Unfortunately, according to recent reports, the word is not if, but when it happens. One glaring statistic about Manhattan is that half of the 400 hotels, both ritzy and ratty, have been reported last year for being infested with the nasty bugs.

What can a traveling senior do about it when it happens in a hotel room? First, when you arrive, pull back the covers and top sheet and very closely inspect the bed and mattress. If you see evidence of the little black pests, get out of that room pronto. You may opt to insist on one on a different floor. Or check out entirely, making sure you’re not charged for your stay.

If your travel plans for Russia include touring the Hermitage Museum, former Winter Palace of Empress Catharine The Great, you’ll see one of the world’s largest and most treasured art collections.

Then, when strolling the magnificent gardens surrounding the museum, you’ll also observe an army of feline guards who have been keeping the museum free of rodents since 1745. When you encounter any of the hero cats, they may give you friendly myau (Russian for meow) greetings.

After several years on the job, the furry palace guards are put up for adoption. They’re rewarded for loyal service by spending their retirement years with loving Russian families.

Your travel4seniors.com editor and his camera recently toured this historic site. Located in Amesbury, Wiltshire, the 5,000-year-old rock formations are thought to be a religious and astronomical structure. Stonehenge is about 88 miles west of London

It was in all news media. Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas ran into a heavy storm and suffered damage, while frightening the hell out of everyone aboard. Fortunately, while there was structural breakage, no passengers or crew were seriously injured.

Compared to road and air statistics, cruise ship mishaps are very rare. However, seniors who sign up for cruises should be constantly alert to what to do when the unexpected happens at sea or in port. Here are a few simple rules: