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Calling a Cruise Ship Home: See the World, See it Again
Old 02-26-2017, 11:17 AM   #1
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Calling a Cruise Ship Home: See the World, See it Again

Just when you think you've read about most alternative FIRE lifestyles, another interesting one in this NYT article.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/24/b...ore-ipad-share
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Old 02-26-2017, 11:31 AM   #2
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There have been examples of this before, and it is interesting. I can't imagine doing it for 20 years, but if you can afford it (it's not cheap, but not outrageous either, $70-$90K/yr?), I could see the appeal of doing it for a few months?

It would be just my luck I'd find myself trapped on one of the norovirus or otherwise violently ill cruise ships...
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Old 02-26-2017, 12:00 PM   #3
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I remember reading many years ago about a lady who paid some cruise company a big lump sum to be able to cruise for the rest of her life... she was probably one of the first ones to do this and IIRC she paid in the neighborhood of $250K... (but, who knows if my memory is good now)...


She stayed on one ship for awhile before moving on... but I think she was aboard almost all the time...

Now it looks like the cruise lines are a bit smarter and changing by the trip... if you have the money it does sound interesting....
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Old 03-09-2017, 07:11 AM   #4
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This lifestyle sounds pretty good, at least at first. If I were to consider this, I would not keep doing Caribbean cruises over and over on large mass market ships. Would get pretty boring pretty quickly.

There are special purpose "condo" cruise ships but they haven't really done that well. Resale prices are not increasing and the ships require a lot of maintenance. Suites are bigger and the whole ship is more geared to long term residents. By the way, it looks like the subject of the article should spend some more time in the ship's well equipped fitness facility.
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Old 03-09-2017, 07:32 AM   #5
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The article describes Mario Salcedo, 67, who lives on a Royal Caribbean ship for the last 20 years, at a cost of $70K/year.

I will have to say it does not sound appealing to me either. Maybe I would be more interested in a perpetual world-cruise ship in a larger suite, but the price would be way out of reach for me. And then, I most likely would get bored after a year or two.
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Old 03-09-2017, 08:14 AM   #6
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It sounds very appalling indeed.

I´m a free range animal, even if I tend to stay in the barn a lot. I do see many upsides too though: easier social interaction, few practical worries, entertainment nearby, change of scenery. Like assisted living really.
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Old 03-09-2017, 08:50 AM   #7
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It sounds very appalling indeed.

I´m a free range animal, even if I tend to stay in the barn a lot. I do see many upsides too though: easier social interaction, few practical worries, entertainment nearby, change of scenery. Like assisted living really.
Yes it would be like assisted living, but without friendships, as nearly everyone else on the ship is there for a week, so the conversations would be like groundhog day, constantly repeating to different folks "your story" and listening to them say "This is our x time crusing, we always wanted to do this cruise".
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Old 03-09-2017, 08:53 AM   #8
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How apt is a comparison between a cruise ship and an ALF? Cruise ships may provide medical care, but they aren't going to help passengers dress themselves or go to the bathroom, are they?
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Old 03-09-2017, 10:18 AM   #9
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Cruise ships may provide medical care, but they aren't going to help passengers dress themselves or go to the bathroom, are they?
They supply emergency medical care. A friend had to go to the hospital 200 miles south of Buenos Aires, then catch up with the ship on his own. His wife accompanied him and stayed in a hotel. Transport to Buenos Aires was their responsibility as well as their hotel there. Then a plane to Rio.
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Old 03-09-2017, 12:27 PM   #10
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Yes it would be like assisted living, but without friendships, as nearly everyone else on the ship is there for a week, so the conversations would be like groundhog day, constantly repeating to different folks "your story" and listening to them say "This is our x time crusing, we always wanted to do this cruise".
No Groundhog Day for me. My "story" would change every two weeks - just to keep it interesting.
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Old 03-09-2017, 12:56 PM   #11
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I wouldn't last that long living on a cruise ship. I'd eat myself to death.

Every year, we swear we're going to slow down on taking cruises. We've been to virtually every island in the Eastern and Western Caribbean numerous times. And we've taken 2 European cruises in the last 2 years.

We're leaving in 3 weeks on repositioning cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Rome as the price was cheaper than we could have stayed at home. And I found a $238 one way flight to the U.S. from Budapest. Here we go again.
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Calling a Cruise Ship Home: See the World, See it Again
Old 03-13-2017, 09:05 PM   #12
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Calling a Cruise Ship Home: See the World, See it Again

I wouldn't do it forever but might be interested to find a great cruise loyalty program and see some of the world for a season or a year from the same bedroom without unpacking.
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Old 03-13-2017, 10:26 PM   #13
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Why not take an around the world cruise if you're concerned about seeing the same scenery?
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Old 03-14-2017, 11:38 AM   #14
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A stint with Uncle Sam's Cruise Line cured me of any desire to do this.
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Old 03-14-2017, 12:24 PM   #15
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Count me out...... Maybe once in a while, but nightly? No thanks.

Also agree with the comments that it's ridiculous to compare the cost of long term cruising with living in a high tier assisted living facility. It's apples to oranges. Cruising provides no "assistance" to those with special needs. In fact, I think you'd have to be in fair or better health to live on board a cruise ship and have no issues requiring periodic health maintenance.
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Old 03-14-2017, 09:10 PM   #16
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I admit this does not appeal to me. I have yet to take any cruise yet. The idea of overeating doesn't appeal to me.
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Old 03-14-2017, 09:15 PM   #17
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The idea of overeating doesn't appeal to me.
It's not mandatory.
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Old 03-14-2017, 10:08 PM   #18
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It's not mandatory.
I'm a "see food" person. I eat what I see.
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Old 03-15-2017, 07:05 AM   #19
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I'm a "see food" person. I eat what I see.
Knew a guy who was a 'light eater'.......soon as it got light, he started eating.
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Old 03-15-2017, 07:28 AM   #20
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Knew a guy who was a 'light eater'.......soon as it got light, he started eating.
But he was heavy!
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