After forty years of cruising, I thought I knew it all until this week! I hopped aboard The Quantum of the Seas from Royal Caribbean and took a three-night cruise to Ensenada, Mexico. Quantum is a mega ship and was the largest in the world only a dozen or so years ago.
I realized that cruising has reinvented itself. These ships aren’t just floating hotels anymore… they’re floating theme parks, museums, and wellness retreats. (Yes, it is possible to get healthier on a cruise and even lose weight…more about that later).
What really surprised me? Cruise directors (like Quantum’s Tami) have finally figured out that mature travelers like us don’t want to sit quietly on a deck chair…although that’s nice too. We want to DO the juicy stuff, like Crazy Quest, an adult-only group game! So now you’ll find older adults bumper-car–ing, rock-climbing, dancing, trivia-battling, flow-rider–surfing, you name it, shoulder-to-shoulder with Gen Alpha, Millennials, and people who don’t know their own age and don’t care. The energy was electric. And now, cruising is an easy way to travel with even small grandchildren without getting exhausted.
Here’s my #1 lifelong cruising tip, a real life-changer. I couldn’t cruise for 20 years because I got seasick on a lily pond. I mean it — calm seas, no waves, didn’t matter. One wobble and I was horizontal. And then? I discovered acupuncture. Two to three sessions, done about eight days before sailing, and boom — no seasickness. Not once since.
On this week’s The Ageless Traveler podcast, I cover Part II of a two-part series, Your Passport to Longevity — scientifically-backed reasons why travel literally adds years to your life and how you can turn back the clock when you get home, by understanding how we age.
In this week’s usual newsletter sections, you’ll find nifty information reflecting my enthusiasm for the new type of mega-cruising for us, the Ageless Travelers.
Ask Adriane: Make your cruise healthy.
News You Can Use: What cruises are offering for children these days.
Culture Vulture: Where the best book festivals are in 2026.
Luxury Travel for Less: A great day in Ensenada, Mexico.
Next week I’ll be bouncing between New York and Orlando, with Miami in between. And of course, I’ll be reporting back!
It’s time to book your cruise! Hundreds of discounted cruises are available through our affiliate CruisesIt. If prices drop below what you booked, you’ll be notified and receive the best price. Click here to select your trip. Bon voyage!
This Week’s Highlights
On Our Podcast:
Passport to Longevity–
Part 2
In Part 2 of our coverage of longevity and travel, I take you to the 5 Blue Zones identified as areas where people live longer than in other regions of the world. Since they were identified, over 50 different communities have been identified as longevity hotpots.
As we discuss the attributes of the original 5 Blue Zones in Greece, Italy, the USA, Costa Rica, and Japan, we discover the reasons in lifestyle, attitude, and faith that keep humans living longer and healthier. We are empowered to create our own list of longevity protocols.
The episode ends with three ways to make your home community a Blue Zone: 1) praise merchants who offer better food and access to exercise, 2) be a model for your family and friends, and 3) prioritize longevity when you vote for community leaders.
Advocate for more park space, walkable and safe streets, and demand national and local budgets for preventive care. This episode can be a game-changer for you and your neighbors.
This week I gorged myself on the art aboard Royal Caribbean — it was a fabulous surprise. Sculptures, installations, immersive pieces, playful modern works… And yes, I’m sharing photos with you. If you love art and find cruising less than, shall we say, sophisticated, look around any mega-ship. A curator worked hard to select great pieces that get overlooked with all the other things going on. Feast your eyes on these:
Mark your calendars. Book festivals for 2026 are shaping up beautifully, and they create additional reasons to visit places you love or have always wanted to see. So, too, at themed festivals, like book fairs, you meet like-minded people, making them great for solo travelers. As a writer, I have been to several, but the top of the line is my neighboring Rancho Mirage Writers Festival (sold out for 2026). Several events are online.
Here are the big ones, with URLs for easy booking:
As always, if you have a local book fair you want to promote, let me know. I love telling other Culture Vultures about little-known festivals.
Luxury Travel for Less
Ensenada, Mexico — My New “Aha!” Moment
I’ve been to Ensenada more times than I can count, but this trip was different — I used Ensenada Excursions and Tours, booked a private car, and suddenly the whole city felt brand-new.
Freedom is a beautiful thing. Here’s how our day unfolded:
1. La Bufadora — The World’s 4th Largest Blowhole It’s technically a marine cave, but it shoots water like a geyser with a sense of humor. Around it? A rollicking market selling churros, tequila, shrimp tacos, art, jewelry, you name it: Pure Mexico, pure magic.
2. Pai Pai— An Eco-Friendly Animal Rescue Capybaras. Panthers. Baby tigers. Kangaroos. Farm animals. Clean, well-loved, family-friendly. And yes — I touched a snake. Blindfolded. More than once. Don’t ask.
3. Ensenada Cultural Center— Once a scandalous 1930s casino, now reborn as a cultural gem. The photos alone are worth the trip. And yes, it claims to be the birthplace of the Margarita. Who am I to argue?
4. The Free Historic Museum—From prehistoric Baja civilizations to a horrifying jail used in the late 1800s — tiny, dark, no facilities, food dropped from the ceiling. Then you walk outside into upscale boutiques and chic cafés. The contrast is jarring and unforgettable.
5. The Black Fish Market— Before heading home, we grabbed fish tacos that made me want to write poetry. If tacos could hug you, these would.
Travel tip: A private car in Ensenada gives you complete control. Alfredo our guide was amazing in knowledge and in selecting places we would love. The day was worth every penny and I highly recommend Ensenada Excursions and Tours..meet Jesse the owner personally on Facebook.
Friends Meeting Friends
Here’s A Fresh Perspective on Midlife and Aging
The Late Bloomer Living Podcast inspires you to find joy, embrace change, and live playfully at ANY age. Whether you’re navigating midlife, moving beyond it, launching a new career, or simply looking for more fun and fulfillment, this show will empower you to take bold steps toward the life you truly want.
Redefining What’s Possible at Midlife & Beyond
Every Wednesday, join host Yvonne Marchese on latebloomerliving.com as she interviews inspiring guests who’ve dared to reinvent themselves after 40 and experts who provide valuable guidance on navigating the unique challenges of midlife and beyond.
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