I Live on a Cruise Ship 300 Days a Year Here's How

living on a cruise ship full time

One of the first downsides is that living on a cruise ship can be fairly expensive. Tips, excursions, medical care, and premium dining options can quickly take a toll on your wallet. With these tips in mind, you can adjust more easily to the cruise ship lifestyle and make the most of your time living onboard. Embrace the adventure, seek new experiences, and create lasting memories as you navigate this extraordinary way of life.

How to start planning for a cruise ship retirement

Living on a cruise ship, you never have to paint the house, mow the yard, shovel the walk, or deal with fixing a clogged drain. “When planning out cruises, I try to stay on the same ship as long as possible, as long as it is cost-effective,” Angelyn told CNN. Imagine waking up to the gentle rocking of the ocean, with breathtaking views of the vast sea stretching out before you. Instead of the daily grind and the same old routine, you embark on a new adventure every day.

How to Retire on a Cruise for Less Money

But it’s absolutely a major lifestyle change that comes with its own set of drawbacks to consider before you sail. In our opinion, working while on a cruise is possible in small doses. However, if you were thinking of a “nomad” lifestyle that allows you to work fully from the ship, it’s not quite there just yet. Most of the cruises they have taken this year have been on Holland America, with about a week on a Carnival Cruise ship. They will visit Mexico, Costa Rica, Canada, Alaska, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam this year. The Burks don’t live on the same ship all the time, although they tend to stay put when they can.

Table comparing the cost of living on cruise ships for 10 years

You can’t really compare the price of owning a residential place on a ship to cruising for just one year. If you’re looking to buy a place on one of the residential ships, you’ll probably be looking to use it for the long term. Another thing that you’ll be making a dent in when you choose to live on a cruise is your belongings. Since there is limited space onboard cruise ships, you won’t be able to bring all your personal items with you.

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But anyone who buys a cruise knows it’s not just the cruise fare you have to pay. That’s why we also factored in the taxes and port fees and the automatic gratuity. And remember, if you book a cruise cabin, it’s normally sold on the basis of double occupancy.

Tips for Living on a Cruise Ship Year-Round

But more than that, we find it more likely that someone retiring on a cruise ship would do so with a partner. Also consider that every day can bring new ports of call offering fresh experiences as cruise ships like these travel around the globe visiting places such as Rio de Janeiro, Agra or Beijing! The thrill of waking up in a different city every day truly sets living onboard apart from any other conventional lifestyle on land. An alternative to sailing on a traditional cruise line through your retirement years is to buy or lease a cruise ship cabin on a luxury residence ship. The most well-known of these is The World, but there's been recent buzz about startup company Storylines and its residence ship, MV Narrative, which is set to launch in 2025.

living on a cruise ship full time

Questions About Cruising Answered (Everything You Wanted to Know)

And if you sail on a high-end ship that features full-time residences or is one of those lengthy around-the-world trips, then you likely aren’t going to be around throngs of people. Living on a cruise ship can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it also comes with its own set of challenges and considerations. By understanding what it truly entails and equipping yourself with the right knowledge, you can make an informed decision about whether the cruise ship lifestyle is right for you. Retirement on a cruise ship is becoming increasingly popular; some ships like MS Utopia and MV Narrative even offer residences designed specifically for passengers who wish to make their home at sea.

For purposes of comparing the costs to traditional cruise ships, the living fee in the inside cabin on MV Narrative is $85 per person per night and the one-bedroom suite is $152 per person per night. These figures are in addition to the upfront costs of buying or leasing. Mama Lee Wachstetter, 91, has lived on the luxury cruise ship Crystal Serenity for the past 10 years. Mario Salcedo, aka "Super Mario," has taken 1,000 cruises, spending 50 weeks a year on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas.

living on a cruise ship full time

Passengers living full-time on the MV Gemini cruise ship can enjoy a wide range of amenities and services at their disposal. For those who need to work remotely, there is a fully equipped business center with meeting rooms available. From dining together in cruise ship restaurants to attending onboard activities, opportunities never fall short! Be it a dance party under the starry sky or trivia night at a cozy lounge – there’s always something fun happening.

You can even pay monthly if you prefer, with financing options starting at $5,227 per month – a figure that may be within reach for many digital nomads. For Royal Caribbean, I’ve used an average 7-day Caribbean cruise, plus the costs of the Deluxe Beverage Package and the Voom Surf + Stream internet package. The costs for each option is based on the cheapest accommodation using reported figures. Guests had already travelled to Istanbul for the departure, and are now facing a wait for refunds. The company has promised to repay guests but using monthly installments, which suggests the money may have been spent – hopefully everyone gets their money back. The cruise was due to set sail on 1st November 2023 and visit 135 countries until late 2026, covering 130,000 miles.

It’s important to be prepared with medications or remedies that can help alleviate symptoms if you are prone to seasickness. With hundreds or even thousands of other passengers onboard, it can be challenging to find quiet and solitude. We do not manage client funds or hold custody of assets, we help users connect with relevant financial advisors. SmartAsset Advisors, LLC ("SmartAsset"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Financial Insight Technology, is registered with the U.S. “In the event that you have a medical emergency that requires you to be evacuated from the ship, the expense could be astronomical,” Tetreault says.

Utopia is a planned luxury residential ocean liner project costing $1.1 billion that was originally ordered all the way back in 2009 by Utopia Residences. The residences also have their own kitchens, and there’s a grocery store on the ship, if you want to cook for yourself. You should bear in mind how much work would be involved in constantly booking your next cruise, plus the added stress of worrying about whether you’d miss your chance and end up without a cabin. While you can certainly choose to take a go-with-the-flow approach to cruising, this can often lead to getting into a rut. Plus, if you’re working, it can make it tough to stay focused and stay on task while cruising. Your friends and family are far away and letters can be few and far between thanks to the remote nature of living at sea.

3 Residents share what it's like to live on a cruise ship full-time - Business Insider

3 Residents share what it's like to live on a cruise ship full-time.

Posted: Sat, 09 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Those living on a cruise ship can stay connected electronically through social media and email. Also, private companies such as Mail Boxes Etc. or UPS offer mail forwarding services for a fee. Most private mail boxes will hold/forward your mail for up to a year. If you truly plan to retire at sea, you'll need to rehome your animal friends. If you can't live without a furry companion, a permanent residence at sea might not be for you.

It is usually cheaper to live on a cruise ship than in a nursing home. The UK average cost for living in a care home is £3,550 per month ($4,250), while the US average is much higher at $7,900 per month. A cruise ship offers a number of perks over regular living, the main one being that you get to see the world. Living on a cruise ship means travelling all across the globe, experiencing new cultures and thrilling experiences. When you’re booking a Carnival cruise, the cheapest fare you can get will be one where you only pay for the cruise itself and the necessary extras – the port fees, taxes and gratuities.

Moving cabins might not be the end of the world – but it would be a lot easier if you didn’t have to pack and unpack at the start of every new itinerary.

Residents will range from mid-life entrepreneurs to families with children, he said. "This is probably the first time ever that there is even the ability to have a standard job and even consider working and living from a floating apartment complex," Wells added. If you have the ability to take a few weeks off here and there during the expensive times of year, it can lead to big savings. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. There are two main things to mention when considering tax on your cruise. But that can still work out to be cheaper than paying for a care home.

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