Retirement at sea

[Musicus]

Being alone, of advanced age, sane, healthy and relatively mobile, I intend to spend the rest of my years cruising, preferably with HAL with which I am familiar and like for size, service and ambiance. There are many considerations of course, not the least being cost. I wonder whether I can draw on someone's
knowlege or experience as to a) best way to achieve permanent cruising (i.e.without being stuck going back an forth between two ports for ever, as
many ships seem to do) b) cost advantages between cruise lines?

[kakalina]

The one person I know who does this has a small condo both in Florida and in San Diego. She will take a transition cruise from one coast to another and then go where she will. It seems to work for her.

I can't help with cost advantages. I do know she looked into Residensea and decided it wasn't for her.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

There is a lady who sails most of the year on Pricess - Mrs.Lorraine Arzi. She used to be on the old Royal Princess, then on the Sea Princess but I do not know which ship she is on now - perhaps the latest Royal. I believe she retains a home somewhere in LA area. Perhaps you could inquire on the Princess boards.

I think you would need to find a ship that does long exotic cruises rather than the weekly point to point. If you follow the blog of Jeff Farchman (sp?) who does quite lengthly cruises on HAL, you might be able to contact him and get some ideas.

[jtl513]

... draw on someone's knowlege or experience ...It sounds to me like you should get in touch with the famous Mama Lou (click here for info (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1050669)). Maybe HAL can put you in contact, or someone here can tell you what ship she is currently on, so that you can take a cruise and meet her in person.

I would think if you were to "establish residence" on the Prinsendam you would get a great variety in places visited.

[RuthC]

I would think if you were to "establish residence" on the Prinsendam you would get a great variety in places visited.
That was going to be my suggestion, but John beat me to it.
The Prinsendam does relatively short (10-days, or so), to fairly long (65-70 day range) cruises. And she does not continuously repeat itineraries. She cruises the world on some exotic itineraries.
Also, the ship is small enough that you would get to know the crew/staff very well. It could truly become "home" to you.

Need a secretary to get your coffee? :D

[Himself]

It sure would beat a retirement home and maybe cheaper!

[mrsltg]

Whatever you do, OP, good for you! I wish you the best!

[garydm]

We were fortunate to spend 13 days on The World by Residensea a few years ago at a bargain price. It has apartments that are sold as some people do live on the ship for a substantial part of the year. There are also apartments that are available for daily rental. There is an onboard small grocery store and at the time we cruised with them, 3-4 nice restaurants. Our trip was an unusual one for them in that it was RT San Diego. The ship typically is sailing around the world.

Gary

[Johanna7]

It sure would beat a retirement home and maybe cheaper!

You are so right. Even a very expensive nursing home could never compete with a cruise ship.

[DizzyDallasDi]

Being alone, of advanced age, sane, healthy and relatively mobile, I intend to spend the rest of my years cruising, preferably with HAL with which I am familiar and like for size, service and ambiance. There are many considerations of course, not the least being cost. I wonder whether I can draw on someone's
knowlege or experience as to a) best way to achieve permanent cruising (i.e.without being stuck going back an forth between two ports for ever, as
many ships seem to do) b) cost advantages between cruise lines?

I hope your wish comes true! As my mother grew older, she made sure my sister and I were aware that she never wanted to end up in a nursing or retirement home as she had the means to pay for in-home care. When her health declined to that point, we were fortunate enough to find amazing in-home care for her. I know that made her final days as pleasant as they could possibly be. I hope your's are spent on the sea on a HAL ship and you have the time of your lfe!

I wish I had the information you're seeking...I've heard it can be done.

[Kay240]

Although we have met "Mama Lou", we also met a lovely couple who made HAL their home. I wish I could remember their names. He was retired military, I believe, and had one of those motorized chairs that are advertised on TV. They said it was "cheaper than a nursing home"! Great food, great people, great scenery, no cooking, no cleaning, great activities...what more could anyone want??:D

[RMLincoln]

Ms. Dolly lives on Amsterdam most of the year. I was a pleasure to sail with her in December to the Panama Canal. She said she chose HAL because they were so good to her.

[iamaqt2]

With the reputation HAL already has going around these boards, I seriously doubt they want to promote themselves as a floating retirement home.:rolleyes:

[English_in_Spain]

Don't forget to take into account medical care.

As you get older you are more likely to need doctors and hospitals. No cruise ship is really set up to care for elderly patients who need long term care - nursing homes are set up for this.

You may find if you got sick the cruise line would not allow you to cruise any more. Then what would you do?

[m steve]

but you forget the real advantage. You get to tell all your same stories to new people every cruise and show those photos of the grandchildren. I believe if you book and inside w/ a friend it will be cheaper and BETTER than a standard nursing home not just for the food but the room. And many cruise lines will upgrade frequent travelers to bigger available cabins. NCL used to have a policy to do this. If you don't care about the ports it wouldn't matter what the itinerary was but of course it will change every few weeks or months due to repositioning. You will be in the Caribbean in the winter, Alaska or Europe in the summer and either crusing the east or west coast in the spring and fall. If you don't gamble or drink in bars, the cost is quite controlable.

[gregdude]

English in Spain,
While I agree with your concern over needing nursing care at some point as we age, until that time comes this would be a great way to live. In fact HAL has been recognized as having the most complete and up to date medical facilities float.

A bigger issue would be finding an insurance plan that would cover this kind of travel, including medical and evacuation.

[Locomotiveman]

MUJSICUS, You'd Eliminate short Port-to-Port repetition with 'Grand Voyage' extended cruises such as the Holland America's PRINSENDAM world itineries. THAT would $$cost$$. Could one do it for $100,000/yr. booked as a Single occupancy w/inside room by going down the food chain from HAL? Dunno. Ask a cruise travel agent. You'd need to leave the vessel when it is drydocked, etc. Others have done it, ie Beatrice Muller; also, some future medical needs would curtail perpetual cruising as an option. TOM

[kakalina]

HAL's rules about elderly pax is that if they can not care for themselves they must travel with a "companion" who will care for them.

We were on a cruise where the "children" had sent Mom off on a cruise so they could have some time alone. Mom spent her time half naked standing at her door and asking everyone who passed what time her dinner was. It was very sad. Once the Hotel Manager was made aware of the problem the "children" were notifed for them or their agent to pick Mom up at the next port.

[donh1]

Although we have met "Mama Lou", we also met a lovely couple who made HAL their home. I wish I could remember their names. He was retired military, I believe, and had one of those motorized chairs that are advertised on TV. They said it was "cheaper than a nursing home"! Great food, great people, great scenery, no cooking, no cleaning, great activities...what more could anyone want??:D

We were on the Maasdam about 15 months ago and had lunch with a similar couple. Very interesting indeed. He actually played some role in Pearl Harbor. Regretibly I did not get their names. What made him even more unique was that he had his military dog-tag encased in gold and wore it around his neck. Their plans were to do a couple more trips with the Maasdam and then spend Christmas a year ago with family in California before striking out on the Rotterdam for a world cruise.
Sad to say the very next day he was taken off the ship by ambulance in St Martin. I did speak with the Maasdam cruise director from the sailing some months later and she thought that he survived the initial problem but she had no further info on him. I did post several month ago asking if anyone had any info....


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http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon1.gif Info Needed - Couple living on Cruise Ship
Last November while traveling on the Maasdam we enjoyed having lunch with an elderly couple who seemed to be living on HAL cruise ships. I regret that I don't remember their names. They said they were going to do about another month on the Maasdam and then go to stay with family in California over Christmas then go out on the world cruise in January on the Rotterdam.
The gentleman used an electric wheelchair. He was a veteran and proudly wore his dog tag enclosed in gold around his neck.

Next day I believe it was in Saint Martan we heard that he had collapsed and was taken to hospital. We never did see either one of them for the remainder of the cruise. To this day I wonder what became of this couple. They were such a nice couple. They were extremely well traveled on Holland America. Can anyone give me any info. Tks Don

[doctork]

It sure would beat a retirement home and maybe cheaper!

A few years ago there was an article to this effect published in JAGS (Journal of the American Geriatric Society). The title was something along the lines of "Cruise Ship Care vs Retirement/Senior Home Care." The conclusion was that they were about the same price (at that time, $60,000 to $70,000 per person per year), but the cruise ship was far better. It offered nicer accommodations, better food, served in your room or the dining areas, superior entertainment and activities, and better medical care because a doctor was available on-call 24/7 on the ship, as opposed to being sent to the Emergency Room on land.

Either way, one must find a way to pay for medical care. I believe US Medicare is quite restrictive in paying medical bills from overseas, but private insurers may be pleased to pay, since the bills are often so much lower than the same care given in the US. I once worked for a health insurer and was asked to review many of the European medical bills for payment if they were valid. They were always cheaper and almost always approved.

I think the OP's plan could be workable - maybe your librarian could look up that JAGS article.

[Musicus]

Ms. Dolly lives on Amsterdam most of the year. I was a pleasure to sail with her in December to the Panama Canal. She said she chose HAL because they were so good to her.

Thanks for your reply! I happened to be on that cruise (Dec 23 -LA to FL) but unfortunately did not know about Ms. Dolly. Had a long talk with Char Patton
about my intention; she took all details and sent them to Seattle, but I am still waiting to hear from them. I am wondering whether it wouldn't be better to go at it using a travel agent who knows all the ins and outs? Regards - Egon egon@persona.ca

[sassyredhat]

Thanks for your reply! I happened to be on that cruise (Dec 23 -LA to FL) but unfortunately did not know about Ms. Dolly. Had a long talk with Char Patton
about my intention; she took all details and sent them to Seattle, but I am still waiting to hear from them. I am wondering whether it wouldn't be better to go at it using a travel agent who knows all the ins and outs? Regards - Egon egon@persona.ca


Wow~~I will live my dream vicariously thru' you. :)

Best of luck to you.

Pat

[Iris5383]

Sounds wonderful!

When it happens for you, hope you will not forget cruise critic and all of us who would love to hear about your adventures!

[YXU AC*SE]

I think the OP's plan could be workable - maybe your librarian could look up that JAGS article.

It is available online (for a fee) http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118743787/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Scott.

[Kay240]

What made him even more unique was that he had his military dog-tag encased in gold and wore it around his neck. Their plans were to do a couple more trips with the Maasdam and then spend Christmas a year ago with family in California before striking out on the Rotterdam for a world cruise.




I'm sure we are both talking about the same couple!

[Bellair]

Here is an interesting newspaper article:

Did you ever wish you could toss in the towel and just cruise for the rest of your life? Would it be feasible, say, to retire and live year-round on a cruise ship?

Life on one certainly would be cushy.

On the premises, you would have restaurants and cafes, nightclubs, theater, movies, live music, casinos, shopping, driving ranges, tennis courts, swimming pools, a gym and spa, concierge service, round-the-clock room service, top-notch security, even doctors and nurses on call 24/7. Some ships even have X-ray facilities and operating rooms.

And, of course, the world at your doorstep.

The notion of living on a ship isn't new. In 1963, a woman lived full-time in a small cabin on the original Queen Elizabeth.

"Her family was delighted that she was always being looked after," said Maureen Ryan, the "lady assistant purser" at the time. Another seafarer, Rosemarie Roberts, lodged for about a dozen years on the now-defunct Royal Viking Line.

Lines don't particularly encourage this sort of thing, though. And geriatric experts may wonder about its long-term efficacy, especially for the elderly. Nevertheless, it's a choice some people happily make.

In fact, a recent article in the Newark Star-Ledger featured 86-year-old Bea Muller, who sashays around the world as the sole de facto resident on the venerable QE2.

According to the article, Muller's expenses "run about $66,000 a year, which includes insurance, tours in ports, clothing, gifts and occasional visits to her sons."

If that's too pricey, a sojourn on one of Carnival's 21 Fun Ships would run about $800 a week or about $42,000 a year. A party-hearty cruiser could sail the Caribbean in an endless loop.

Or that cruiser could book a never-ending Caribbean voyage on Holland America, a premium line catering to a sophisticated older crowd, and expect to pay about $1,050 per week or about $52,000 per year.

At these fares, such a lifestyle compares favorably to some retirement options.

For instance, on average, assisted living costs $30,288 a year, more in the Northeast and West, according to a study cited by the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Higher-end communities can run even more -- $48,000 plus.

Setting your sights a bit higher might not cost that much more. You could opt for a plusher cabin on a Holland America vessel and expand your sailing horizons to include Europe next year. Line spokesman Erik Elvejord says retiring for the year in a balcony cabin would cost about $70,000 per person double occupancy.

Cost aside, some people are finding retirement at sea more attractive than on land. Irma Morgan of New Mexico spent all but two weeks last year aboard Crystal Harmony. So delighted was Morgan with her sojourn that she's booked again for all of next year.

According to Crystal's Lynn Sogi, "For a person to stay year-round on Crystal Harmony in the least-expensive cabin would cost roughly $81,170."

A year on one of the upscale Seabourn ships would cost a salty $114,610. But, as spokesman Bruce Good points out, you'll be kicked off during the ship's drydock maintenance or if it's chartered.

But what if your health status turns sour? Ships may compare favorably to assisted living, but they're still vacation venues. For super bucks, though, you could nab an actual condo at sea.

The World, a 12-deck vessel the length of two football fields, was launched two years ago as the only private community at sea. It may be the ultimate mobile home. The ship sails a continuous round-the-world itinerary emphasizing extended stays -- clocking about 250 days a year in various ports.

For a shot at the World's one-, two- or three-bedroom apartments (ranging from 675 square feet to 3,242 square feet.), you would have to cough up between $1.3 million and $6.3 million.

Many World residences are available for rent, though, with a minimum six-night stay required, at rates that start at $1,000 per night, including meals and select beverages, port charges and gratuities.

So keep a close watch on that nest egg.

The Orlando Sentinel is a Tribune Co. newspaper. Contact Arline Bleecker at AJBleecker@aol.com.
Copyright © 2010, South Florida Sun-Sentinel (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/)
http://mv.trb.com/clear.gif?dname=www.latimes.com&uri=/sfl-augbleekaug21,0,1502282.story&tag=/&citype=story&title=Ultimate%20life%20of%20ease%3A%20Retire%20on %20cruise%20ship&hkey=956e2088d29ba8e6dc8f6eb9d8980507

[RuthC]

Here is an interesting newspaper article:

The World, a 12-deck vessel the length of two football fields, was launched two years ago

********

The Orlando Sentinel is a Tribune Co. newspaper. Contact Arline Bleecker at AJBleecker@aol.com.
Copyright © 2010, South Florida Sun-Sentinel (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/)
http://mv.trb.com/clear.gif?dname=www.latimes.com&uri=/sfl-augbleekaug21,0,1502282.story&tag=/&citype=story&title=Ultimate%20life%20of%20ease%3A%20Retire%20on %20cruise%20ship&hkey=956e2088d29ba8e6dc8f6eb9d8980507
That article is a lot older than 2010. It says the World was launched two years ago? I shared a port with that ship back in 2002.

[Musicus]

Just a note of thanks to you all for your input and support in my quest for the ultimate (though not impossible) dream. Because of financial constraint, I have made a proposal to HAL who are at present looking at it. But I also have requested all inclusive quotes from several other cruise lines. The fact that I am a single traveler adds of course a great deal to costs, but it would be very difficult to find a compatible companion fofr this enterprise, especially since I would not be keen on a male partner. Will keep you posted on developments.[/I]