Information on cruising full time/living on board full time

Hi,

I am new to this forum and would like some direction or insight on how I might cruise full time. I have heard that some live on board full time. Is there a way to do it on different ships? I am not sure what is true and what is false and would appreciate information from those who know or are doing it.

Thanks for having me!

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

There are some ships where people live on board.

With Crystal Cruises there is at least one woman who lives on one of its ships and three to four women who live on the sister ship.

I have read about someone living on board an RCI ship and know that some are on board other ones.

There is a book that was co-written by one of the women who we know who lives on board Crystal Serenity. You might want to consider reading it.

It's available on Amazon.Com

https://www.amazon.com/May-Homeless-But-Should-Yacht/dp/0692932569/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508439696&sr=8-1&keywords=i+may+be+homeless+but+you+should+see+my+yacht

Keith

Check out ResidenSea. It may not be exactly what you are asking about, but check it out.

There is a member here on the Celebrity board who spends the winters on it's ships in the Caribbean (summer at home in Canada). He has his son book weeks ahead as you cannot access the weekly Exciting Deals from the ship internet. I think if you ask on the individual cruise line boards here you may get some ideas. I don't think any of those who are truly living onboard are members of these boards (although I don't follow the Crystal board here). You haven't said how experienced you are, but before I committed to living onboard, I think I would do a World Cruise and see how I handled it. I used to think I wanted to do one, but now...no. For one thing, I think the menus would become monotonous. Most ships have a 7 or 14 day rotation menu and I would get tired of it. EM

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

All the people I know who have lived on cruise ships have not gone from one ship to another. That is quite a hassle having to pack and move around.

There was one woman who lived on the QEII for quite a few years -- even brought some of her own furniture for one of the cabins she lived in. She had 2 cabins.

Until a few months ago, there was a woman who lived on HAL ships -- mostly those that sailed out of Tampa. She would even stay on them for a couple of years at a time. She died not too long ago. She sailed for about 15 years. We got to meet her.

You should know that you need to have a lot of money to do this. No deals are made to anyone.

We've met a couple, and a single person who have been doing this, on two different ships which home port in the UK all year round, and which do different itineraries ranging from 2 to 28 days. By having a base close to the port, they can make Dr's appointments, deal with banks and insurance etc on the home days, and if they need more time, they could always miss the 2 day cruise so as to sort out other home affairs.

Once sailed with a lady who was being assisted by the Customer Service staff on her wheelchair. Learned later that she has been living on that ship. When you go on a cruise, maybe you can discuss with the Customer/Guest Service on how you can go about it and possibly get directed to the proper cruise line rep.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

How boring that would become....a teensy cabin, the same food all the time.....don't think I'd like it at all! Fine for a week or so, but not much longer at a stretch!

Living onboard makes perfect sense to me, certainly better than an upscale retirement community. Sail on a ship like the Prinsendam that does a wide variety of itineraries and take an occasional week or two off on land. You will definitely have to leave the ship during dry docks. I guesstimate that a couple could sail on the Prinsendam for $200,000 per year and up. cruiseliving4me, it does not cost anything to ask a cruise line to quote you prices.

I used to think I wanted to do one, but now...no. For one thing, I think the menus would become monotonous. Most ships have a 7 or 14 day rotation menu and I would get tired of it. EM

On world cruises there is some rotation but usually it is not the entire menu - the various items are mixed and matched.

My menu at home is less varied than what I get on long cruises, and I would guess that may be true of many...

How boring that would become....a teensy cabin, the same food all the time.....don't think I'd like it at all! Fine for a week or so, but not much longer at a stretch!

Hmm, at least the scenery changes, unlike many adult or assisted living properties.

The following link will take you to a story about "Suber Mario" who is a 50 week per year resident on board various RCI ships, and has been for 20 years.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/tourism/fl-royal-caribbean-avid-cruiser-20160429-story.html

Here's a CC discussion on another well known person that lived on a ship...

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1815577

And if you Google her name, there are lots of article's on her...

My menu at home is less varied than what I get on long cruises, and I would guess that may be true of many...

Right! Lots of people have a weekly rotation on meals.

And people are acting as if once you decide to do it, you CAN'T get off the ship EVER!

Let us know what you find out! :p

Hmm, at least the scenery changes, unlike many adult or assisted living properties.

...and you would get a whole new bunch of TABLEMATES every week or so. Wouldn't that be a highlight???;p:D

We met a lady on a Holland America ship who stayed on the ship all winter. In fall and spring, she stayed with her son and in summer, she lived in Michigan. The ship is comparable in price to an assistant living situation. Ask on the HAL board, it has many long time cruisers who may know her.

Don't forget, a ship also has its share of coughing/sneezing passengers and those who do not wash their hands often enough. You get exposed to a lot of germs. This lady always had a table alone in a corner of the buffet and the staff would help her with food. They loved her because she remembered their birthday and national holidays and would interact with them as if they were her sons and grandsons. She came to the library and did puzzles.

Was that “Kissing Annie?”

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We booked next to a ship, in San Juan, that was actually condos. You bought your own suite. I don't remember it's name though. Owners could rent their suites which had its own kitchen as well as a dining room if you didn't want to cook. . If you burned your toast the kitchen doors automatically closed. The suit owners decided on where in the world they would cruise to!

Anyone else know about this ship?

We booked next to a ship, in San Juan, that was actually condos. You bought your own suite. I don't remember it's name though. Owners could rent their suites which had its own kitchen as well as a dining room if you didn't want to cook. . If you burned your toast the kitchen doors automatically closed. The suit owners decided on where in the world they would cruise to!

 

Anyone else know about this ship?

I suspect you mean The World, Residensea.

My menu at home is less varied than what I get on long cruises, and I would guess that may be true of many...

True about us and, I’m willing to bet, also true about most of the pseudo-gourmets who speak dismissively about the “banquet” food served on board ship.

Another point- OP could probably do it on different ships by researching and booking cruises embarking the same day as the previous cruise disembarks at the same (or very close-by) port.

I keep reading ‘The same food over and again” and wonder how many different dishes they have at home??