Wanting to become a full time cruiser

[ryano]

Your words. Year round for much less than that.

 

If that's not what you meant, ok. But that's what you wrote.

 

Yes, it IS what I wrote. :) The OP said they were paying 12,000 a month for a nursing home for their mother and I said that I could easily sail "year around for much less" than 12,000 a month! I dont have to have a Grand Suite in order to enjoy a cruise. Id perfectly content sailing in a balcony cabin or even an oceanview and even during peak months and holidays you can sail for less than 400.00 per day even with a single supplement.

 

Do you not agree? :confused: How is that confusing?

Edited November 4, 2013 by ryano

[ryano]

She meant 12k per month. $144000 per year or $395 per day :)

 

And its my belief that I can most certainly sail year around for much less than 144,000 per year. Even paying a single supplement and sailing during peak months.

[looking4info]

Yes, it IS what I wrote. :) The OP said they were paying 12,000 a month for a nursing home for their mother and I said that I could easily sail "year around for much less" than 12,000 a month! I dont have to have a Grand Suite in order to enjoy a cruise. Id perfectly content sailing in a balcony cabin or even an oceanview and even during peak months and holidays you can sail for less than 400.00 per day even with a single supplement.

 

Do you not agree? :confused: How is that confusing?

 

She was correcting your use of the word "around" vs round. Guess she didn't like you correcting her about the cost.

Edited November 4, 2013 by looking4info

[ryano]

She was correcting your use of the word "around" vs round. Guess she didn't like you correcting her about the cost.

 

I always get that mixed up :o My apologies! :o Year-round is what I meant. I can EASILY sail for much less than 144K a year, year-ROUND! :)

Edited November 4, 2013 by ryano

[MS52]

In a perfect scenario, assuming you have the $$ to travel year round, one of your kids would live in a port city where you could stop occasionally to do laundry, pick up mail, go to the dentist/doctor, etc., visit the grandkids.

 

Guess I'm going to have to move one of my DD to a port city of their choosing and win the lottery while I'm at it. :D Sounds like a plan!

[gaylemh]

I also agree that you could sail solo for much less than the cost of a nursing home, but I really don't think it's a fair comparison. If you compared the cost to living in your own place or even assisted living which is thousands less compared to a nursing home, that would be a fairer comparison. The care in a true nursing home is medical with a full nursing staff caring for the residents. I don't think you would get a cabin attendant to come in and give you a shower, medications, feed you or wipe your butt.

[ryano]

but I really don't think it's a fair comparison.

 

You are 100% correct. Its not. I was just saying :)

[Amy from Delaware]

oops, nevermind

Edited November 4, 2013 by Three Rings

[Amy from Delaware]

@gaylemh, if you would email me at the address in my signature, I have some nursing home info you might be interested in.

[SA Traveler]

Really? I don't think so. If you divide $12,000 by 365, you get $33. Do you really think that you can sail for a year for $33 a day??????

 

I think it is $12000 per month but even so I would think if you need nursing home care you couldn't be on a cruises ship.

[Merion_Mom]

In a perfect scenario, assuming you have the $$ to travel year round, one of your kids would live in a port city where you could stop occasionally to do laundry, pick up mail, go to the dentist/doctor, etc., visit the grandkids.

 

Guess I'm going to have to move one of my DD to a port city of their choosing and win the lottery while I'm at it. :D Sounds like a plan!

 

When I went on a B2B2B2B on the Mariner in 2008-2009, the first was a week with my daughter, then 3 long cruises from Florida to California, around Cape Horn. After the first cruise, I disembarked with my daughter, got a rental car, drove her to the airport, and on my way back, stopped off at a laundromat and did laundry. They are pretty easy to find in any port city/town. :)

[Merion_Mom]

She was correcting your use of the word "around" vs round. Guess she didn't like you correcting her about the cost.

 

No, "she" wasn't. She misconstrued HIS use of the word "year" vs the other poster's use of the word "month." She humbly apologizes.

 

:D

[ryano]

No, "she" wasn't. She misconstrued HIS use of the word "year" vs the other poster's use of the word "month." She humbly apologizes.

 

:D

 

Im just glad you read my post :) I thought I was probably on your ignore list. i was hateful with you on here a while back because I thought you were being snarky over something I said and I sincerely apologize for that. You are one of the ones of whose input I appreciate around here. i was having a bad day and lashed out. No excuse whatsoever for that.

Edited November 4, 2013 by ryano

[Merion_Mom]

Im just glad you read my post :) I thought I was probably on your ignore list. i was hateful with you on here a while back because I thought you were being snarky over something I said and I sincerely apologize for that. You are one of the ones of whose input I appreciate around here. i was having a bad day and lashed out. No excuse whatsoever for that.

 

Kumbaya! ;)

[alfaeric]

I think a different way of cruising is to use it as actual transportation.

 

No, it's not trivial to get to the ports, but most Trans Atlatic cruises are very cheap, right there with an economy class plane ticket. But on a cruise, you get food, a great place to hang out, some nice time by yourself, and no jet lag.

 

From there, train from city to city spending enough time where you can find cheaper long stay appartments. Having looked into it, it's not hard to find a $1800/mo place in Paris. You'll have to figuire some interesting timing, since you can do 90 days in the EU w/o a visa.

 

Still, with some time in England (which does not count), you can basically summer in Europe and take a cruise ship over and back.

 

The other trick is how to stitch together the cheap cruises- some of them start with re-positioning, too.

 

I've not done all of my research to really understand when the best cruise fares are, and IF one end or the other of any kind of repositioning cruise also has cheap fares. But I have been thinking about it.

[m*u*g*]

Try this.

http://aboardtheworld.com/

 

Holy crap...

[travelplus]

I love your idea and assuming the cost of living is as high as I assume it is In your town I guess you could do it as cheap as you live where you are. family would be the only barrier. and who knows how well you would be cared for on a ship . I say go for it

 

Thanks for your replies. Actually I live in a home where homes go for over a Million Dollars. Let's say I buy a Condo in Florida the costs of Hurricane Insurance, Fire Insurance and Flood Insurance is astronomical.

 

In California Earthquake Insurance is expensive. Let's say you buy an old home in a Big City for about a million dollars you have to upgrade the kitchen upgrade the plumbing etc.

 

On cruise ships that is not your problem. If something goes wrong there is staff to fix it.

 

I think I would purchase drinks on a single drink basis as opposed to doing the package.

 

For Laundry on turn around day I would research the places where I could do laundry at a laundromat but paying $25 for a bag of laundry is not that bad when they have the 2 day special. As I go up in status the discounts start to add up.

 

I really could live without internet daily and have a cellphone with GSM if I must pay roaming so be it.

 

As for my possessions I don't need storage as its currently at my Parent's home. Due to the present economy its been hard to find a job but as I said in my first post when the finances are there I would seriously consider living on a ship.

 

But working on a ship unless its for Special Services or at the Guest Services Counter then no. I do not want to clean cabins, fix toilets or drive the ship. Too stressful.

 

Possibly I could work as the Special Services Coordinator assisting individuals with special needs with any issues they may have, research the various shore excursions to make sure they fit their requirements.

 

Another option is to be a Guest Lecturer where my room is paid for as are my meals. All that I need to do is pay for extras like alcohol.

 

I think I would start as a Guest Lecturer speaking about Travel and Tourism on topics such as if you have a disability how to plan a vacation to meet your needs, how to meet and talk with locals, plan shore excursions etc.

 

If someone has the contact info to be a Guest Lecturer on Royal Caribbean I would love to start as one after I complete my Certificate Program in Travel and Tourism.

 

One other option is to work as an onboard coordinator with Autism On Seas work with the kids during the day and then have nights free. Its not a 24 7 program as the kids are with their parents too. I could help with booking their trips, working with the onboard special needs department and help out if there is a problem on board with any aspect. Like an onboard ombudsman. I would not want to be a counselor per se but would much rather be the logistical planner and then have peace during the off time to enjoy the ship and ports. I'm sure I would have an internet package/cellphone package for this type of job.

 

What's your take on these options above?

[Amy from Delaware]

While I love the *idea*, I don't think it's possible to make up a job like that. Everyone who works on the ships works very hard, many many hours a day (and night). Nobody gets a cushy job when they first start out, that's for sure! There are already plenty of people working in the Special Needs department, but they're not aboard the ships.

 

TANSTAAFL

 

When my husband was still able to cruise, we dealt extensively with the Special Needs department. They coordinated with the on-board staff to make sure everything was just right for him.

[itching2cruiseagain]

A nursing home costs way more than independent living. I agree that someone who needs a NH would probably not be able to cruise. However if you live in an Independent Living Facility, it should be manageable. My mom just signed a contract for a 1 bedroom in an ILF for just over $3300 a month (which includes two meals per day). That works out to just almost $110 per day. I think one would be able to cruise for $110 per day. If I can afford it, I think I would rather cruise year-round.

[SCORPIO]

Not sure if this has already been posted....but this idea has been put into practice......look up "Mario Salcedo"

[bigque]

Someone posted an article a few months ago about a ship that you can buy space sort of like a condo on a ship which price varied to different types of categories. It was of course all inclusive with medical facilities and everything.

[Ladysilver]

I'm not sure if I would like to be on a cruise ship 365 days a year. I would be happy just to be able to cruise every 3 months or so......:D

[zoncom]

I would move this to WorldCruising . RCL is not exactly world cruising territory.Many have done the residential cruise bit.Usually women. You sound very young. As an American you will not be hired as staff, but they are always looking for lecturers. I once spent a morning constructing a string with several lines to circumvent the world.Some had better itins than others.. Look up the discounted world cruises on the vacations..go site. Pricing not bad. You will find most are the smaller ships. Am Celebrity Elite, asked on ship recently when X was going to do WCs. Never, was answer. We are too big. Probably same with RCL. My dream WC would be the 180 day on Oceania.Look up KweenKaren.com for a great WC review. Just move this to worldcruising here for a fresh viewpoint.

[cruisingwithtwins]

While I love the *idea*, I don't think it's possible to make up a job like that. Everyone who works on the ships works very hard, many many hours a day (and night). Nobody gets a cushy job when they first start out, that's for sure! There are already plenty of people working in the Special Needs department, but they're not aboard the ships.

 

Would have to disagree here. There are some very 'comfortable' jobs, although you definitely don't have cushy cabin arrangements. On our recent cruise i was talking to one of our port shopping guides. She was on her first contract, had a great cabin mate, although a small cabin, her job on port days was to go to a few different shops they promote onboard, wear beautiful jewelry, talk to passengers, get stores to give coupons and prizes. On board she helped our on port shopping presentations, gave information at the port shopping desk, and sometimes stuffed promo materials into cruise compasses before they got passed out in cabins. She also had a travel & tourism degree, just completed, early 20's and was enjoying thing 4 months into her 6 month contract and had signed for another.

 

Another person I met was in the cast of a large production show and did an improve session, he said it was pushing it to work more than 20 hours a week between performances and rehearsals. He said he wished he'd be utilized more. Another person from the ice cast mentioned she volunteered with the art auction as she had spare time and took art history.

 

I also had a haircut onboard and she didn't work for RCI, but Steiner, she had only one roommate, found her colleagues were great, got time off during port (she alternated with another stylist onboard), she had worked on a few different ships, she was able to check out shows etc.

[Amy from Delaware]

 

Would have to disagree here. There are some very 'comfortable' jobs, although you definitely don't have cushy cabin arrangements.

 

I stand corrected. Thank you for posting that information. I had no idea. :)