Consider a room upgrade if you need to keep a walker or wheelchair. Standard cabins are attractive and cozy, but at 170 to 200 square feet, they have little extra room for such equipment. Of course, cruise lines offer handicapped accessible rooms, but they are limited in number and a few extra square feet may be all you need.
Buy travel insurance for your companion and yourself. When traveling with a senior, you should prepare for unforeseen problems. Seniors are at higher risk for slips, falls and infections. If she has an accident, you will be leaving the ship with her. Also, seniors are more likely to experience a medical event in the weeks before embarkation that necessitates canceling the voyage.
Purchase or rent a wheelchair. Even if your companion does not use a wheelchair, it will come in handy for traversing the football field distances between activities you will encounter on the ship. Convince your companion that she should save her energy for the line dancing lesson or the art auction and not fritter it away traipsing from bow to stern.
Upgrade any walking support devices. If your friend uses a standard cane, consider taking a more substantial cane or walker along. Ships roll, dip and shudder. Your friend will be more unstable than she is ashore and will appreciate the added support.
Be cautious about booking shore excursions. Cruise booklets and websites provide substantial descriptions about shore trips, including accessibility and difficulty ratings. But avoid making assumptions about how these write-ups apply to your senior's specific limitations. Talk to a staff person by phone or in person regarding the excursion and the modes of transportation involved.
Pack night-lights. Your friend will be in an unfamiliar room and have difficulty finding her way to the toilet in the dark. Don't think you can leave the bathroom light on and the door open a crack; it will slam shut in the night from the movement of the ship. Alternatively, purchase an eye mask for yourself and encourage your friend to turn on the room light when she needs to move around.
Pack a blanket or lap robe. You may be sailing in sultry July, but out on the water, it will be colder and damper. Your elderly friend can sit on the blanket and wrap her legs snugly.
Pack extra medication and supplies. People remember their prescription drugs but forget typical over-the-counter medications. Your friend's preferred pain, stomach, allergy and irregularity preparations will come in handy when her arthritis acts up or she overindulges at dinner. Bring extra disposables, including adult underwear, bed pads, cleansing wipes, rubber gloves and trash bags. Include extra hearing aid batteries. Such items can be difficult or expensive to obtain in foreign ports and don't add much weight to your baggage.
Visualize your daily routine. Your cruise days will differ significantly from your normal routine. Allow for rests or naps and provide space between strenuous activities. While your senior is napping to prepare for the Broadway show, do something just for you--the fitness center, the climbing wall or the spa. After all, it's your vacation too!
