Over-50s cruise to a telling tune

<i>Spirit of Adventure</i>  passengers (from left) Clarrie and Val King, of the Gold Coast,...
<i>Spirit of Adventure</i> passengers (from left) Clarrie and Val King, of the Gold Coast, Australia, and Ann and John Waters, of Cornwall, England, outside the Dunedin Railway Station yesterday. Photo by Stephen Jaquiery.
You know when you're on a cruise ship for over 50-year-olds, Ann Waters says.

"They had someone singing pop music the other night, but they only sang songs from before 1969."

While Mrs Waters and her husband John, both from Cornwall, England, declined to give their age, they confirmed they were well above the "qualification age" for entry to the cruise on Spirit of Adventure for over 50-year-olds.

The ship berthed at Port Chalmers yesterday morning with about 280 passengers on board, and Mrs Waters estimated the average age of the people on board (not counting staff) was about 65.

<i>Spirit of Adventure</i> and an Otago Harbour Board tug motor towards Port Chalmers yesterday...
<i>Spirit of Adventure</i> and an Otago Harbour Board tug motor towards Port Chalmers yesterday morning. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
She said the main differences between travelling on one of the big cruise ships and Spirit of Adventure was the entertainment.

The ship also had an excellent library, internet to keep in touch with the grandchildren, a hairdresser, three bars and great food, she said.

"There are also 202 staff on board, so the proportion of staff to passengers is quite high," she said.

"It's all geared to the over-50s."

While there were also gym sessions on board, the passengers tended to be more interested in the gin and tonic nights, Mrs Waters said.

"And if you're really co-ordinated, you can do both at the same time," she joked.

Mr Waters was excited about touring New Zealand on the cruise ship. The retired Shell Oil fuel tanker captain said he had sailed around the world many times, but this was his first visit to New Zealand.

The couple toured Dunedin's tourist sights in style yesterday after hiring a stretch limo and driver for the afternoon.

Spirit of Adventure departs for Akaroa at 5pm today.

 

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