Cruising on the ship of souls

I enjoyed reading about over sixty males and females sailing off on cruise ships. They set off to appreciate exotic locations, aboard a floating hotel, where every person hoped their needs are met. 

After a hiatus due to the pandemic, the cruise ships are returning to our shores. The new cruising will take in local Australian ports, with some ships venturing to nearby destinations in the South Pacific. This revival is vital for all the industries that service the cruise ship industry, growing to produce, supplying staff and musical entertainment. 

Apparently, as this homebody has learnt, there is a growing demand for tours available for the baby boomers. Many cruise ships have wheelchair-accessible gangways and staterooms, as necessary. Onboard there are excellent dining areas with sumptuous meals, bars and buffets, live entertainment, swimming pools and spas, masseurs, shopping facilities, films, planned activities, party nights, and appropriate excursions at each port. 

Also provided are suitable medical facilities, with a nurse and a doctor. Anyone who has any pre-existing health condition needs to make allowances, and be aware of medical insurance necessities and physical requirements. 

But it can all start at sixty on a cruise. Boy meets girl, both survivors with baggage. Is it an onboard romance? She will wear an upswept blonde or greying hairdo,  dressing in a strapless chiffon frock, cleavage ablaze. He will supply Chardonnay on his drink card. They will liaise, gazing at the sunset over the Pacific,  sailing on a ship of souls.  She wonders if he shall still love her tomorrow. Do they continue to meet after cruising? Is it all only, “ships in the night”, and everyone has a great holiday?

What if we grow so old that we should be in a nursing home? Do we go cruising instead? A friend of mine has seen his parents in a nursing home. He has compared prices and resolved his future ahead. It would cost about the same, or more, to purchase a nursing home bed. This is in comparison to going sailing off on a series of cruise ships, into the sunset, on the ships of souls.

We could all squander our adult kids’ inheritance on really enjoying our twilight years. Best food, new people to meet, drinks at the bar, different luxury spas to visit, days lounging on a sunbed, with an onboard doctor, lots to do, day and night. Compare all this to a nursing home, same people, same foods, same staff, wheelchair access, you get to chat with the cleaning ladies, as well as the nurses who do the medications. 

Well, that is one strategy that can start at sixty. There is a market for over sixties cruise ships, meeting the dreams of seniors who shall enjoy every part of their holiday relaxation. It is all taken care of for us. We might meet someone for “love”, we might not, it might be a deal-breaker, in a budding romance, if the mysterious male cannot sing Abba with Elvis’s voice. 

Shall I plan a cruise? Then plan another cruise, another one, then never come home again. We could all just disappear from all this aged care in front of us all. That might be a choice of good intentions, the adult offspring are all going okay anyway. We can all sail away on a ship of souls. Aloha!