Living On A Cruise Ship Full Time
Table Of Content
The residences also have their own kitchens, and there’s a grocery store on the ship, if you want to cook for yourself. 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. If you truly want to live out your Suite Life on Deck dreams and you’re still in high school or just starting college, consider looking into Semester at Sea.
Sail Older Ships in the Fleet
That’s the only way to make sure you can secure the same room for the long term. You can book yourself onto a traditional cruise ship for the long term. For retirees on Medicare, the service doesn't cover care outside of the U.S. For that reason, it's a good idea to have regular trips from a homeport in case you need to see doctors. There is medical care on the ship, but it's designed for short-term care, not continual medical treatment.
Understand Your Medical Care Options at Sea
Specifically, we chose to price out the cost of sailing for a full year on Harmony of the Seas. Anyone that’s taken a cruise — or even shopped for one — knows that what you pay can vary dramatically. There are dirt-cheap fares for interior cabins on budget cruise lines that start at a couple of hundred dollars. Then there are rooms that are nothing short of spectacular that can easily run thousands or tens of thousands for a cruise. To give you an idea, we’ve decided to look at a real world example, pricing the cost of living aboard a ship using actual data from the cruise lines.
Everyday Spending
Each port area typically has a small shop or pharmacy selling things like deodorant, toothpaste, and other personal items. On the ship there is tons of free food, but specialty restaurants are growing in popularity among cruise lines. With a major cruise port like Miami, you have a full lineup of cruise lines — Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, and more. Perks for loyal cruise passengers can range everything from priority embarkation to freebies from the cruise line to show appreciation. And for some, showing off a “Platinum” loyalty card on a cruise ship is even a status symbol.
Your cruise dates may coincide with major milestones such as graduations or births. Living on a cruise ship in retirement could be a cost-saving measure for seniors who may be working with a smaller financial nest egg. Speaking with a financial planner ahead of time will help you maintain your living expenses on land without going overboard at sea. Both of these strategies will make it easier for you to switch to living on the cruise line full time. If you want to take more of a DIY approach to living on a cruise, you can follow in the footsteps of Mario Salcedo and simply book back-to-back cruises. With this plan, you’ll need to be prepared to fly from port to port every now and then.
Budgeting and Managing Finances
The thrill of waking up in a different city every day truly sets living onboard apart from any other conventional lifestyle on land. To purchase a 237-square-foot inside cabin with a virtual window for the life of the ship costs $1 million on average. Purchase prices for a one-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom unit averaged $2.7 million, with $111,000 in living fees.
How to start planning for a cruise ship retirement
If you want to sail for $100 a day, then your onboard spending has to be dramatically lower than average… and maybe even close to zero. What’s going to be difficult is if you plan to sail long-term, then being in an interior room with no windows may be tough to handle. There are always spots on the ship to go out and get fresh air, but always having to leave the cabin to catch a breeze or to see some sunshine might be hard if you plan to sail for weeks or months at a time.
If you’re envisioning a lavish, free-spending trip like you might have on a single cruise, then you should adjust those expectations. But if you are aiming for spending less than $100 per day, then higher-end balcony cabins should be among the first items to go. If you only stick with one cruise line all the time, then you may not find the best deals that allow you to keep sailing under budget. This will help you determine if the limited living space and constant travel suit your preferences.
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You might wonder how true it is and whether you can live on a cruise ship. Even if you don’t have earned income in retirement, you may be drawing income from your tax-advantaged or taxable investment accounts. Distributions from a traditional 401(k) or IRA would be subject to ordinary income tax, while earnings from investments in a brokerage account would be subject to capital gains tax. Living on a cruise ship wouldn’t change your responsibility to file a tax return. Spending your retirement on the high seas may lighten your budget load, but you still have to plan for taxes and insurance.
Additionally, staying healthy can be challenging when living in close quarters with others, and receiving mail can be a logistical nightmare. When it comes to cost comparison, living on a cruise ship can actually be cheaper than traditional living in some cases. While purchasing an onboard apartment or booking a series of short cruises can come with a hefty price tag, working on a cruise ship can be the cheapest way to live on one. Storylines, for example, is selling staterooms either for the life of the ship or for quarterly seasonal shared ownership.
If this lifestyle sounds like it's for you, here's what you need to know about how to live on a cruise ship full time. Managing deliveries and mail while living on a cruise ship permanently can be as tricky as trying to catch a fish in the middle of a storm. I make sure to arrange for deliveries to be sent to port stops and use a virtual mailbox service for mail. Initial steps toward cruise ship retirement might also include selling one's home (or preparing it for becoming a rental), disposing of excess possessions and re-homing pets. You will also want to consult with a financial advisor to help with residency laws and money management that might allow you to cruise even longer into retirement.
How Life at Sea’s 3-Year Cruise Unraveled - The New York Times
How Life at Sea’s 3-Year Cruise Unraveled.
Posted: Thu, 28 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
As well, even while on the ship you will have additional costs on land. Monthly notes, rent, maintenance, taxes and other costs will be a factor to consider. Prices can also vary based on the ship, cruise line, and time of year you’re sailing. In other words, there is a wide range of what you’ll pay to retire on a cruise. Have you ever considered what it would cost to live on a cruise ship for a year?
And even if you are a frugal sailor, you won’t go any lengthy time without having a few drinks or signing up for the Internet package to check in back on shore. In other words, whenever you see a cruise price, double it right away for what you’ll really pay in fare. Of course, not everyone can run off and live on a cruise ship, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dream. The idea of retiring from the rat race and living out your days on a cruise has great appeal for some people.
Living on a cruise ship year-round offers constant travel and new experiences, with amenities and services at your disposal to make your life comfortable and enjoyable. Accommodating regular check-ups poses another challenge in the cruise ship lifestyle as ships often dock at various ports around the world. Therefore, coordinating with local healthcare providers for routine consultations is essential. Living on a cruise ship permanently involves navigating everyday life onboard, embracing the social aspects, and considering medical considerations. The days of grocery shopping, meal planning, prep and cleanup are over. Cruise ships offer a variety of dining options and cuisines for all dietary needs.
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