Wanting to become a full time cruiser

[emeraldcity]

Super Mario cruises 50 weeks a year, exclusively with Royal Caribbean, according to the latest article I read. He was just finishing up a months-long stint on the Majesty when I met him. He is self-employed and works on board. So it can be done ... but it takes a lot of ingenuity to make it work.

[cruisingwithtwins]

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

 

Me either, I just talked to a number of crew members on my recent cruise, to give my cousin suggestions on what to apply for. She is likely getting a port shopping guide job on RCI's Alaska itinerary in May when she finishes school.

 

 

Thanks for posting about Supermario, quite the life!

[createcolorfun]

This is something i would love to do, but will never be able to... I would miss my grandkids...

and as far as if it's "affordable" I believe it would work out well... and i do believe the cruise lines would give you a lot of perks... i believe you don't pay tips?

my question is... what happens if you become to a point where your health won't allow you to cruise?

 

I would have to have a back up home that just in case i'm not able to cruise, i would be able to live.

 

Hope you can do it!!!

[Amy from Delaware]

With the aging of the baby boomers, wouldn't it be great if Royal Caribbean started a new family of ships "Nursing Home of the Seas", "Assisted Living of the Seas", "Rehab of the Seas"? :D

[gaylemh]

With the aging of the baby boomers, wouldn't it be great if Royal Caribbean started a new family of ships "Nursing Home of the Seas", "Assisted Living of the Seas", "Rehab of the Seas"? :D

 

Some people think it's bad now with all the scooters and wheelchairs. I couldn't imagine what a nursing home at sea would be like. I could just see it now - all the run away chairs rolling down the hallways.

[Amy from Delaware]

Some people think it's bad now with all the scooters and wheelchairs. I couldn't imagine what a nursing home at sea would be like. I could just see it now - all the run away chairs rolling down the hallways.

 

Well, usually in nursing homes they're manual wheelchairs and there's staff to push people where they need to go. I agree, I probably wouldn't want to be on a ship with 1,000 power wheelchairs! But "Nursing Home of the Seas" would of course ;) have nothing but accessible suites (so there's room for each passenger's nurse/aide in an adjoining room).

 

Inpatient rehab costs more than a cruise. Can't you just see Medicare paying for cruises?! :D :eek: (oh well, I can dream....)

[iheartbda]

Another cushy job is the art auctioneer. One day while lounging in the sun, I heard the young lady next to me telling someone about her mother who was an auctioneer. She got a salary along with a percentage of the sales, a decent cabin, did not have any other duties and was able to bring a friends to help whenever she wanted.

 

I couldn't help overhearing the conversation but must admit that my ears did perk up so I could hear better. :o:D From what I gathered, her mother was doing extremely well with very little work.....lots of rot gut champagne, too.:p

[boingy300]

When we were on Holland the staff told us of an elderly couple, retired doctors in their mid-90s. They decided they'd cruise instead of entering a nursing home. It got to the point where they would tape their cabin numbers on their backs so people could help them when they got lost and the staff would be assigned to them at the ports. They'd stop off the ship and then ask what country they were in, look around and say "Very nice" then get right back on the ship. That beats the heck out of bingo and a broken hip in my book. It changed how I viewed my later years.

 

Karen

[Merion_Mom]

This is something i would love to do, but will never be able to... I would miss my grandkids...

and as far as if it's "affordable" I believe it would work out well... and i do believe the cruise lines would give you a lot of perks... i believe you don't pay tips?

my question is... what happens if you become to a point where your health won't allow you to cruise?

 

I would have to have a back up home that just in case i'm not able to cruise, i would be able to live.

 

Hope you can do it!!!

 

Why wouldn't you pay tips?!?!?!?!?

[jt1120]

As an American you will not be hired as staff,

 

Really? I've had American cruise staffs before. They most certainly would and do hire Americans.

 

With the aging of the baby boomers, wouldn't it be great if Royal Caribbean started a new family of ships "Nursing Home of the Seas", "Assisted Living of the Seas", "Rehab of the Seas"? :D

 

No, but if everyone thinks about it for a minute, we are TOTALLY giving RC an excellent idea. Why not try to sell baby boomers on the idea of living onboard a cruise ship? For the price of some cruises as they get discounted prior to sailing, they could string a decent rate together and offer it. I realize that they try to get the maximum rate that they can for every cabin every cruise, but the odds are in favor of discounted prices. I think it's actually something they should look into.

 

This is a great thread, isn't it?

[CruisinYaya]

It seems like there already are people who practically live onboard, and more than just Super M! Personally I would love to cruise 6-8 months out of the year, and have a small vacation home near my family otherwise. Heck, if I won a several-hundred-million dollar jackpot I would pack my 5 year-old and a tutor and set sail! :p

[marypat01]

Why wouldn't you pay tips?!?!?!?!?

 

Good question - as a destination/enrichment lecturer, I can vouch that I do pay gratuities. Some cruise lines will cut you some slack, but it depends. If my cabin steward is great, then he/she gets extra.

 

There any Legend of the Seas cruisers out there? This January 2014, I will have my first cruise on that ship. I am trying to find out where guest speakers/lecturers have presented onboard her. The Legend is smaller than Freedom and Mariner, and the lounge I usually am in does not exist on the Vision class ship.

 

Anyone?

 

Patrick

[xxHadleyxx]

I have personally met three people/couples who essentially live onboard (all on RCI).

 

One couple sometimes rents a vacation home in off season for a month at a time at a bargain rate to get off the ship.

 

You gain status fast, and then, yes, there is plenty of alcohol between the lounge and the gifts for repeat cruisers at that level, the bottle for being the most frequent cruiser on the sailing, etc.

 

You hit the gym often.

 

You learn where the good cafe with wi-fi is in ports an o most of your internet stuff while there.

 

You don't worry about seeing the shows or not; they'll always be there again soon.

 

They ended up judging lots of karaoke and the like, playing lots of cards and other games, and going to any sort of meet and mingle, C&A party, etc--social events. Some very VERY nice people. I am always hoping to ran into them again onboard (ran into one gentleman a few times already--love it when we sail together)

 

etc.

 

I think I could love it with my husband--but would get terribly lonely if I were single.

[ARCruisinNana]

The Legend is smaller than Freedom and Mariner, and the lounge I usually am in does not exist on the Vision class ship.

 

Anyone?

 

Patrick

 

Legend has both a Diamond Club and Concierge Club.

[xxHadleyxx]

Good question - as a destination/enrichment lecturer, I can vouch that I do pay gratuities. Some cruise lines will cut you some slack, but it depends. If my cabin steward is great, then he/she gets extra.

 

There any Legend of the Seas cruisers out there? This January 2014, I will have my first cruise on that ship. I am trying to find out where guest speakers/lecturers have presented onboard her. The Legend is smaller than Freedom and Mariner, and the lounge I usually am in does not exist on the Vision class ship.

 

Anyone?

 

Patrick

 

good question. I do not recall seeing any such lectures. May I ask what you lecture on?

 

Looking at my compasses from May, it looks like things that were lecture like ("secrets of art collecting" were in the Anchor's Away Lounge.

 

Here is the link to the compasses if that helps you:

http://hadleyswanderingsandramblings.blogspot.de/2013/06/legend-of-seas-western-med-cruise.html

[xxHadleyxx]

Legend has both a Diamond Club and Concierge Club.

 

True--but neither is used for presentations so far as i have ever seen :confused:

[gatorsfam]

You're onto something for sure!

 

Once they can get faster and more reliable internet, I'll be adding in a few more weeks on a ship and still getting all my work done.

 

Someone earlier mentioned Taxes - US Federal taxes don't ever go away, no matter where you are, so probably best not to chalk those up in the 'savings' column unfortunately ;(

[marypat01]

good question. I do not recall seeing any such lectures. May I ask what you lecture on?

 

Hi - I cruise only in the Caribbean (for now) so my topics relate only to that part of the world. In no particular order, my main topics are:

 

"Blackbeard Remembered" - the story of this infamous pirate, as told by his 338 year old First Mate, Israel Hands. No, they usually do not let me bring my sword or pistols.

 

"The Bermuda Triangle - Love It Or Leave It, If You Can"

 

"Ancient Atlantis - from Plato to Edgar Cayce and Beyond"

 

"The Lost Civilization of the Maya"

 

"The Caribbean Before Columbus"

 

"The Maya Calendar"

 

"Black Gold from Central America - The True Story of Chocolate"

 

"Columbus Was NOT the First - Ancient Civilizations of the Americas"

[marypat01]

Here is the link to the compasses if that helps you:

http://hadleyswanderingsandramblings.blogspot.de/2013/06/legend-of-seas-western-med-cruise.html

 

could you send me a good scan of the FRONT of a Legend COMPASS? I usually use a "modified" copy in my Bermuda Triangle power point. Thanks

 

send to:

 

cruisespeaker@comcast.net

 

Patrick

[xxHadleyxx]

Hi - I cruise only in the Caribbean (for now) so my topics relate only to that part of the world. In no particular order, my main topics are:

 

"Blackbeard Remembered" - the story of this infamous pirate, as told by his 338 year old First Mate, Israel Hands. No, they usually do not let me bring my sword or pistols.

 

"The Bermuda Triangle - Love It Or Leave It, If You Can"

 

"Ancient Atlantis - from Plato to Edgar Cayce and Beyond"

 

"The Lost Civilization of the Maya"

 

"The Caribbean Before Columbus"

 

"The Maya Calendar"

 

"Black Gold from Central America - The True Story of Chocolate"

 

"Columbus Was NOT the First - Ancient Civilizations of the Americas"

 

Thanks for the response. Those sounds like they'd be interesting to hear. If we are ever in the Caribbean again i hope we have some fun lectures like yours.

[hazeleyez3]

I would love to become a full time cruiser once I have the finances. I know full time RVers and I can see the cost benefits of being a full time cruiser. First of all there is no RV to maintain let alone any home to maintain.

 

Once you paid in full that is the total price and your meals are included. Even with the Premium Drink Package and Single Supplement it works out to be a great deal.

 

What I would like to do is do the Florida-Caribbean or US-Europe Trans Atlantic Cruises in the Fall and Spring then just go around the Med linking cruises together. Even if I see the same ports I could just relax in my room or be on a large boat like the Oasis or Quantum of the Seas with all the passengers of the boat and I can enjoy the Solarium etc with not lots of people onboard.

 

I would want at least a Junior Suite and get a Grand Suite when entertaining. All I would do is figure out a boat that has availability for the year and work on booking it. Heck even an Ocean View Room is Fine By Me.

 

I would love to do this on Royal, Celebrity and Azamara and just find our cruises that link to one another. A hotel here and there is fine.

 

My goal is to not touch an airplane unless its necessary.

 

I figure you could live better on sea as there is no Home Owners Fees to Pay, Gym Memberships or Disco etc. It would be cheaper to eat in Chops or Portifino's than it would be on land. The Premium Alcohol package is a better deal than going and buying your own bottles. For $55 a day or $385 per week that is a great deal. You can even go out to dinner and buy drinks at a land restaurant for that much.

 

I would work to get the most OBC possible and see if Royal would let me apply it to all of my cruises if I am a loyal long term guest.

 

Internet package is ok and I would only buy enough minutes but not too much and use free wifi in port.

 

In your opinion is it cheaper for a single person to cruise and work from the boat as opposed to buying a condo , fixing it up and paying if something goes out? I am working towards a certificate in the Travel Industry and would love to sell travel and work for a host agency booking cruises while living onbaord the cruise ship.

 

I would even be sure to invite Cruise Critic Members to my Cabin for a Meet and Mingle and attend all the events onboard.

 

Entertainment after a long's days work then I just head down to the theater with drinks in hand. After making Diamond I just go to the Diamond Lounge and get coffee or espresso every morning. There goes the need to buy an expensive Espresso Machine.

 

The Tips at $12 per day is quite reasonable considering you get your room serviced, turndown service and are fed by a staff working for you.I pay more than $12 at a restaurant when I go out and eat. I pay $12 just for a slice of pizza salad and drink at a pizza joint. Heck I could even bring on my Friend or relatives in a suite and then I would not need to pay the single supplement on those cruises.

 

If I could work for a major online agency from my stateroom I would love it.

 

I guess I would make Pinnacle in no time.

 

Can you tell me how well the economics are to live full time on Royal? If I wanted to fly home I could use Cruise Air and get some discounts for my flights.

 

I don't mind having the same menu or eating in the Windjammer for breakfast. Heck a full breakfast every morning, lunch and dinner all included. I know some people that buy into a retirement community or gated community and don't even get their meals included.

 

If I need medical treatment I can use the medical center onboard if its an emergency. Its cheaper than going to an Emergency Room on land and with good insurance I could be flown to the best medical center.

 

There would be no car payments and I don't need to rent a car in port. If I want to take a tour I would figure $50-$80 for a day tour but heck its cheaper than forking over a rental car for a day+gas.

 

Anyone here want to give me tips on how to make this a reality?

 

Living on a cruise ship is basically "renting a cabin". Renting an apartment can sometimes cut out some of the costs you mention, and enable different benefits.

 

The one I had about 7 years ago (before I got married) was a 1 bedroom and 1 den. Heat was included. I had a washer, dryer, balcony, and a lot more room than a GS to entertain. The complex had a pool and a gym. The landlord took care of any problems.

 

Now, along with that, I had (and still have) a steady income, benefits, decent internet, the option to see family and friends when I want, the option to go to NYC (for example) on the spur of the moment, travel anywhere I want, and stay as long as I want , and don't restrict myself from the rest of the world. :)