Meet the People Who've Retired at Sea

[MULTIZ321]

Meet the People Who've Retired at Sea
by Elizabeth Garone/ Retirement/ Personal Finance/ Real Estate/ Capital/ bbc.com

"Retirement has often been synonymous with quietly living out your golden years in a sunny climate. But for a more adventurous breed of retirees, the end of work life opens a door to a more extreme type of sea change.

The siren's call of cabin life is beckoning increasing numbers to traverse the globe via the ocean. And, it's a surprisingly more attractive – and affordable – option than assisted living for some retirees.

The number of people who take cruises is at an all-time high, with 24 million passengers expected to set sail this year worldwide versus 15 million a decade ago, according to the Washington, DC-based Cruise Lines International Association. Half of these cruisers are 50 or older, and, of those, a small number are making the ocean a second home or even their permanent home...."

Travel to multiple ports, activities and hotel-like services make a cruising retirement attractive. (Credit: Alamy)


Richard

 

[WinniWoman]

To each his own, but as big as the ships are, I would be claustrophobic. Definitely doesn't appeal to me.

 

[VacationForever]

To each his own, but as big as the ships are, I would be claustrophobic. Definitely doesn't appeal to me.

Have you gone on a good cruise (liner) yet?

 

[Passepartout]

To each his own, but as big as the ships are, I would be claustrophobic. Definitely doesn't appeal to me.

Mary Ann, you've already posted that you've not taken a cruise. So perhaps you are not the one to comment on the lifestyle others have chosen. I don't think I'd want to live full time on a cruiser, though the gourmet food, pampering, shows and entertainment, meeting interesting fellow passengers, and worldwide ports for exploring would be tempting for a while.

We've been on lots of cruises, and funny thing, never once has the description of 'claustrophobic' come up.

Jim

 

[WinniWoman]

No Jim. Wrong. Kind of a snarky remark.

My husband and I took a cruise many years ago. We actually enjoyed it but liked getting off the boat the best, so we decided that it wasn't for us going forward. And you know what? Even if I was never on a cruise, I am entitled to my opinion about what it might be like if that weren't the case.

 

[WinniWoman]

We went on a Carnival cruise for a full week- not an upscale type cruise. We just don't like being out on water long periods of time (which is funny for me because I like being IN water for long periods of time- swimming and so on) and we don't like crowds of people, etc. It might seem crazy, but we felt a bit restricted- let's face it you can't get off the ship whenever you want or for as long as you want. We like getting off the boat and sightseeing at places we haven't been to. Not into night life and gambling and so on. Didn't like the cabin or bathroom we had. Nice, but small I thought. I like my timeshare condos much better. We do like entertainment, though, like comedy shows and so forth. Music, etc. But not every night. More introverted, though believe it or not, I like talking to people when I am away. We certainly like good food and I like my wine. I always felt a bit "off" or woozy when on the ship (and it wasn't the alcohol. LOL!). I do love the ocean but I don't like just looking out at miles and miles of water. I like to see scenery, land, mountains. Just the way I am.

I certainly see why people love cruises, just not for me and definitely not to live on.

And in the story it also points out the many issues- like healthcare and the fact that it could get old very quickly being with the same staff and same food and all that catering and the confines of space.

 

[Passepartout]

Mary Ann, I apologize for not remembering that you'd been on a Carnival cruise. We also took one Carnival cruise, and while they are the largest cruise line, if all cruises were like Carnival, I wouldn't cruise again either. The waiters doing a line dance around the dining room twirling napkins instead of taking dessert orders or waiting on tables was enough for us. Too much 'Spring Break' attitude.

Anyway, cruise vacations are not for everyone- and regarding the premise of this thread, living full time on a cruise ship is for the very few- well heeled- who are not attached to a lot of possessions and can make efficient use of somewhat limited personal space.

 

[VacationForever]

I would also prefer not to cruise if my only choice is Carnival, and I haven't been on a Carnival cruise before. Good cruises can be very enjoyable.

 

[DaveNV]

Wait - you mean I chose the wrong cruise line for my Alaska cruise next Summer? I was looking forward to waiters doing line dances through the dining room... LOL! (Seriously? They did that? Why??)

Dave

 

[Passepartout]

Wait - you mean I chose the wrong cruise line for my Alaska cruise next Summer? I was looking forward to waiters doing line dances through the dining room... LOL! (Seriously? They did that? Why??)

Dave

Yeah, Dave. They did that. Why? Maybe to fire up the 'party-time' attitude & sell alcohol. Wrong cruise line? Maybe, but you'll have a good time, and don't have anything to compare it to. For Alaska, I'd have chosen Holland America or Princess, but you will have a good experience for a first cruise.

 

[Glynda]

We've been on one Carnival cruise as it leaves from our city. Not a fan. But I do have to say that the food was better on that little and oldest Carnival ship, The Fantasy, than it was on the larger Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas. I could live on a Celebrity or some of the other better cruise lines I think. Just need good wifi.

 

[DaveNV]

Yeah, Dave. They did that. Why? Maybe to fire up the 'party-time' attitude & sell alcohol. Wrong cruise line? Maybe, but you'll have a good time, and don't have anything to compare it to. For Alaska, I'd have chosen Holland America or Princess, but you will have a good experience for a first cruise.

That's amazing. But Jim, for the record, I did choose HAL for my cruise line for Alaska. Are you saying they DON'T do line dances like that? Awww, dang!

Dave

 

[Passepartout]

That's amazing. But Jim, for the record, I did choose HAL for my cruise line for Alaska. Are you saying they DON'T do line dances like that? Awww, dang!

Dave

Whew! I thought you'd been paying attention. On H/A you'll just have to watch out for the scooter races in the hallways, and staying out of the way when they're going for the stewed prunes at the breakfast buffet on the Lido deck. unfortunately, if you're looking for line- dancing waiters, you might have to wait for Baked Alaska night in the dining room.

 

[DaveNV]

You've been sitting a tad too close to the punch bowl, methinks.

Dave

 

[John123john]

I was in the cruise on the parific ocean - it's awesome! So i think it is a nice employment. If you never fiction on a cruise, you never know all its beauty!

 

[WinniWoman]

Well as I said we were a lot younger and we actually enjoyed the Carnival Cruise a lot. But- not our preferred way to travel and certainly not to live permanently.

 

[Passepartout]

I was in the cruise on the parific ocean - it's awesome! So i think it is a nice employment. If you never fiction on a cruise, you never know all its beauty!

Translation, anyone?

 

[VacationForever]

I think that post came from a bot, using word/sentence generation.

 

[PamMo]

Interesting article. Probably not full time, but I love the idea of escaping brutal winters by going on a four month cruise every year. We do a lot of timeshare vacations, but are starting to look at cruising again. It's great to have so many cruise lines, itineraries, and price points to choose from. It makes it hard to decide on just one!

 

[Passepartout]

Interesting article. Probably not full time, but I love the idea of escaping brutal winters by going on a four month cruise every year. We do a lot of timeshare vacations, but are starting to look at cruising again. It's great to have so many cruise lines, itineraries, and price points to choose from. It makes it hard to decide on just one!

It is easier when you start to accumulate some 'frequent cruiser' nights with one line. They make it easier to choose when they start throwing in stuff like internet, laundry, specialty restaurant meals, upgraded cabins. But I agree, there have never been so many ships, ports, levels of service to choose from.

Jim

 

[rhonda]

A 'cruising retirement' looks good to me!

We recently completed 25-nights on Holland America's Noordam (trans-Pacific sailing) and loved every minute. We entertained the idea of selling everything and just staying aboard ... it was that marvelous. Sigh.

 

[theo]

I think that post came from a bot, using word/sentence generation.

...one without a grammar or spell check function, apparently --- although to "fiction in the cruise on the parific ocean" might well be a "nice employment".

 

[moonstone]

On our last Caribbean cruise we met a retired woman who was spending a large part of her retirement on various cruise ships around the world. After her DH passed away she sold their house and most of her possessions and moved in part-time in her DD's house. The woman then booked many back to back cruises but returned back to her DD's for a few weeks in between before setting off again.

When we were talking to her she had just completed a 2 month cruise from California to New Zealand & Australia, then a cruise around South America followed by a Panama Canal crossing. The following summer she was doing a Baltic Cruise followed by a couple European river cruises, then her family was meeting her for a Mediterranean cruise.

The woman said living (mostly) on a cruise ship was cheaper than a retirement home and she had all her meals made, cabin cleaned & laundry done as well as meeting nice people along the way.

I think if a person was healthy & wealthy enough, that would be a great way to see the world and spend a few years of retirement.


~Diane

 

[Sandy]

I was fortunate to go on Semester-at-Sea as a professor twice: 1995 and 2000. This trip is the size of a large cruise vessel, but it is an academic program that sails around the world in a semester, about 100 days. My ports: Cuba, Salvador Brazil, Capetown, Mombasa Kenya, Malaysia, Madras India, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China, Japan (Kobe and Osaka), Taiwan, and then return to Seattle.

We traveled to the same ports as the QE2 and other luxury cruise liners, often pulling into port as they were pulling out. But our trip cost about $15,000 rather than $45,000 (at that time). Plus it was not pompous (tuxedos at dinner; high level conversation trying to prove your wealth, possessions, stock holdings, etc. Ok, sorry if I have it wrong on these luxury cruises, just saying this is what the brochures look like. )

The program has about 600 college students from across the country, and I was one of the professors. There is a compliment of staff and crew. One of the unique things was that they always filled up a group of cabins with the seniors (anyone over 55 yrs.). These happy go lucky voyagers got to attend classes, visit the ports and participate in all of the cultural events, go the evening and day lectures, contribute themselves to the experience, and interact with a younger generation. I said that if I could every do it again, I would go as a "senior," so I did not have any educational responsibilities.

Both times at sea, there was at least one cabin with an elderly person who "lived" full time on the ship. She (always a she) enjoyed the interaction with the students as well as with the many other passengers, both staff and faculty. It is an intellectually stimulating experience. When I spoke to them, they told me that it was cost effective to go on this trip. "After all, I live alone. Here I have all of my meals, and the cost of the voyage included a health care component. I listen to fascinating lectures and my children/family can join me at different ports of call." I thought that the idea was fascinating.

Now, this is not the typical glamorous casino, comedy show, entertainment type of trip. It is definitely intellectual. You eat in a cafeteria with the students, but the food is good. I always think that I might do it again sometime. How blessed I was to do it twice already.

 

[Passepartout]

There are some similar extended- though not luxurious 'educational' voyages called 'Adventures Afloat' through www.RoadScholar.org/