Women in same boat get together for cruises and other travel adventures

The Find A Female Cruise or Travel Buddy group has grown to have 8600 members, of whom 6000 were active in the last month.

Members may be single, widowed or have partners who are not keen to travel. The average age is "in the 60s", with a growing number of younger women joining.

They take cruises and overseas trips as well as local excursions. There are also coffee catch-ups, dinners and lunches, where women can meet and discuss travel plans.

Ms Vickers, has always been a keen traveller and since 2016 has taken 41 cruises and many land trips.

She also has a reputation, from past involvement in Sutherland Shire sport and charity fund-raising, for being a very good organiser.

A widow herself, Ms Vickers said the response from women who have benefited from the group "warms my heart".

"I often get messages from them to say it's just changed their lives so much," she said.

"These ladies wouldn't have had the opportunity to travel before they found the group. They have made life-long friends. It's amazing."

Ms Vickers said, in setting up the Facebook page, she "just decided to give it a go and see what happens".

"I had gone on cruises, and I have been on cruise pages, and I could see the need," she said.

"There are groups with men and women in them, but a lot of women don't want to join those groups.

"There was obviously a need for this group because it has grown significantly.

"Sometimes, women will sit back and watch the group for a while and then pluck up the courage and put themselves out there."

For Sutherland Shire members, Ms Vickers organises regular lunches at Cronulla RSL Club.

"It's not just cruises, but land travel too," she said.

"We do anything. This month we are going to Vivid for a couple of days and staying in the city.

"Next month, we are going up to Ettalong for the weekend and we will catch the ferry across to Palm Beach and have lunch.

"There are a wide range of ages, the average in the 60s, but one of the ladies who came to Bali with us last year was 84 and she was amazing."

Ms Vickers, whose involvement is totally voluntary, said "it mostly runs itself", and she still has enough time to watch her five grandchildren play sport in the shire and other family events.

"We have rules on the Facebook page, and I just direct people to those rules," she said.

"Trips can be take a bit more time. We recently returned from a trip to Japan with a group of 14 and will be heading to Bali later in the year with a smaller group.

"A lot of women have always wanted to go to Bali, but could never get there themselves."

Further information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/109167156388538/