How to Travel Well in Retirement

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As travel agents, we work with many retirees who want to travel more. Let's face it, retirees have put off travel in earlier years because of family obligations, children going to college, and maximizing their peak earning years so that they can have a comfortable retirement. Now they are there and they don't want to put off travel anymore. They realize that their window to explore the world is a small one because health factors can really put a damper on foreign travel as we get older.

 

We believe traveling the world excites the soul, stimulates the mind, and invigorates the body as nothing else can. When we sit with retirees after a trip, to debrief how everything went, they share the stories of the people they met, the experiences they had, and the wonders they saw. You can't help but feel their joy and happiness in having traveled. We are excited when we can help our retiree clients know how to travel well in retirement. Here are the 6 keys we stress with our clients.

1. Plan in Advance - In retirement, your budget is a consideration so we remind our clients to plan in advance. Many times you can book a cruise nearly 2 years out with a small deposit. Then you can make payments according to your budget over a longer period of time. The excitement build-up of the trip stimulates the mind. You'll have plenty of time to research the different ports/cities you'll see so that you know exactly what you want to see and do while on your cruise. We have clients with trips booked out into June of 2020 right now. Seems like a long ways away but it will be here sooner than you know. 
2. Keep your health/abilities in mind - Exploring many parts of the world require a level of ability and health that gets more difficult as we age. Exploring all the wonders of Italy is better at age 67 than at 80. Climbing the Spanish Steps in Rome or traversing the uneven streets of Prague becomes exponentially more difficult as we get older. Assess your bucket list of places you want to visit and tackle those places that take more ability, agility, and stamina at a younger age of retirement. Especially, consider this if you're wanting to do more interior touring of countries and not just ocean cruises. Make sure you discuss these concerns with your travel professional she/he will help you choose the right destination with your abilities in mind.
3. Don't skimp on the experience - Often, when working with our retirees, we advise them to stay a little longer, go on an excursion they might not have considered, or stay at a hotel that's more central to the sites they want to see because we want to elevate their overall experience. If staying one more night in Rome allows you to take that excursion to Pompeii then what is an extra $150 hotel cost in the big picture? It's a tiny fraction of the overall cost but the experience is priceless. We always ask our clients, will you get back to this country in the near future? If you're 40, then most likely you will. If you're 70, that likelihood is small so we encourage our retirees to take this into account. Also, if you're utilizing Key #1 above you'll be able to plan for the best experience possible.
4. Go with Friends - Many of our retirees often travel with other couples, who, like themselves, have put off traveling during their lifetime. Traveling with friends enhances the experience. Traveling with friends deepens the relationship. There's something about experiencing something new with others that strengthen the bond between them. Friends help make the work of travel more bearable. Wouldn't it be better to be with friends during a long layover? It's just better to travel with another couple or two if possible.
5. Buy Travel Insurance - Getting sick or injured while traveling in far-off countries is a possibility for anyone but it's a greater possibility as we age. We're less nimble, our reaction times are slower, and you're traveling in areas and roadways that aren't constructed or maintained at the level that we're accustomed to here at home. Travel insurance will pay for emergency medical and emergency transportation which can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. This is not something that most people can cover out of pocket. In nearly 5 years as travel professionals, we've never had a client make a claim for lost baggage but we've had one serious injury overseas that cost $30,000 when it was all said and done. The client was grateful for the travel insurance. Make sure you budget for this expense in your overall travel planning.
6. Work with a Travel Professional - We believe travel planning online is becoming more and more confusing. Our retirees tell us this nearly every time we begin working with a new client. We use professionals for all sorts of services in our lives why not your travel planning. Many travel agent professionals don't charge a fee for their services, even if they charged a small fee, most of the time it would be money well spent. Don't be afraid to meet with several when you first start planning. If it's important to be able to meet with your travel agent in person then make sure the agency you choose has a convenient location and office hours. There are still a few of these out there. We're one of those traditional storefront offices and our clients love it.

I'm sure I could come up with more keys to traveling well in retirement but these six are the most important to me. The bonus key I have for you is to just do it. Decide today to go on that adventure you've been thinking about for a while and set the plans in motion in the coming weeks. Happy traveling in 2019.

 

Author Richard Morris

 

Kristin and Richard Morris are the owners of Arizona Cruise and Travel in Gilbert, AZ, a Cruise Planners® franchise. They want to travel more and help others do the same. ACT on your travel dreams today! Call us at (602) 626-3740 or toll free at (888) 419-6640. You can visit our website at www.arizonacruiseandtravel.com and play around. Heck, you might as well search for your next cruise because you know you want to.

 

Richard and Kristin also own Southwest Premier Insurance Agency, LLC, a full service, independent insurance agency in Gilbert, AZ.