By Team Trilogy
There’s no better time to travel than in your retirement years. Gone are the days of worrying about PTO or vacation days, children are grown and well-established in their own lives, and you’ve become the person you were always meant to be! Now is the time to enjoy yourself and take on the world one bus ride, flight or cruise at a time.
At Trilogy, we understand that traveling is one of the major perks that comes with this time of your life, and we’re happy to oblige! We offer Out and About for day trips and Retreats for those wanting a little taste of adventure, but what about those who have really caught the travel bug? Introducing the Trilogy Travel Club!
And what better way to celebrate our maiden voyage than with a week-long cruise through the Caribbean! Yes, we took residents on a real, honest-to-goodness cruise! And we think it turned out pretty well! Just take a look at all the fun we had!
Enjoy a recap of the trip by our very own Senior Vice President of Customer Service, Rhonda Simmonds, who accompanied our residents on their journey.
“We left for our trip with fifteen travelers. In total, we were a group made up of seven residents from different Trilogy campuses, three family members, three caregivers (included myself, as I am a Registered Nurse), and two representatives from our travel agency.
We flew into Fort Lauderdale and received wonderful assistance from the airport. (Travel Tip: Airlines provide wheelchair assistance for those who need it. Be sure to let them know in advance if you will be needing assistance and they will be more than happy to help.)
Our party arrived at the hotel, and our travelers met each other for the first time – or so we thought! Two of our travelers, Clara W. and Martha T., saw each other and realized that they had known each other before! What a happy coincidence! There’s nothing better than reuniting with an old friend, except maybe getting to spend an entire week with them on an exciting cruise! After enjoying a relaxing evening, everyone retired filled with excitement for what the next day would bring.
The next morning we Ubered to the port where we first set eyes on the magnificent Holland American ship. As we gazed up at the beauty, the motorized wheelchairs that we rented for our trip arrived. (Travel Tip: Renting motorized transport is a wonderful idea when traveling with seniors, even those who may not need around the clock assistance.) Everyone eagerly revved their engines and boarded what would be their home for the next week.
Over the next seven days, we had a blast (as you can see in the above video), with mornings spent enjoying room service on balconies facing the sea, afternoons filled with excursions or soaks in the hot tub, and evenings delighting in the wonderful cuisine and atmosphere offered in the dining room. There were also a number of evening entertainment options from comedians to musicals and live quartets and bands.
Our travelers especially enjoyed time spent in our three ports of call, Amber Cove, St. Thomas and an exclusive private island where they enjoyed a day at the beach with beautiful, sunny skies, perfect temperatures and a beachside barbecue. We even procured a sand wheelchair so resident Beverly could take a jaunt into the salted ocean currents. As you can see, it was an exciting experience for all.
Though we were sad to see the adventure come to an end, everyone was ready to get back to their friends and entertain them with tales of our trip. I’m so happy that the initial journey for the Trilogy Travel Club was such a hit, and I can’t wait for the next.”
Rhonda isn’t the only one with wonderful things to say about the trip. Resident Clara W. had this to say, “I used to go on cruises with my husband, and I thought I’d never have the chance to go on another one, but then this opportunity came along! My favorite part was when Beverly got to go into the water in her wheelchair – it brought tears to my eyes. I had such a wonderful time, and I can’t wait until Trilogy offers another trip, because I certainly plan on going!
We’re so happy that everyone had a great time, and we are in the process of planning our trips for 2018, so stay tuned!
If you’re interested in a community that provides this level of care and service, visit a campus near you today!