Senior Travel in Alaska

Sep 26, 2009

For a long time, I worked at convincing my parents, ages 75 and 80, to visit Alaska. They usually balked, saying they were too old to travel. For them, modern travel, along with the infirmities of age, was just too difficult. So, I set out to convince them otherwise. In my opinion, travel was the key to sparking their sense of adventure.

While thinking of different travel options for them, I remembered the quality of service elderly passengers received with Holland America Line (HAL), which caters to the over-65 market with senior-friendly amenities, service and tours. On my own cruises, I often found that service staffs were readily available to help seniors with luggage handling, special dietary needs and cruise-tours.

According to Sarah Scoltock, public relations manager for HAL, the company takes pride in its ability to consider the needs of its senior guests. For instance, on its cruise-tours, all of its McKinley Explorer trains have bi-level dome cars that are better for older passengers interested in the prime viewing of scenery. There’s also an elevator available on all cars for older clients who are unable to manage the stairs. Wheelchairs are also easily accommodated.

“Most motorcoaches are now ‘kneeling coaches,’” Scoltock said, “which means they have a front step that lowers down for easy entry onto the coach. And all hotels we use are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) certified.”

Taking the lessons learned from Scoltock, the next step in planning my parents’ trip was overcoming their concerns about air travel.

First, I had a local limo service pick them up, and Northwest Airlines had a wheelchair and assistants available at each layover, transporting them by motorized cart or wheelchair to each gate. I also made sure they flew first class to make the long trip to Alaska more comfortable for them.

Next, I chose the Westmark Fairbanks, which regularly handles HAL’s cruise-tour groups. For my parents, I requested an ADA room in advance.

Next, as a longtime Alaska resident, I was my parents’ designated tour guide; however, my plans closely resembled those offered by companies such as the Northern Alaska Tour Company and Grayline of Alaska. I also selected attractions that were best suited for my parent’s stamina and maneuverability.

The Riverboat Discovery tour is good for those with maneuverability problems, for example. Elderly passengers are allowed first boarding to easily access prime seats. Forward seats offer roomy windows and plenty of leg room. Remote video cameras capture the highlights along the way, and are displayed on large monitors. The narration is crisp and clear. Passengers delighted in the floatplane take-off and landing demonstrations, dog-sledding, the salmon camp and fish-cleaning exhibitions viewed from the comfort of their seats.

The El Dorado Gold Camp tour offered a spacious handicapped section for older folks or those in wheelchairs. When it came to hands-on panning for gold, my parents were a bit lost at first. But tour staffers were especially attentive to their needs, even helping folks with arthritic hands by doing some of the panning for them. If guests didn’t find gold on the first try, they were given “pokes” of gold-filled dirt until they eventually found it.

By trip’s end, Alaska had reinvigorated my parents with a passion to travel again, and to see places they had only dreamed about all their lives. They have since applied for their first-ever passports to tour the Vatican in March.

And you can bet I’ll be there, not just to see the sights, but to witness firsthand how the anticipation and experience of travel can reignite a zest for life in all ages.