Passenger Age

[MikeBTN]

I'm 38 and my wife is 28. We love cruising and are beginning to plan a Med cruise for 2018. I know these are more port intensive, so regardless of the ship/line night-life isn't what it is on, say, a Caribbean sailing, but we still like to have fun with folks around our age bracket. She's concerned that we'll be the youngest on a Viking ship and will feel "out of place". Thoughts?

[JVilleGal]

You may well be among the younger guests but you will be traveling with very interesting and well traveled passengers. The ship is gorgeous and the experience will be amazing. You won't find rock climbing walls, the newlywed game or pool side belly flop contests.

 

If you can afford to sail Viking then you should enjoy every minute of the experience. Have fun planning!

 

 

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[Peregrina651]

I'm 38 and my wife is 28. We love cruising and are beginning to plan a Med cruise for 2018. I know these are more port intensive, so regardless of the ship/line night-life isn't what it is on, say, a Caribbean sailing, but we still like to have fun with folks around our age bracket. She's concerned that we'll be the youngest on a Viking ship and will feel "out of place". Thoughts?

 

My grandmother always told me that age was a state of mind.

 

It is not the age thing that you need to get past but the "night-life" thing. The on-board vibe is much more mellow and laid back and people look much more to the interaction with people than to piped in activities. There is no doubt that Viking markets to the gray population and that is certainly what you will see on board but at the same time, maybe because the itineraries are so port intensive, it is an active and young at heart population for the most part (regardless of hair color). There are times of the year and on certain itineraries where the demographic may trend younger (but not to families with young children).

 

The bottom-line is that the cruise will be what you make of it and regardless of age, you will find liked-minded people to hang out with.

[gannk]

My husband and I did a 10 day Panama Canal cruise when we were in our late 20s. There were three other couples our age (we were all seated together at dinner), a few families, and everyone else was enjoying their retirement years. I honestly didn't notice it for most of the trip. The older passengers beware there for a good time, just like we were. I honestly think that you will be just fine.

 

 

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[99Cruiser]

I'm 38 and my wife is 28. We love cruising and are beginning to plan a Med cruise for 2018. I know these are more port intensive, so regardless of the ship/line night-life isn't what it is on, say, a Caribbean sailing, but we still like to have fun with folks around our age bracket. She's concerned that we'll be the youngest on a Viking ship and will feel "out of place". Thoughts?

 

My wife and I did the Med cruise in October and we are both in our 40's and we were some of the youngest on the cruise. Like it was mentioned, age is just a number and we had a great time. There isn't a casino or the typical cruise ship games but you are in port almost every day and just want to relax at night.

[palermo22]

I am early 70s - go to the gym everyday - I am in the same condition as I was when I was 30! I'll out-hustle any between the ages of 30 and 50! We love to dance and are the adventurist types at each port. I think you would feel at home as long as you don't befriend anyone who can't make it up the stairs (not a knock on you if you can't make it up the stairs - just trying to point out - as someone stated above: age is just a number).

[PatriciaF]

Based on our cruise, you and your wife will be one of the youngest couples on board. But any winter, non-Caribbean cruise, is going to skew older--us retirees have the time to do these cruises and no longer need to schedule vacations around school schedules.

 

If you are looking for a high party atmosphere--with lots of dancing, entertainment venues, I don't think Viking is for you.

[CharTrav]

Based on our cruise, you and your wife will be one of the youngest couples on board. But any winter, non-Caribbean cruise, is going to skew older--us retirees have the time to do these cruises and no longer need to schedule vacations around school schedules.

 

 

 

If you are looking for a high party atmosphere--with lots of dancing, entertainment venues, I don't think Viking is for you.

 

 

But they may be the type who are more introspective, not go go party animals. Looking back on myself at that age, the atmosphere on board Viking would have been perfect for me

 

 

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[MikeBTN]

We're definitely not party animals, but imagine a "gray hair" (as some of you have put it) on a 3-night cruise to nowhere over spring break. Probably not the most appealing setting, regardless of mental age.

 

We realize European cruises, regardless of the line, are going to be a completely different animal than a Caribbean sailing. Yes, we can afford Viking and it seems to offer a pretty solid value, especially compared to similarly-priced smaller suites on some of the mainstream lines.

 

Thanks for the input everyone!

[lucymorgan]

We haven't sailed on Viking, but on our Med cruise 8 years ago we used all of our energy on the ports - early rising, climbing ancient monuments, exploring medieval villages, walking miles through centuries of culture and architecture.

 

We loved going to dinner each night but we were too tired to do shows or dance parties. My advice is to look at the ports and plan your cruise around maximising the port experience so you can relax in the evenings.

[MikeBTN]

We haven't sailed on Viking, but on our Med cruise 8 years ago we used all of our energy on the ports - early rising, climbing ancient monuments, exploring medieval villages, walking miles through centuries of culture and architecture.

 

We loved going to dinner each night but we were too tired to do shows or dance parties. My advice is to look at the ports and plan your cruise around maximising the port experience so you can relax in the evenings.

 

Yes, that's the plan. We're starting to lean more towards a land-based trip for our first time to Europe. Cost will be about the same, but more relaxing. Thinking of setting up "base camp" in Paris for 5-7 days and then maybe Rome for another 5-7. We can take trains to other parts of the area.

[Dhsamso]

Yes, that's the plan. We're starting to lean more towards a land-based trip for our first time to Europe. Cost will be about the same, but more relaxing. Thinking of setting up "base camp" in Paris for 5-7 days and then maybe Rome for another 5-7. We can take trains to other parts of the area.

 

Now that we are "gray hairs", we take the occasional cruise even in Europe. We took our first trip to Europe when we were 20 somethings and a cruise would have been a waste of time. You cannot see any city or country as well on a cruise. Take the land trip and as you said enjoy a few places for more than a day or two and use trains. Have a wonderful trip. Sometime in the future, take a cruise and relax.

[Fpacifico]

We haven't sailed on Viking, but on our Med cruise 8 years ago we used all of our energy on the ports - early rising, climbing ancient monuments, exploring medieval villages, walking miles through centuries of culture and architecture.

 

We loved going to dinner each night but we were too tired to do shows or dance parties. My advice is to look at the ports and plan your cruise around maximising the port experience so you can relax in the evenings.

 

Ok, you've never sailed on Viking. Well Viking is vastly different. I've done the river cruises and will be going on the ocean cruises. They have tours for all levels. You do as much as you want or as little. When I went to China, they made sure that I had a wheelchair when I needed it. Even with an injured leg, I had a great time and we loved the piano bar. On the ocean cruise, they have different entertainment or hang out in your room and watch an in demand movie that's included. Look at the CC reviews if the tours fir the Mediterranean cruise or the Baltic cruise or the Caribbean cruise.

Edited December 18, 2016 by Fpacifico

[Krisval]

Your new plan sounds like it may be more in line with your interests. Best wishes for a vacation you will long remember with fond memories.

 

Please indulge me as I share a memory of a time a number of years ago when I was about 24 and ended up spending many times "hanging out" with people in their 40's. I might have normally thought of them as "old," but they had so much fun and had such great experiences to share with me that I came away from that time impatient to be that old and have such great times and experiences. I truly believe that my time with that group made aging an adventure to look forward to and to relish at each stage.

 

If you do sometime take a cruise with people older than you, be sure to choose a cruise like Viking's where you will be surrounded by intelligent, well-travelled, and energetic folks who will enjoy your perspectives and give you an insight into how fabulous life can be when you are 50, 60, 70, and, if lucky, beyond.

 

Have a wonderful trip!