Archived version: https://archive.ph/qJi2Y
Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20231125194213/https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/three-year-cruise-canceled/index.html
Archived version: https://archive.ph/qJi2Y
Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20231125194213/https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/three-year-cruise-canceled/index.html
I’ve been on a few cruises with both reputable companies; it’s pretty fun. On one of them I met an older couple and a retired guy who are (unrelated to each other) living their retirement on cruise ships. They found it cheaper than living on their own, and there’s laundry, food, and entertainment included. They stay on the ship between cruises, and when a ship goes in for maintenance they move to a different one. Honestly, it doesn’t sound half bad.
Sounds great except for the absolutely massive environmental impacts
They’re retired, they won’t likely be around for the aftermath of the environmental impact of that lifestyle
That’s not better.
How is this cheaper?
Even with food and laundry included. What does this cost a month?
Old folks homes are routinely $5000/month (usually more) per person. That’s without any medical services which cost more. Insurance refuses to pay for them.
Hospice homes are often $8k/month per person. They do charge your insurance. That’s actually one of the reasons everyone’s insurance is so damn expensive - hospice care is an incredible ripoff. Usually your loved one pays that rate, and they get seen by a doctor once a week and the orderlies and hospice workers see them for maybe 30 minutes a day. Those workers are paid less than $20/hr. The owners make incredible fortunes off of neglect.
I imagine it would depend on where home is to adjust cost of living. In the Northeast United States, just property taxes in many areas run north of $1000 a month with a paid off house, and/or rents are $2000 a month to just maintain shelter(not even heated or with electricity yet, or the side necessities such as insurance and a vehicle/transit pass). The Life at Sea cruise was $2500/month with food and drink included and supposedly competitively priced so I imagine deals like this are not too rare. A couple could spend 60k a year easily being homebodies or traveling the world with a staff available for their requests.
2500/mo!! Holy shit I could retire early.