Guest Senior Writer PMM, San Diego CA: We recently took a two-week senior tour with Road Scholar. The first week was spent aboard the 80-year-old, original Queen Mary luxury liner now permanently docked in the harbor at Long Beach, California. The schedule included tours of the ship's wheelhouse and engines, as well as lectures, fine dining, entertainment and pictorial history. In her cruising days, the Queen served as both a celebrity luxury liner since the 1930s, and World War II troop ship in the 1940s. The other week of the Road Scholar schedule was a tour of Catalina Island in the Pacific Ocean beyond Long Beach. As the old song goes, it’s 26 miles across the bay. Avalon, its quaint port city, is like a French Riviera town with interesting shops and restaurants.

When planning any tour, consider all elements involved. Prices, menus, convenience, time of year, weather, physical requirements, medical needs and many more. Before you book, consider checking with your local travel agency, as well as websites that specialize in senior group travel programs.

Once you've narrowed your choice down to one or two potential destinations, consult with family and friends who have actually experienced tours you're considering. For schedules, prices and other info, go to www.roadscholar.org/find-an-adventure/1180/the-r-m-s-queen-mary-and-catalina-island