Military Officer - March 2008 - (Page 68) FORMER MOA A P RESID ENT Lt. Gen. Mike Nelson, USAF-Ret., and his wife, Barbie, always have loved to travel and considered seeing the world one of the major perks of his three-decade career in the U.S. Air Force. When Nelson retired for good several years ago, he and his wife had no intention of settling down; like many retirees, they decided they wanted to increase and expand their travel options. The couple has traveled the world by boat, plane, train, and automobile and takes at least one short “and there’s always so much to do. Cruises also make some places so much more available to travelers — like visiting Norwegian ports.” On a cruise to Norway the Nelsons took recently, the general says he especially appreciated all the lectures on Norway’s history and culture that the cruise ship offered. This doesn’t surprise Wayne Hagadone, founder of Cruises for Seniors, a travel company that specializes in matching retirees with the right type of cruise for their interests. “Many seniors have traveled a lot,” says 70-year-old Hagadone, who A cruise ship docks in the Bahamas. has spent more than 30 years in the travel industry. “They are looking for unique things to see or unique ways to see things.” Hagadone says a lot of seniors like themed cruises with wine tastings or history or prefer small luxury ships that make for more intimate experiences with fewer people — and usually fewer children as well. Hagadone recommends seniors investigate luxury cruise lines like the Silversea or Crystal Cruises, which have all-inclusive packages that include meals, casinos, spas, and gratuities, to avoid being “nickeledand-dimed” by large cruise lines. He trip every month and longer vacations two or three times a year. Last year, the Nelsons took two cross-country road trips from their home base in northern Virginia to the West Coast. “We always go by ourselves,” General Nelson says. “We plan it; we do it.” Military retirees might have an advantage when it comes to travel, given their experience exploring the world in their jobs. The Nelsons, for example, are pretty comfortable navigating the transportation systems in foreign countries and finding unique ways of getting overseas — such as taking a ship from New York to Southampton, England. For those who are still a bit intimidated by exploring unknown places on their own — or who just might not be aware of all the options available — thousands of travel resources are available specifically for those over 50, who account for more than 30 percent of all domestic travelers, according to statistics from the Travel Industry Association. Here are some tips for navigating all the offerings. Cruising the high seas and rivers Even though the Nelsons do a lot of traveling on their own, they’ve taken more than a few cruises over the course of their retirement. “The food is always good,” Nelson says, 68 MILITARY OFFICER MARCH 2008 PHOTOS: PREVIOUS PAGE, B.BIRD/ZEFA/CORBIS; ABOVE, J LIGHTFOOT/ROBERT HARDING WORLD IMAGERY/CORBIS
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