River Cruises in the USA, anyone have an experience with that? (beach, retiree)
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Most of the big navigable rivers in the US midwest are industrial corridors. Lots of chemical plants, factories, refineries, power plants. The terrain is mostly flat south of Wisconsin or Pennsylvania.
Here's a book written by a well known author who traveled along the main rivers of the USA in his own small boat. His view from the water is very interesting, and it's a lot more than just observations about the scenery:
We did a 10 day positioning cruise from Seattle to Juneau on a small ship several years ago; there were about 60 passengers. Had a great time as we could duck into places that the big ships could not go and everything seemed more up close and personal. Getting off and on for doing things ashore was a breeze. Our goal is to do the same thing again in spring or autumn of 2021. Looking at a vessel that has about 35 passengers.
Cruise West went out of business, so who else is there?
We went on some Carabean cruises when younger bu I no longer want to leave the country in the event of a medical emergency.
I don't want to suffer a heart attack off the coast of Haiti. Guess I am getting older and paying more attention to the what if's in this life.
I think we will stay with an Alaskan cruise or one of the river cruises we are starting to see.
Sort of looking at the Mississippi River, Ohio River and Columbia River.
Yes, the Danube looks good but that is not going to happen.
Anyone over 60 have any experience?
Many foreign countries have excellent healthcare, and travel insurance is relatively cheap. I know people who've died of heart attacks, etc, in major US cities, so being home during your health crisis is certainly no guarantee of any sort of safety. And you may be just as far from a quality hospital here as you are in a foreign country, due to hospital closings in many rural areas. Where you are may not be the most important factor in one's survival. Far more important is one's actual state of health. If you take care of yourself physically, and are otherwise healthy, there is no reason to forgo foreign travel. Hundreds of thousands of senior citizens travel the world on cruises every year without health incidents. However it appears you've made this decision, and that's certainly your right, but it seems a shame to give up seeing the world because of worry about something that is a one in a million chance that you will #1) have a heart attack, and #2) have it on one of the very few days of your life when you are at sea. Now if you had a heart condition, and were advised to be very careful because you were potentially at risk, that would be a different story of course.
Last edited by TheShadow; 12-26-2019 at 09:13 AM..
Most of the big navigable rivers in the US midwest are industrial corridors. Lots of chemical plants, factories, refineries, power plants. The terrain is mostly flat south of Wisconsin or Pennsylvania.
Here's a book written by a well known author who traveled along the main rivers of the USA in his own small boat. His view from the water is very interesting, and it's a lot more than just observations about the scenery:
A cruise along the inside passage of Alaska would be the first choice for scenery and nature. Depends on what you are looking for in a cruise.
This is my thought too. I've been on various rivers for short "day trips" and was extremely unimpressed. It's not like the rivers here are lined with castles and medieval cities and cathedrals like Europe.
I think I would feel safer on a European river cruise, than on an Alaska cruise. If you are cruising through Germany, you would get excellent care, & promptly also. If you are in a remote place in Alaska, you might have to get medi-vaced out in a helicopter. ( We have done the Alaska cruise & also a river cruise on the Rhine)
I agree with the poster who said do not let fears stop you, from travel. Just get some insurance.
According to National Geographic, your odds of dying on a cruise are calculated to be 1 in 6.25 million. Your odds of dying in a motor vehicle accident are 1 in 645. And yet most of us still drive cars on a daily basis.
According to National Geographic, your odds of dying on a cruise are calculated to be 1 in 6.25 million. Your odds of dying in a motor vehicle accident are 1 in 645. And yet most of us still drive cars on a daily basis.
That's going by cruising accidents, not health issues like having a heart attack. The odds of an elderly person having a heart attack while cruising is not 1 in 6.25 million.
I'm not saying he should avoid cruises, but you can't use statistics that don't apply in order to make a point.
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