Agency Geared to Seniors Doing Big Business

Open only for three months, a new full-service travel agency, catering only to mature travelers, is already doing a land-office business.

In the town of San Marcos, near Oceanside, the Senior Travel Center has been designed to give the senior traveler exclusive one-call service with the ability to take advantage of all travel discounts available to those 55 or older.

In addition to the money-saving discounts, the agency offers the convenience of free passport photos and traveler’s checks for international travelers, along with the security of $150,000 flight insurance included free with every airline ticket purchased, either domestic or international.

“Our completely computerized system allows our counselors to have up-to-the-minute information on all forms of senior travel discounts as well as the latest trip offerings anywhere in the world,” says General Manager Dan Regan. “Our staff of six also monitors all discounts offered to seniors by car-rental firms, hotel chains and tour operators.”

As the fastest growing segment of the traveling public, Regan recognizes that the needs of the mature traveler are different.

“We avoid the ‘If this is Tuesday it must be Belgium’ syndrome, and we carefully research tours offered by other companies to make sure that they are senior-styled,” Regan says.

“That’s not to say that they’re geriatrically paced--just slower and more relaxed. For instance, we make sure that stays at a hotel are two nights or longer rather than the hectic one-night stands.”

Sail the China Seas

Scheduled for March 10-24, 1988, is the Princess Cruises’ Eclipse Cruise aboard the Sea Princess, which will sail the China Seas for a front-row seat of the solar phenomenon. The 17-night trip begins at $3,625 per person, double occupancy. It includes air fare from Southern California as well as a three-night hotel package in either Singapore or Hong Kong.

A 14-day inaugural cruise on the new Crown Odyssey, Scandinavian Capitals, is planned for June 20, 1988, which will sail from London to Scandinavia and Leningrad, returning to London. Tour members will have the option of a London theater package. Prices have not been set, but the cruise is expected to fill up quickly.

“We’re also in the planning stages of a Holy Land tour for next April, and right now we have a number of Christmas European tours available,” Regan says.

Another feature offered by the agency is a free Travel-Mates program. Designed to help eliminate the expensive single-supplement charge on so many tours and cruises, Travel-Mates puts travelers with similar interests and travel destinations in touch with each other.

“A computer survey form is filled out by each interested individual,” Regan said, “and it’s already extremely popular, particularly because there’s no charge.”

The Senior Travel Center offers tickets by mail, arrangements for handicapped travelers, day trips, extended worldwide vacation planning and Travel-Notes, a senior travel newsletter.

For more information, contact Regan at the Senior Travel Center, 1254 E. Mission Road, San Marcos, Calif. 92069, phone (619) 489-1705.

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THANKSGIVING TOURS: Great Western Travel is sponsoring a Thanksgiving holiday tour to Las Vegas and Death Valley Nov. 25-28 for $254 per person, double occupancy ($368 single occupancy). The price includes deluxe motor coach transportation, three nights’ accommodations, a buffet dinner at the Las Vegas Golden Nugget, a guided tour of Death Valley, admission to Scotty’s Castle, a picnic lunch and a Thanksgiving dinner at Furnace Creek Ranch.

Afternoon arrival in Las Vegas gives tour members time to enjoy the casinos. Overnight accommodations are provided at the Golden Nugget. In Death Valley, accommodations will be at Furnace Creek Ranch.

If you prefer to enjoy your turkey on the high seas, a four-night Thanksgiving cruise to San Diego and Ensenada is scheduled for Nov. 23 to 27 for $419 per person for an inside cabin or $569 for an outside cabin. The price includes motor coach transportation to and from the pier, baggage handling, all meals and entertainment aboard ship and port taxes. Shore excursions and gratuities are not included.

For reservations and more information: Great Western Travel, 3814 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 200, Pasadena, Calif. 91107, or phone (818) 578-1161.

YOSEMITE SEMINAR: The popular fall seminar, Yosemite’s Yesterdays, was so quickly sold out that another has been scheduled for Oct. 3-4. The program explores the haunts and home sites of such colorful Yosemite pioneers as Chief Tenaya’s tribe, Galen Clark, the Hutchings family, John Muir and a host of remarkable hotel keepers. Led by author and historian Shirley Sargent, a longtime Yosemite resident, the class will tour historic sites by foot and auto caravan.

There will be about three miles of walking with plenty of stops. Comfortable shoes and sack lunches are needed. On Saturday evening there will be a slide show, and on Sunday morning a car tour to Camp Curry. Seminar fee is $65. For information contact Yosemite Assn., P.O. Box 230, El Portal, Calif. 95318, or phone (209) 379-2646.