Spikes in gas prices and an iffy economy are causing vacationers to rethink their plans to get out of town for a much-needed getaway this year. As a result, a new word has emerged in the lexicon: stay-cation. A stay-cation, defined, is a vacation you take by staying at home. This does not invite you to sit in front of the TV and drink beer or pop popcorn for a week or two, no. What it means is that, instead of traveling far and wide to discover the wonders of other cities or countries, you stay close to home and discover or rediscover the marvels of your local area.

If you’ve been a New Yorker all your life, chances are good that you have never been to the Statue of Liberty or the top of the Empire State Building or taken a day cruise around Manhattan Island. As a native of Los Angeles, you may not yet have boated 26 miles across the channel to the island of Santa Catalina where the buffalo still roam, or gone hiking in the Santa Monica mountains, or visited Old West locations like Vasquez Rock where hundreds of western movies were shot, or crossed the sand dunes of the southern desert.

Maybe you’re from a much smaller town, and you think you’ve seen all there is to be seen. But have you? Maybe there’s a little inn that serves Sunday brunch. It always piqued your interest, but you never checked it out. This coming Sunday, you might want to take a second look. You might also take a look at your local paper, or contact the local Chamber of Commerce or Visitors Bureau, as well as those of surrounding areas. Something is always going on wherever you live, or just a few miles down the road. A fair, a flea market, an art exhibit, a circus—something of interest, and probably a lot more than you realize.

As the price of fuel rises these days along with travelers’ concern for personal safety and frustration over air travel, no place on earth seems more desirable a vacation spot than one of the seven seas. With seniors opting increasingly for this fantasy mode of travel, cruise lines are seeking attractive new ways to cater to them.

Depending on whether you choose a summer or winter cruise you will find a variety of exciting places to visit that you might not otherwise have considered, including: Mexico, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Alaska, the Mediterranean, Greek Isles, South Africa, Scandinavia, South Pacific, and more. There are also river cruises to be found on virtually any continent, if that strikes your particular fancy. Have you every fantasized about crossing the Nile River and exploring its ancient Valley of the Kings? Or maybe you would prefer to discover the inner waterways of Alaska’s natural beauty. Or how about a Rhine River cruise where you get a once-in-a-lifetime view of the historical castles once inhabited by princes, barons, and earls.

If any of these ideas titillate your inner wanderer, do some vigorous comparison shopping before you leap into a booking that you might later regret. Itineraries, accommodations, perks, and prices are all so variable that it takes a savvy and persistent traveler to stumble across the perfect package. Ultimately, nothing makes a trip more enjoyable than knowing you opted for the best possible choice. 

Why Cruise?

Let’s face it. Many of us prefer to travel by ground. These are the tourists who get up early, put on their walking shoes, consult with their travel guides, and spend the rest of the day covering as many museums, cathedrals, and historical landmarks as time will allow. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are those tourists who feel the “getting there” is as much fun as the “there.” And that is the kind of tourist for which cruise lines were created. So, if five or six square meals a day are what you are seeking, along with ocean breezes, sunshine, swimming pools, seminars, dancing under the stars, and Las Vegas-style entertainment—and you are happier getting your exercise on a treadmill than on the sidewalks of some exotic city, look no further. A cruise is for you.      

Cruise Lines Catering to Seniors

Below is a partial list of cruise lines to check out for itineraries and price comparisons. But don’t stop here if you don’t find what you want. The list of cruises with you in mind is long and accommodating. You can either go online to make a selection by typing in key words like: “senior travel” or “senior cruises,” etc. or you can call your favorite travel agent and leave the initial research to a professional. Remember, as a “senior,” you are likely to be eligible for discounted rates.

Princess Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line
Carnival Cruises
Royal Caribbean
Cunard
Celebrity Cruises

Cruise News You Can Use

There are ways to cruise for free. One option is to offer yourself as a guest speaker at one of the seminars given on board, and another—if you are a single male—is to offer your services as a dance partner for mature female passengers traveling alone who know it takes two to tango.

Airfares are rising sky-high in tandem with the rise in the price of gasoline. For example, a round trip ticket from LAX to Fort Lauderdale is 100-200% higher today than it was just a few months ago. This comes as no surprise to those of us spending upwards of $70 or $80 just to fill our gas tanks these days.

If you are like most Americans, you don’t want to stop traveling. You just want to become increasingly savvy about how to book the best available fares in this less than favorable economy.

If you are not used to booking online, then get thee to a computer, and start your search. The Internet is no less than the location du jour for slashing your cost of transportation, not to mention the escalating price of your hotels and rental vehicle.

A few well-established sites that deliver you cheaply to your location of choice include the following:

www.travelocity.com

www.orbitz.com

www.kayak.com

www.expedia.com

www.priceline.com

www.bestfares.com

www.travelzoo.com

You just have to decide how flexible you are willing to be in arriving at your destination, including date, time, and whether or not you are willing to make one stop or more on the way.

If none of these websites gives you what you are looking for, just Google “discount airfares” and, like magic, dozens upon dozens more options will appear at your disposal.

If you didn’t know already, you will soon find out that the further in advance you book your flight, the better deal you are likely to get. However, if you suddenly find yourself in need to fly to Seattle one weekend this month, you can take advantage of www.kayak.com’s weekend search, and by clicking on a link, you will find out which of the upcoming weekends this month you can travel for the least amount of money. Take time visiting each of these sites, and compare their respective features for figuring out how each of them can provide you with the best possible deal in terms of price, comfort, convenience, and safety.

And, bon voyage. Have the trip of your lifetime.