It was Father’s Day this week.

Hence the timing of this story, published by Telegraph Cruise, about a cruise around the Norwegian fjords to Bergen last summer.

It was a rare moment of calm and a chance for myself and my father [pictured above] to spend some time together away from the routines of daily life.

Here’s an extract from the story:

The calm of fjord cruising and yoga sessions started to pay off and I was breathing more deeply.

My father, Christopher, meanwhile, was enjoying the unhurried routine of morning mooching on deck and afternoon talks in the theatre.

It can be hard for elderly men travelling alone to make new friends and, while he never says so, I’m sure he must feel lonely without my mother by his side after some 40 years of marriage.

Fred Olsen sets aside tables for lone travellers to meet up at mealtimes and I encouraged him to join in some of the daily activities, such as bridge or a bowls game, to meet other similar people on board.

Now read the full story: Father-son bonding on a Fred Olsen cruise.

What do you think of this story? Do you have an experience of travelling with elderly parents? Post below. 

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