Residential Cruise Ship; Retiring to The Sea?

[W2R]

When I was 25, I wanted to live on a ship like this! I love the sea and that sounded just perfect to me.

At 73, I realize that age really DOES catch up with all of us eventually, and good medical facilities nearby are important to me when choosing a home.

Now, if I could be 25, and rich enough to be able to easily afford this kind of lifestyle, then sure. Oh, and maybe a castle in Spain, a flashy sportscar, and a pony too. And the Hope Diamond. Yeah, uh-huh.

 

[Koolau]

$260 a day is $7,800 a month. If I was to spend that much it would be a 2 or 3 bedroom, 1200 - 1500 sq ft rental in a nice location next to the ocean rather than on the ocean.

Lots of places like that in Hawaii. Of course, you could probably rent 3 of our condo for that. Our condo is not luxury, but does have the million dollar view.

The more I think about the concept, the more I agree with W2R. Between DW and I - and the various "issues of aging" we have accumulated - on average, we have one doctor visit a month (between us.) So, unless a ship had the full compliment of specialists you would expect in a mid-sized city (1 million people) I would feel more comfortable aging on land. YMMV

 

[jollystomper]

Seems like a lot to pay to be a prisoner for most days .

 

[Koolau]

Seems like a lot to pay to be a prisoner for most days .

Oh, and did anyone mention dreaded sea-sickness. Our one and only cruise, I waited as long as I could stand it before taking sea-sickness pills. I lasted almost 30 minutes! I was actually pretty good on deck - seeing the horizon. But below decks, I could feel that greenish-brown monster sneaking up on me and had to pop a pill. The pills worked well, but I don't know how long before their effectiveness would begin to wear off. A week cruise is nothing, but "life" at sea could be another form of hell for those with motion sickness. YES, I know the "modern" ships have roll-control, but, trust me, when the front end of a 750 foot ship is coming out of the water with each swell and then crashing back down into the next swell - and the water in the swimming pools is sloshing all over the decks, roll-control is a joke. YMMV

 

[Svensk Anga]

Isn't Mark Twain supposed to have said that being at sea is like being in jail with a chance of drowning?

I recognize the quote. It is in my file of quotes that resonate with me. Not Twain. Samuel Johnson:

No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into
jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being
drowned... A man in jail has more room, better food, and commonly better
company.

I believe Johnson was writing in the era of British press gangs. some background on this lovely practice here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impressment

 

[troutnut1]

Its just assisted living with a better view. Regular assisted living and a streaming Youtube subscription is better and cheaper. And you can get off if things get rough.

 

[ychuck46]

More often than you think

I've been on two cruises where sick passengers needed to be helicoptered off the ship, once in the Caribbean and once in the Galapagos. Not uncommon on Caribbean cruises from what I have been told.

My wife and I have been on 5-6 cruises so far over the last few years. EVERY single one has had a medical emergency necessitating a helicopter coming in to stabilize and then take out the passenger in a sling (interesting to watch, quite frankly), or having the ship turn around if not far out the sea and take the patient back to dry land. Judging by the age of the population on board, and the fact that many are in wheelchairs and/or on oxygen, it's bound to happen.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Its just assisted living with a better view. Regular assisted living and a streaming Youtube subscription is better and cheaper. And you can get off if things get rough.

I don't think there is much "assistance" available on board. Well, a bartender can be assistive I suppose.

 

[Koolau]

I don't think there is much "assistance" available on board. Well, a bartender can be assistive I suppose.

Yep. On our cruise, every bar handed out sea-sickness pills to those who asked. Other than that, their medicine was "on the rocks" or "neat" or a mixture with an umbrella. Quaint though YMMV.

 

[brydanger]

All for the "retire at sea" approach.. but we prefer to do it all alone.

 

[Unpaintedhuffhines]

I cannot imagine doing something like this. This sounds like hell.

 

[finnski1]

I cannot imagine doing something like this. This sounds like hell.

I completely agree!

 

[Texas Proud]

Four lifeboats on one side, so likely 4 on the other means a LOT of people drowning if it goes down...

 

[Sunset]

Four lifeboats on one side, so likely 4 on the other means a LOT of people drowning if it goes down...

It only has 165 homes on it, probably not all occupied at one time, plus crew.

So not a big crowd like a cruise ship.

Plus they probably have the canister life rafts, which I think they launch by dropping off the edge of the ship, each is a barrel sized thing.

Maybe if you live in the expensive home, you get on the lifeboat, if you live in the cheap $2 M home or less you get the lifeboat. Crew get a life jacket