Why Older Adults Cruise -Ancestral Connections

Have you ever thought about all of the small decisions that the generations before you had to make in order for you to be here today? I've been fortunate enough to have a Grandma and Great Aunt who prioritized researching our genealogy, stemmed from a strong desire to understand their heritage. They shared stories of near misses, mostly where the husband went off to battle and passed just as their wife had become pregnant, which have stuck with me through the years.

Ancestry websites and testing programs have brought us closer to finding a connection with our ancestors than ever before. Knowing the county of the country that the majority of your predecessors lived makes visiting those locations all the more special. In a recent trip to Amsterdam, I dug through Grandma's notes and found that an ancestor was married at a church there. Standing outside the church with my daughter, imagining those who played a part in our existence experiencing such a meaningful moment in that same place, gave me a profound sense of connection to my roots.

I'm highlighting my Grandma in this blog to demonstrate a visual example of why I do the work I do. As you can see in these pictures, cruising brought endless amounts of joy to my Grandma and Grandpa. They traveled all over the globe with My Great Aunt and Uncle and would research their family lineage while visiting some of those countries.

As she got older, she became more sedentary and eventually found it more difficult to walk long distances. I believe that this lack of activity lead to more health conditions and a depressive state that kept her indoors and unwilling to interact with this great big beautiful world (outside from trips to her favorite store, Walmart).

As you can see from these photos, my Grandma had lots of spunk. Her husband and brother-in-law were the most jovial, kindhearted men and she and her sister really lived it up with them! For me, connecting with the very thing that had brought her so much joy brings so much pleasure. I also love visiting places that my ancestors lived and feeling so much gratitude that all of those seemingly small decisions led to my existence.

My Grandmother and Grandfather also greatly enjoyed traveling on the Lurline between the mainland and Oahu, and I wish I had pictures of them from their cruise days, as well. Fortunately, she shared stories with me, so I am thrilled that both sets of my grandparents were cruisers. It makes my deep passion for cruising make so much more sense!

Whether we’re connecting with ancestors from centuries past—or, in my case, revisiting the world of cruising from decades ago—I hope you find deep fulfillment in those moments when you simply know, in your soul, that those who came before you once savored that very feeling in a similar place.

Want to take a journey to an ancestral location? I'll happily assist you with the planning and even come along as a concierge companion! I promise to share in the excitement of connecting with your ancestors right along with you!

Grandma at 16, then on cruises with her husband, sister & brother-in-law, and myself and my daughter in front of the church I spoke of in Amsterdam.