Cruising Through Retirement: Community Cruise Stories - How Ken & Darlene Spratt Turned Cruising Into a Retirement Lifestyle
One of the things I love most about cruising is what happens between the ports. You find yourself at dinner with people you've never met, swapping itineraries over dessert. You trade port tips on the pool deck. You learn, almost without trying, from the experiences of the travelers around you. That spirit of shared discovery is exactly what our Cruising Through Retirement Community Cruise Stories is built on — and I couldn't be more excited to introduce our very first submission.
Ken and Darlene Spratt have been cruising for nearly 35 years. Their story is one I think many of us will recognize: how a modest long weekend getaway quietly becomes a life philosophy. How cruising grows with you, meets you at each new stage, and keeps delivering.
I'll let them tell it.
— Evelyn
Ken and Darlene Spratt at Montmorency Falls, Quebec City as seen on Travels With Darley Season 10 Ep. 1: Québec
Ken & Darlene Spratt: From a Mexico Weekend to the World
In their own words:
We took our first cruise nearly 35 years ago. Living in San Diego, a four-day getaway to Mexico felt like the perfect long weekend — and it sparked something neither of us expected: a lifelong love of travel.
Over the years, we explored the U.S. and Europe in just about every way possible. Now fully retired, that desire to see the world hasn't slowed down. If anything, it's stronger.
Cruising has become the perfect fit for this stage of life. There's nothing better than waking up in a new destination almost every day — and only unpacking once.
Nothing Warms You Up Like A Wee Dram
Ken (L) & Darlene Spratt (R) with their friend, Dale (Center). A wee dram (shot of scotch) from our driver at the end of our day touring Edinburgh.
Their Advice for Making the Most of Every Voyage
After decades of travel and multiple ocean cruises, Ken and Darlene have a clear approach. Here's what works for them:
Start with the destination. The itinerary always comes first. They look for sailings that hit the places they've genuinely been eager to explore, then build everything else around that.
Think about where you board and disembark. Embarkation and debarkation cities are part of the experience. Whenever possible, they arrive a day early or extend their stay afterward — time to explore the city, enjoy local food, and travel without stress.
Work with a trusted cruise consultant. This has been one of their most valuable investments. A good consultant helps with early bookings, cabin selection, and hotel recommendations — and often saves money in the process. For anyone new to cruising, this is the single most practical piece of advice they'd pass along.
Find your onboard sweet spot. For Ken and Darlene, that's a Club Balcony cabin with priority access — and breakfast on the balcony. Coffee, room service, and open water is their idea of a perfect morning at sea. I completely understand.
Build in flexibility. Some days are packed with excursions. Others are slower — sleeping in, relaxing, a glass of wine before dinner, a show in the evening. Cruising lets you shape each day exactly as you want it.
Research the ports, then mix it up. They look into every port ahead of time — part of the fun, they say. They'll book ship excursions when it makes sense, and mix in private tours when they want to dig deeper into history, food, or local culture.
Their Most Recent Voyages
NCL Star — British Isles This past year they sailed around the British Isles — Edinburgh, Inverness, Liverpool, and Belfast, with additional stops in Amsterdam and Bruges, and an excursion to Paris. The highlight? A wee dram of Scotch poured by their Edinburgh driver at the end of a long day of sightseeing. Some moments are small and perfect.
NCL Gem — Quebec City to Boston Their second sailing took them from Quebec City through Charlottetown, Sydney, Halifax, Bar Harbor, and Portland, Maine. Incredible fall coastal scenery, great seafood, and the kind of itinerary that makes you immediately start planning a return trip.
Why Cruising Works at This Stage of Life
Ken and Darlene say it best: "At this stage in life, cruising offers the perfect balance. We can continue exploring the world — comfortably, at our own pace — with the freedom to make each day as active or relaxed as we choose. And best of all, there's always another destination waiting tomorrow." That's exactly it. Cruising grows with you. It meets you where you are. Ken and Darlene started with a four-day Mexico getaway. I started in Alaska. Every cruiser has a first voyage — and a story that follows.
We'd love to hear yours.
Share Your Community Cruise Story
We'd love to hear about:
Why you chose cruising and what surprised you most
Favorite destinations, ports, or shore excursions — and what made them special
A moment that stayed with you long after you disembarked
Advice you'd pass along to a first-time cruiser
How to submit:
Approximately 500 words or less
Personal, reflective, in your own voice — no travel writing experience required
Optional photos welcome (we'd love to see the faces and places behind your story!)
Include your name as you'd like it published
Submissions may be lightly edited for clarity and flow, but your voice is always preserved. Your story might be exactly what inspires someone else's first voyage.
