If you are in your golden years and plan to take a trip around the world with your loved ones or live the dream of an international cruise, there are a lot of tour and travel operators providing package deals, especially for seniors. With offers on last-minute bookings to discounts on referrals and loyalty programs, you can avail of the many ways to save on your vacation.

Here are the top best senior travel and tour operators that offer great value deals for senior travelers.

• Road Scholar
  Started as Elderhostel, this organization began as a learning program that brought together affordable lodging and learning opportunities for senior travelers.
  Renamed to Road Scholar in 2010, this tour operator offers around 5,500 tours in 150 countries worldwide, which are primarily aimed at senior travelers. In addition, the tours include all-inclusive package pricing and exceptional educational components on land and by sea with expert instructors on the tours. Being a not-for-profit organization allows Road Scholar to keep the costs low and offer budget-friendly options for seniors to go on a vacation where they learn. You can also opt for themed tours, like those centered on a specific interest or hobby, or the culture of a destination.
  One of the best travel and tour operators for seniors, the packages include accommodation, transportation, meals, sightseeing, field trips, gratuities, and travel insurance. For most international tours, airfare can be added. Ideal for seniors on a budget and with limited time to spare, solo travelers, partners, or even friends traveling together, there are a wide variety of options to choose from.

• Grand Circle Travel
  Following its inception by Ethel Andrus, also the founder of AARP, Grand Circle Travel aimed at helping Americans lead vital, challenging, and active lives. The tours of this agency are designed specifically for serve seniors. It has been ranked among the World’s Best River Cruise Lines in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. Packages are available for the European river cruise, French river cruise, and the European Christmas cruise. Other small ship cruises are also available for Antarctica, Panama canal, and other destinations across the globe. Land tours, solo traveling experiences, and last minute deals are also available on this site.
  With a program director accompanying you throughout the trip, you can connect to the people and culture of the place you are visiting like a local.
  As per your choice, tours may include home-hosted meals or visits to local schools. The best part about Grand Circle Travel is that it offers a fleet of ships with personalized experiences on the cruise. If you love the open seas, you can take advantage of river cruises.
  Typically, GrandCircle Travel offers discounts to repeat customers and also has a club for frequent travelers, along with a referral program. Seniors can avail of these offers to enjoy a vacation without spending much with this senior tour and travel operator counted among the best ones.
• YMT Vacations
  This is a great choice for seniors who wish to take a trip to a destination like Hawaii or Alaska. This tour company, founded in 1967, is one of the best senior tour and travel operators and offers guided tours and cruise tours that are affordable, making it a great option for escorted tours for seniors. They cater to senior travelers with a plethora of packages that include hotels, tour directors, sightseeing, airport transfers, and driver guides. YMT Vacations promises the best vacations at the lowest price, or a refund of the difference plus 10%. They also provide loyalty programs with offers and discounts on referrals.
  The pricing of the tours generally includes ground transportation, accommodations, guide services, attraction admissions, and sightseeing excursions, gratuities, baggage handling, and meals on cruise tours.

These three best senior travel and tour operators should be a good starting point to help you plan your domestic or international vacation with ease. They offer special concessions and facilities for the elderly, and, above all, these are great value-for-money options.

As a senior, when traveling you must take certain measures to ensure your comfort and safety. While choosing a good tour operator is important, other factors like travel insurance, accessibility of various destinations and points of interest, aids for seniors, and health care for any conditions you may suffer from should also be considered. Also, opting to travel in groups rather than alone is safer and should also be considered to enjoy a stress-free vacation.