wwiles

I am new to this so bear with me.
My parents are 84 years young. They want to take a vacation however there is always an excuse not to go. My step father has asbestosis (lung condition) to which he cannot walk very far and has to take his oxygen with him. My mother will not fly on an airplane ever and gets leg cramps when she sits too long. They also have Wonder dog who is an 18lb Shiatsu that they have a difficult time leaving behind (but I think we can work on that). They live in Western North Carolina in the beautiful Smoky Mountains. So far, I have suggested a cruise out of Charleston, SC since this is only a 4.5 hour drive. The problem is Carnival is the only cruise lines there and their cruises are 5-7 day to the Bahamas only. They do not want to be on the ship that long and want to go somewhere else besides the Bahamas.
I would love to see them go somewhere before they are not able.
Any ideas would be most appreciative!

newtome

So I'm not sure what help you expect we can give. You've already outlined that what they would like to do is not possible from where they be going from. If you think that we have some secret ideas on cruises, I think it's sad that you are mistaken.

With all their delays and excuses, are you sure they actually want to go on a vacation?

kja

I think your idea of a cruise makes perfect sense!

I readily admit that I know NOTHING about cruises, but would think there must be options to get them to a port that works (even if that means a few overnights en route, or a train, or a car and driver, or some combination thereof).

Have you/they considered inland riverboats? My aunt took my grandmother on a steamboat trip once and, as they say, "a good time was had by all" . And if their concerns about a longer cruise are because it just all feels too overwhelming, well, maybe that would help them overcome some of that psychological hurdle.

If you can get them to talk about it, it might help to know why they don't want to go to the Bahamas, and especially, why they don't want to be on a ship for 5 to 7 days. Some of their concerns may be legitimate,and it would be helpful to know what things are "out of bounds" for them; other concerns may be ones that can be addressed if they can articulate the specifics. But of course, it would be completely understandable if you don't want to press them....

I congratulate your for your desire to help them explore the world. If they remain resolute in their opposition, you could, perhaps, help them find an on-line or other media-driven way to explore the world from the comfort of their own home.

There is a Fodor's forum devoted specifically to cruises. Do consider reposting there, or asking the moderators to do so for you.

Good luck!

janisj

Welcome to Fodors (and ignore the snarky initial response)

I suggest you re-post on the United States forum (see the 'Change Forum' pull down menu up above.) There are several Fodorites living in N. Carolina, Tennessee etc that might have some 'out of the box' ideas. kja's suggestion about the Cruise Forum is good too.

Have you though maybe about a train journey?

kja

A train trip is another great idea -- kudos, janisj!

thursdaysd

I loved taking Amtrak across country. They could also take it to Florida (look at starting in Charlotte) which would give a wider range of cruises.

bettyk

Did your parents travel much before or is this something you think they need to do? It may be that they are perfectly happy not seeing the world.

I have friends that have never taken a real vacation. They talk about wishing they could go here or there but never make an attempt to do it. Maybe the idea of travel is more appealing than the actual travel itself.

Sassafrass

A cruise would be wonderful for them. In some ports, the cruise line has busses right outside the ship. However, their wanting to go to other places could be problematic because in some ports, they would have to walk a bit to get a taxi or something to take them about. In the Bahamas, there should be enough for them to enjoy and see a different area each day.

Also, I would not recommend Carnival for them. Celebrity, Princess or Royal Caribbean could work and they should do a medium (or smaller) ship. The super big, mega ships require a lot of walking around the ship, unless your FIL would use a wheel chair, then someone would have to push him around.

I strongly recommend trying to get them to do a longer cruise because it takes a couple of days just to get acclimated to being on a ship. They do know that there are Doctors on each ship? Right? I still like regular travel, but as we get older, DH likes cruises more and more.

Have you considered going with them or making it a family holiday? They might be more comfortable with that the first time. It could be a good memory for you too, a nice time together and a nice thing to do for your parents. We are not as old as your parents, but getting there, and we have cruised twice with our middle aged daughter and very young Granddaughter. It was such fun. They swam and played during the day and we all had lunch and dinner together and went to the theater and concerts on the ship together in the evening. We all can't wait to do it again this winter.

I do understand about their pet. We have four, and that is my biggest concern every time we go on a trip. You just have to find a really good pet sitter, perhaps a vet tech to stay in their home. It would cost more, but be worth it. Talk with their vet about recommending someone.

Ft Lauderdale and Miami are nice ports to depart from, nice cruises to the Caribbean. If you decide to do this, get to the port city the day before the cruise. Spend the night there, so you have plenty of time and are rested to start the cruise.

Good luck.

mlgb

I am sort of in bettyk's camp on this. From reading it seems like it is the OP that wants them to take the vacation.

I recently accompanied a 78-year old friend on a cruise (Royal Caribbean) on a 'smaller ship'. I don't think it was all that comfortable for her. I often had to push her around in a wheelchair to get to the dining halls and theaters, and you really need to bring your own wheelchair. Plus she came down with a hacking cough (colds and flu are rampant but they only publicize Norovirus) and spent a few days on a nebulizer.

She enjoyed some of the bus tours, fortunately she is fit enough to get on and off of a bus.

She does enjoy going on Amtrak so maybe that's a better option. And it's a whole lot easier to get off if someone needs medical attention.

janisj

Unfortunately the OP is new and they often assume Fodors will send notification what there are responses. Sure hope she comes back and sees these (or maybe she <i>did</i> see the first one and figures Fodors isn't very helpful )

eliztravels2

I’m also inclined to agree with bettyk’s well stated suggestion “maybe the idea of travel is more appealing than the actual travel itself”. What the OP refers to as ‘excuses’ for not travelling are actually obstacles, either physical or emotional, that stand in the way of an enjoyable experience. Try as we and the OP might to make useful suggestions, it may be that for the parents they may already have reach a point in life when the potential rewards and pleasures of travel no longer are sufficient to outweigh the effort of undertaking the journey.

Certainly the OP should be commended for the desire to find an enjoyable experience for the parents, but it is the parents who must decide what kind of vacation, if any, would be enjoyable and then ask for help in making it happen.

maxima

you may want to look into Road Scholar. They have vacations in the US and abroad with a learning element. Generally, you can find a trip where the participants stay in one place, add there are lectures, organized programs, lectures and day trips involving a particular subject or theme. Many are geared for people who are not very active.

starrs

What about Charleston, SC?
Only 4 hours away but a lovely city to visit.
You could stay in the historic district or out on one of the islands. Folly Beach may work because the beach is pet friendly -
http://www.follybeach.com/folly-beach-dog-rules/
Edisto Beach also -
http://www.edistobeach.com/edistos-four-legged-fans/

Check on vrbo.com for potential dates and use the filters to search for pet friendly rentals.

I hope you plan to go along with your parents on this trip. They may not be interested in travel by themselves at this time. Perhaps plan a short vacation not too far from home and see how that goes. Five hours in a car is about the max for my elderly parents and even that is hard on them. Four hours drive + a stop for lunch midway is the farthest they are willing to travel now. I think Charleston would be the perfect distance for your parents.