notion of cruises as magnets for the wheelchair-bound or frail elderly.
And the “fun ship” theme started by Carnival in the 1980s has paid off.
Karen Candy, spokesperson for Princess Cruises, said from Santa Clarita, Calif., that her company caters to more experienced travellers – Princess offers no short cruises and has more far-flung ports of call than most competitors – and so appeals more to an older clientele. But she added that there are now more multi-generational staterooms and suites available for families, including for kids and parents or grandparents.
Keywords: seniors, boomers, travel
