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Be prepared for the cruise of a lifetime on a Windstar Cruise . Their luxury sailing ships provide the experience of cruising on private yacht with all of the amenities, exceptional service and unique itineraries well beyond one's expectations. Book online or call one of our cruise experts to get the best cruise deal for your next Windstar Cruise.

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FinanceBuzz

Top 10 Cruise Lines for Those in Retirement (or Close to It)

Posted: January 30, 2024 | Last updated: January 30, 2024

One of the most popular goals for retirees is to travel more, and cruises can be great options to get away from home. However, most retirees would love to find a cruise that suits them. 

You may want to have a relaxing cruise with beaches and warm weather or you might be more into touring unique cities with exciting excursions. Regardless, finding the right cruise line is paramount.

Check out these 10 cruise lines, perfect for retirees wanting to relax, explore, or learn something new while traveling. Experiences with each might push you to find ways to travel more . 

Earn Points and Miles: Find the best travel credit card for nearly free travel

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line offers freestyle cruising so you can enjoy it as you go without having to eat in a restaurant at a specific time with a particular dress code.

The cruise line offers retirees a variety of trips on six continents, so there are plenty of destinations to choose from.

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Viking Cruises

Viking has plenty of options if you want to cruise through Europe or travel oceans with stops in Iceland and Greenland or spots in the Caribbean.

Viking also offers unique expedition cruises that take guests to Antarctica and South America or through the Great Lakes in North America. 

You can even take Longitude cruises that start in Buenos Aires and end up in Milwaukee 69 days later.

You also have the option to try smaller ships or bigger cruise liners, depending on if you prefer a river cruise or an ocean cruise.

Oceania Cruises

Explore a variety of trips with Oceania Cruises through Europe, Africa, Asia, and more. Trips start around 10 days, so this may be a better option if you’re retired and have more time to travel.

The cruise line also includes special offers for guests like free excursions, complimentary wine and drinks on board, free unlimited Wi-Fi, or free airfare along with your trip. 

Check with Oceania Cruises to see which options could apply to your next trip.

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Royal Caribbean Cruises

Royal Caribbean has plenty of options for cruises depending on how long you want to be on vacation, including three- and four-day trips that are perfect for a short vacation if you’re still working and can’t get much time off. 

You can also choose longer options like a 15-day cruise covering Iceland and Ireland, which may be perfect when you retire.

Royal Caribbean offers reduced senior prices for travelers at least 55 years old, but some restrictions may exist. Check with Royal Caribbean when booking your next trip to see what deals you qualify for.

Holland America Line

Pick several options depending on where you want to go, including a trip through the Panama Canal or a transatlantic vacation with plenty of stops on either side of the Atlantic.

And if you’re an AARP member, you can receive up to $200 of onboard credit for select vacations, so check to see if your membership can get you benefits when you cruise.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises doesn’t have specific senior discounts, but there are still plenty of things for retirees to do while traveling.

Explore Alaska or Scandinavia with luxury dinners aboard the cruise ship, or consider back-to-back cruises such as Canada to Hawaii and then taking a trip from Hawaii to Sydney. 

The cruises also have amenities like green outdoor spaces and a spa to help you relax between ports.

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Silversea Cruises

It can be frustrating to book airlines and transfers from the airport to the ship, but Silversea Cruises has you covered.

The cruise line includes a door-to-door all-inclusive option to ensure you enjoy your trip without stressing over the little details.

Silversea’s ships are also on the smaller side, with 51 to 364 suites per ship, which may be a benefit if you prefer a more intimate trip rather than being on a big ship with a large number of passengers. 

It also has a ship specifically designed for polar exploration if you want to travel to Antarctica.

Take a transatlantic trip with Cunard’s luxury cruise liners or longer vacations to Australia or Africa with some of the cruise line's queen-named ships like the Queen Elizabeth II or the Queen Victoria.

If you’re a retiree with some travel flexibility, you can save money with a Sailing Soon discount with trips that may set sail only a month or so from when you book them. 

It may be a good option if you don’t mind packing quickly or like the excitement of going somewhere on short notice.

Windstar Cruises

Try a unique and smaller way to travel with Windstar Cruises when planning your next trip as a retiree.

Windstar Cruises partially run on wind, as the ships have masts and sails that make them stand out compared to other cruise ships. 

The ships also only have around 150 to 350 guests, so you won’t have to deal with big crowds like on other ships.

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AmaWaterways Cruises

Another great option if you would prefer a smaller ship on a river cruise is AmaWaterways Cruises. The ships have the typical trips through rivers in Europe. 

Still, retirees can also explore more unusual cruise options like vacations on the Nile River in Egypt or the Mekong River through Vietnam and Cambodia.

Bottom line

Some cruise lines may not specifically offer senior discounts, but you can still save money if you want to travel when you’re retired.

Look for the  top travel credit cards  to earn additional perks and points for your next vacation to help you save money.

You should also consider sticking to a budget if you’re worried you could struggle financially to pay for a trip on a fixed income. A budget may be able to help you prioritize spending and save money.

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Cruise the Russian Waterways from Moscow to St. Petersburg, Russia

It’s easier than ever to see Russia these days by cruising along the Russian waterways. Uniworld, AmaWaterways and Viking each offer river cruises that allow you to explore the best of Russia and its amazing architecture.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, AmaWaterways and Viking River Cruises all have perfectly planned 13-day itineraries sailing May through October. Itineraries start in Moscow and end in St. Petersburg (or reverse). Your guided tours to all the famous places and landmarks are included, plus there will be plenty of free time to explore on your own.

Uniworld offers a 13-day “Imperial Waterways of Russia” cruise along Russia’s Volga, Neva & Svir Rivers

You’ll cruise from the Gulf of Finland, through Lake Ladoga, Lake Onega, White Lake and Lake Rybinsk as you pass along the Neva, Svir and Volga Rivers.

On the Russian-style Uniworld River Victoria you’ll enjoy this luxury ship as you cruise along the Russian waterways on an in-depth journey focused on Russian history.

AmaWaterways offers a 13-day “Russian Waterways” cruise through the heart of Russia

On the AmaKatarina . you’ll cruise in style on this newly remodeled ship. Expect a personal experience by visiting a private Russian home and a traditional Russian barbecue.

Viking offers a 13-day “Waterways of the Czars” cruise with 11 guided tours

You’ll board one of the newly remodeled 200-passenger Viking ships. The Viking Rurik, Viking Akun, Viking Helgi, Viking Ingvar or Viking Truvor are, according to Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader’s poll, the Top River Cruise Ships in 2013.

Here are some of the amazing places you’ll visit on a Russian Waterways cruise:

In Moscow , you’ll be able to see the Kremlin which stands for “fortress” in Russian.

The Kremlin was strategically placed where the Moskva and Neglinnaya Rivers merged.

Moscow’s Red Square was named “red” because it meant “beautiful” in old Russian. It is now the “beating heart” of Russia and home to the lock-stepping soldiers.

A set of wooden stairs was discovered in one of the walls during the restoration of St. Basil’s Cathedral.

Explore some of Russia’s 23 beautiful churches in the small town of Uglich , the center of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Tour the city center of Yaroslavl which is a UNESCO site with over 140 monuments and historical buildings.

The Assumption Cathedral can be seen from the beautiful scenic center.

Kizhi Island is an open air museum of historical wooden structures. The Church of Intercession was built without any nails—how is that possible?

There are 22 domes on the Transfiguration Church built entirely of wood and has stood 300 years.

In Svirstroy you’ll be able to visit a friendly Russian family in their home and try some grilled shashlik (shish kebab). Be sure to grab some Russian goods and handicrafts at the outdoor market on your way back to your ship.

Once you arrive in St. Petersburg, you’ll be able to take an excursion to Pushkin to see St. Catherine’s Palace and the famous Amber room which was restored in 2003.

While in St. Petersburg  (aka Leningrad from 1924-1991) you’ll need as much time here as possible to see all the amazing and masterful architecture. It is such a romantic city with all its beautiful buildings like St. Petersburg Palace, St. Isaacs Cathedral and the Hermitage Museum to name just a few.

Peterhof Palace may be the highlight of your cruise with its breathtaking gardens.

Want more information on taking a Russian Waterways cruise?

Call a CruiseExperts.com agent now to book your stateroom on a Russian Waterways cruise. We are here to answer any questions you may have about all your options for cruising along the Russian Waterways. Call us at 1-888-804-CRUISE (2784) or visit our website, www.CruiseExperts.com

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Save big on your upcoming cruise to Russia with our Price Advantage Alerts ! CruiseExperts.com has secured these low prices a year or two in advance to deliver exclusive cruise deals. By shopping from CruiseExperts.com you are guaranteed to get the lowest prices. Explore our Russia Price Advantage Alerts now!

Please sen Info, DONOT CALL

Thanks William – we will be emailing you information on the magnificent Russian river cruises. They are truly spectacular!

please send info, thanks

Hi Pat – one of our experts will be sending you information on Russian river cruises. Thanks for your interest!

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• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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