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How many of you have done this before?


RorySC

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I know I have!!
 
We mostly are all here for our Love and passion for cruising right?
 
But, fess up. Admit it. Just spill the beans now! I know I have several times.. You know what I am talking about. Your on a cruise, sitting in a lounger near the pool. Maybe chilling at one of the bars just loving life, or maybe your sitting at a nice comfy quiet spot in Central Park just feeling the moment. Then it hits you, you think to yourself, "I can just do this everyday". The gears start turning in your head, you start thinking about all those videos you watched about Super Mario or life as a crew member, you feel the energy that just pops out of your screen or speakers when you watch or listen to Matt daily. 
 
You know what I am talking about, saying to yourself shoot....I can bartend, or I can do dishes or straighten up a cabin. Heck I can work in the Windjammer!! I can scoop eggs onto peoples plates, or stand by the door and say "Good Morning! Please Washy Washy" even the hours and pay does not bother me that much. You start thinking things like (to live on board) the cost can go down, well when I get to Pinnacle Status fast, and then things become free, and or get even cheaper and more discounted. Plus I get special invites to special occasions and treated like a VIP.
 
How many of you sat down, with a calculator?  When nobody's around (to not get caught) and started doing the math. Figure out what your bills are at home, vs. what it would cost to actually leave it all behind. I am going to live on a ship like Mario? I mean the hard math. Like ok, with internet I can work from the ship. If I don't have a mortgage or rent, no need for a car and or insurance, loose all my grocery bills, Just EVERYTHING. I will stay with a inside cabin. You attempt to work every angle that you can think of.
 
You don't mention it to many people for the fear that they will think you are our of your mind, and or piss people off when they think you are deserting your friends and family for LONG periods of time
 
 Was it a 5 min thing....or did you really spend hours and or days researching as much as you can?
 
Now's to time to fess up, lets hear it.
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Our retirement plans include traveling during the winter months, and a third to half of that time will be on cruise ships, exploring new itineraries as well as old favorites.
 

The other time will be spent going to land based places we have always wanted to see, as well as visiting family/friends. 
 

We have eight years to go. 

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Sorry - can't relate.  Half way through the second leg of our B2B last October we started missing home and couldn't wait to get off the ship.  We missed our dog, family and friends at home, and couldn't get back to them soon enough.  Two weeks on the ship was too much for us.  We like cruising but definitely need a break from it.  

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Wait. Wut.

You do understand that most cruise employees work 10 to 14 hour days for several, several months in a row (without days off), in SEVERAL different positions, live in TINY cramped quarters with an adult roommate, while being paid less than the U.S. minimum wage?

You do also understand that for periods of weeks, while you are scheduled off, you will need somewhere on the mainland to live until your new contract/assignment.

Crew members do not eat the same food as guests.  (Although my sister-in-law and friends have told me the food isn't that bad)

You may not be offered consecutive contracts/assignments, meaning you will still need some type of long-term accommodations.

You have to deal with tens of thousands of guests like us (us meaning the lovely people on this forum), but also tens of thousands of idiots, jerks, rude and unkind drunkards, etc.

Sorry.  Not sorry. No thanks.

 

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18 minutes ago, CruisingNewb said:

Wait. Wut.

You do understand that most cruise employees work 10 to 14 hour days for several, several months in a row (without days off), in SEVERAL different positions, live in TINY cramped quarters with an adult roommate, while being paid less than the U.S. minimum wage?

You do also understand that for periods of weeks, while you are scheduled off, you will need somewhere on the mainland to live until your new contract/assignment.

Crew members do not eat the same food as guests.  (Although my sister-in-law and friends have told me the food isn't that bad)

You may not be offered consecutive contracts/assignments, meaning you will still need some type of long-term accommodations.

You have to deal with tens of thousands of guests like us (us meaning the lovely people on this forum), but also tens of thousands of idiots, jerks, rude and unkind drunkards, etc.

Sorry.  Not sorry. No thanks.

 

You're 100% correct and if you do one instant of research on what it's like to work on a cruise ship you will quickly find this information. Windowless cabins. Bad food. Long hours. Strict rules. 

I think the original post posits what it would be like if the experience were something different. That it's more like having a typical day job at a restaurant, where you worked 5 days a week and had the rest of the time to do what you please. If that were the case, obviously it'd be a pretty decent job, but I think they acknowledge that's not the actual circumstances of working on a ship. 

Maybe I'm wrong and they were actually fantasizing about the reality of life working on a cruise ship, but this daydream seems more hypothetical than rooted in reality.

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6 minutes ago, jeffmw said:

You're 100% correct and if you do one instant of research on what it's like to work on a cruise ship you will quickly find this information. Windowless cabins. Bad food. Long hours. Strict rules. 

I think the original post's point is that it naturally runs through your head while on a ship about the allure of being there all the time. 

Maybe I'm wrong and they were actually fantasizing about the reality of life working on a cruise ship, but this daydream seems more hypothetical than rooted in reality.

1. Yes. I forgot to add the windowless cabins and strict rules.  Nice additions Jeff!

2. Fair enough.  I fantasize about being on vacation all the time too.  BUT I DON'T start running numbers and detailing the other stuff like the OP suggests. LOL.  My fantasies do not involve math, labor, or anything else not involving rest and relaxation.  

3. Ah...another fair point.  Maybe the OP's fantasy involves the actual work part as well.  Again, my fantasies involve hedonistic, selfish, glutinous indulgences, only. LOL

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My thought process never included working for the cruise line, but working (teaching in my case) online while onboard. I currently teach adjunct for a local community college and have 9 years before I can retire from my K-12 position. I would love to be able to continue to teach online while spending much of the year onboard. However, I don't think Texas Teacher Retirement System's pension will afford me that luxury... need to find another side hustle. 😆

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Nope! Not now! 

I turned down a job in Nov that would have Doubled my wage! Sounds great but it would have meant moving to England and while i have worked abroad previously i never had a granddaughter back then and No amount of money would make me leave her 

So when on vacation thats all it is, a break away from home and as the days count down its not only 3 days left of vacation its more a case of its 4 days until i see my family and my granddaughter. 

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2 hours ago, RorySC said:
I know I have!!
 
We mostly are all here for our Love and passion for cruising right?
 
But, fess up. Admit it. Just spill the beans now! I know I have several times.. You know what I am talking about. Your on a cruise, sitting in a lounger near the pool. Maybe chilling at one of the bars just loving life, or maybe your sitting at a nice comfy quiet spot in Central Park just feeling the moment. Then it hits you, you think to yourself, "I can just do this everyday". The gears start turning in your head, you start thinking about all those videos you watched about Super Mario or life as a crew member, you feel the energy that just pops out of your screen or speakers when you watch or listen to Matt daily. 
 
You know what I am talking about, saying to yourself shoot....I can bartend, or I can do dishes or straighten up a cabin. Heck I can work in the Windjammer!! I can scoop eggs onto peoples plates, or stand by the door and say "Good Morning! Please Washy Washy" even the hours and pay does not bother me that much. You start thinking things like (to live on board) the cost can go down, well when I get to Pinnacle Status fast, and then things become free, and or get even cheaper and more discounted. Plus I get special invites to special occasions and treated like a VIP.
 
How many of you sat down, with a calculator?  When nobody's around (to not get caught) and started doing the math. Figure out what your bills are at home, vs. what it would cost to actually leave it all behind. I am going to live on a ship like Mario? I mean the hard math. Like ok, with internet I can work from the ship. If I don't have a mortgage or rent, no need for a car and or insurance, loose all my grocery bills, Just EVERYTHING. I will stay with a inside cabin. You attempt to work every angle that you can think of.
 
You don't mention it to many people for the fear that they will think you are our of your mind, and or piss people off when they think you are deserting your friends and family for LONG periods of time
 
 Was it a 5 min thing....or did you really spend hours and or days researching as much as you can?
 
Now's to time to fess up, lets hear it.

I definitely watched the YouTube videos on Super Mario with interest.  I'm not sure I could permanently move to a cruise ship, but I admit the idea is appealing.

I would have interest in one of the world cruises once I retire.  I definitely want to be able to do more than one week at a time which I am stuck with because of work.

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1 hour ago, teddy said:

Our retirement plans include traveling during the winter months, and a third to half of that time will be on cruise ships, exploring new itineraries as well as old favorites.
 

The other time will be spent going to land based places we have always wanted to see, as well as visiting family/friends. 
 

We have eight years to go. 

Our plan too but we screwed up and rescued 2 dogs.  We do not have anybody to pet sit for us and boarding them is $75 a day.  We *could* travel more I guess but I worry about their psyche if we were to board them much more than we already do.  If you have pets it could cramp your travel frequency.

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So if you look back at what I originally posted, you will see that it would be mentioning that it is not realistic...BUT something people may have thought about for a moment prior to doing the reserch and finding out it is harder then It looks. But more of a Super Mario situation of living on a Cruise ship full time, as a guest. If you do not know who Mario is, he is a guest who literally lives on different cruise ships almost to all year long. If I am not wrong, he will stay on a ship for several months that alternate itineraries till he wants to switch to another ship for several more months. I think he is a Financial adviser,  who works solely from his phone and laptop. You can find many interviews about him and his lifestyle on the web. I find them to be very interesting. Now of course it is not for everyone by all means. You have to be in a unique situation,  such as for my wife and I. We have a very flexible work schedule, we do not have children, pets or many responsibilities at home. This makes it a little easier to allow your mind to wonder. But also, I have spoken to people who are at a point in there life, where their children are grown and out of the house and are in similar situations with freedom.  So it was not exactly a post of reality but more of a posting did you ever think of "What if".

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4 hours ago, kadmgs said:

My thought process never included working for the cruise line, but working (teaching in my case) online while onboard. I currently teach adjunct for a local community college and have 9 years before I can retire from my K-12 position. I would love to be able to continue to teach online while spending much of the year onboard. However, I don't think Texas Teacher Retirement System's pension will afford me that luxury... need to find another side hustle. 😆

There are some jobs you can do as a teacher and be a digital nomad, but you most likely will need a really good internet connection. I worked part-time for VIPKID teaching English to kids, but then needed to make more $.  It was super-convenient, though. 

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It's an interesting concept.   I have thought more about the possibility of when I am no longer working and have enough free time and bank account to do as I please.  I always liked the story of the elderly lady that "retired" and instead of moving in to a retirement facility,  she spends all of her time on a ship.  Her room is cleaned every day, enjoying an abundance of food and entertainment, and her retirement home travels to interesting ports and locations each week.   Her family and friends would book a cruise so they could have a "family reunion."  The math worked for her situation compared to what a full service retirement home would cost. 

Might be fun to live that lifestyle but still have time to see friends and family. 

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44 minutes ago, James K said:

It is very tempting. I'll have a good 9 month trial run on Serenade next year. See how I feel after that.

I agree, it is very tempting. We enjoy longer sailings. We usually do BtB in order to make it a longer sailing.  We just did a BtB on Harmony over Christmas and New years, and are doing a 13 night at the end of April on Adventure. We seem to handle them with ease. Next April, will be a test. We hooked a 17 and a 10 together on Quantum out of Australia so we will see how that goes. 

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I've thought of it.  The only time I looked at the numbers would have been for this month.  Another cruise line keeps sending me offers for $0 cruise fare (admittedly for interior rooms), so I looked at it.  I actually run a store, so I could not be away that long.  The other problem is my lack of will power.  The "free" cruises always cost me more than I intend to spend, at at 5-10 pound weight gain per week, I would have to have multiple sizes of clothes and my cardiologist would not be happy with me (nor would my body).

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19 hours ago, RorySC said:

But more of a Super Mario situation of living on a Cruise ship full time, as a guest. 

On 2/10/2022 at 8:26 AM, RorySC said:
The gears start turning in your head, you start thinking about all those videos you watched about Super Mario or life as a crew member,

 

I hope that you did not take my comment as dismissive.  Not at all.  However, your original post did include "life as a crew member," and since I know, or am directly related to, past crew members, I thought I would comment.  Apologies if you thought I was being dismissive in anyway...

Back to my thoughts on your OP, vacation is sacred and special because, well....because it is vacation.  I cannot imagine retirement as I am not close in age nor finances; however, I do know that once something becomes mundane, it tends to lose its appeal...If finances, time, and other commitments were not a factor, I just can't see myself living on a cruise ship for more than a month or two.

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I'll be honest... I've run numbers on this (full-time passenger, not crew - I did my six years in the Navy, don't want to be crew). I'd say we (me and my wife) ran the numbers, but I think it was more me running numbers and her tolerating me on this.

I personally would love to retire to a life of cruising, at least part of the year (maybe a cruise or two per month?). I looked seriously about the announced world cruise and would absolutely LOVE the opportunity. Yes, I've even thought about how I could turn my experiences in teaching into a remote (or onboard) opportunity to cover the expenses. Maybe they'll start doing this as a regular thing and I can look at one as I get closer to retirement.

As far as becoming mundane and losing its appeal, well, I had a job for a few years that flew me around the world, about 150,000 miles per year, and I can honestly say I was as giddy as a school kid each and every time I boarded the plane. And I've been cruising commercially since 1999 (got out of the Navy in 1992). And I still get the thrill and goosebumps every time I cross the gang plank onto the ship, so I don't know, I think I've got the sea in my veins.

 

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On 2/10/2022 at 1:42 PM, wordell1 said:

I definitely watched the YouTube videos on Super Mario with interest.  I'm not sure I could permanently move to a cruise ship, but I admit the idea is appealing.

I would have interest in one of the world cruises once I retire.  I definitely want to be able to do more than one week at a time which I am stuck with because of work.

remember this. Mario is single. He books an inside cabin . There are lots of hiccups that would make that kind of living stressful . His costs out of pocket are about $50,000 US.  annual.   Many retirement homes can cost that much.  So its really not bad when you take into consideration, all the perks in a cruise  entertainment,  sunshine, pools, food, bed made room cleaned.,    How anybody can do that must have issues that we are not aware of though...... friends? family? grandkids?  special occasions? birthdays?  Christmas? etc etc.......   Its a hermit mentality.....and certainly not for everybody.   

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5 hours ago, Edmund said:

remember this. Mario is single. He books an inside cabin . There are lots of hiccups that would make that kind of living stressful . His costs out of pocket are about $50,000 US.  annual.   Many retirement homes can cost that much.  So its really not bad when you take into consideration, all the perks in a cruise  entertainment,  sunshine, pools, food, bed made room cleaned.,    How anybody can do that must have issues that we are not aware of though...... friends? family? grandkids?  special occasions? birthdays?  Christmas? etc etc.......   Its a hermit mentality.....and certainly not for everybody.   

There was a video where he talked about the costs, and it was well over $100 K per year.  

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We love cruising, but for it to stay special to us, we can’t live onboard. We hope to retire early in less than 3 years. We want to travel 2-3 months a year, and would like one of those months to be on a ship. A month per year, tops, for us. 🙂 

We have contemplated selling all in retirement to travel, but can’t get past giving up our stupendous mountain view. For us coming home in retirement will be like vacationing in our favorite mountain town. Because we will be. 😁

But, hey, someone has to be the ‘super Mario’s’. Hope to see you onboard. 🙂
 

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