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How many retirees who are facing the decision of going into a retirement home for themselves would instead opt for cruising the Mexican Riviera instead? Try $359 for a 7-day cruise. That works out to $1436/month for bed, entertainment and food. Round it off to $1600 or 1700 for fees, taxes, frills etc. and it comes out to about 1/3 the cost of a retirement home and the option of switching cruises all over the world. Does cruising the world full-time sound like a viable alternative to going petrified in a retirement home?
.... Does cruising the world full-time sound like a viable alternative to going petrified in a retirement home?
As there are kerjillion retirement facilities of many types, the contrast between this cruising and "going petrified in a retirement home" is specious.
Well, readers shouldn't take the phrase "going petrified" literally" or even figuratively for that matter. The idea was to compare the two retirement lifestyles and determine if cruising full-time would be a pleasant alternative to the traditional retirement house with 100+ residents. Judging from the number of views the thread received there are very few who'd even give it a second thought. So toss the idea.
We think it would be great to sail off into the sunset. However, our fate is to be left alone in our home to do what we can for each other until we die. We have discussed this with our kids and we do not want to go to a nursing home or have them bother with us at all.
We went on a cruise in Feb of 07 and a woman did live on the ship. She retired and lived in one of the suites. I never heard if she changed ships.
We are tempted. We are young enough and have knowledge we could use as lecturers. Might be a great way to live for a few years. We will be retired within a year or so.
Gee, I'd nearly written this thread off. Well, my idea was this: cruising lined up side by side with a retirement home:
1. retirement home $3500-4500/mo. avg. vs cruising $1500-2500/mo. winner cruising
2. activities home bingo, exercise, amateur guest singers, crafts (better ones) vs. cruising Broadway shows, movies, dancing, crafts, tours at exotic ports of call, more winner cruising
3. lasting friends winner retirement home
4. hospital access winner retirement home
There are other factors so it seems that for costs and active lifestyle cruising is the clear winner. For more homebound, acquaintance-dependent seniors with health issues retirement home is the winner. One man's cup of tea is another's hemlock.
Tek_Freek:
Quote:
We are young enough and have knowledge we could use as lecturers.
Tek has a point. Some seniors could trade skills for reduced rates on cabins. I am a retired pianist who was playing at concert level. I could brush up on my playing & trade that for an upgrade on a suite. Lots of ways to work it.
Gee, I'd nearly written this thread off. Well, my idea was this: cruising lined up side by side with a retirement home:
1. retirement home $3500-4500/mo. avg. vs cruising $1500-2500/mo. winner cruising
Unfortunately, it is not possible to cruise year-round for your hypothetical $1500 - $2500/month.
First of all, the price you quoted in your first post ($359), is a per person price for a double occupancy cabin. Cruise lines will charge 150% to 200% of the per person price if someone is cruising solo.
Secondly, mandatory service charges (formerly known as "tips"), now average $10 or $11 per day. That is another $300+ a month.
Third, you can forget about exotic ports at that rate. At that price, you're cruising to the Mexican Riviera or the Bahamas. And you're doing it over and over and over and over again. The same three or so ports every week of every month of every year. It would be like the movie Groundhog Day.
Finally, the $359 you quoted would be for a closet-sized windowless cabin in the bowels of the ship during low season. Aside from the fact that you couldn't extrapolate that rate over 52 weeks, who would want to live like that?
It's fun to think about living on a cruise ship as an alternative to assisted living, and it is actually possible to take cruises that sail around the world rather than doing the same itinerary over and over. But you're going to pay way more than $2500/month to do so.
Especially if you want something as simple as a window in your room.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to cruise year-round for your hypothetical $1500 - $2500/month.
First of all, the price you quoted in your first post ($359), is a per person price for a double occupancy cabin. Cruise lines will charge 150% to 200% of the per person price if someone is cruising solo.
Secondly, mandatory service charges (formerly known as "tips"), now average $10 or $11 per day. That is another $300+ a month.
Third, you can forget about exotic ports at that rate. At that price, you're cruising to the Mexican Riviera or the Bahamas. And you're doing it over and over and over and over again. The same three or so ports every week of every month of every year. It would be like the movie Groundhog Day.
Finally, the $359 you quoted would be for a closet-sized windowless cabin in the bowels of the ship during low season. Aside from the fact that you couldn't extrapolate that rate over 52 weeks, who would want to live like that?
It's fun to think about living on a cruise ship as an alternative to assisted living, and it is actually possible to take cruises that sail around the world rather than doing the same itinerary over and over. But you're going to pay way more than $2500/month to do so.
Especially if you want something as simple as a window in your room.
You make some very valid points. I did try to take into consideration the tipping thing and the Caribbean and Mexico being your ports of call, but remember that when you become a "regular" customer all sorts of discounts are available to you. Additionally, the thing about only buying one bed in the cabin is the same in a retirement home. $3500 buys you a shared room. Private rooms starts at about $4000 and go up from there, depending on if you share a bath or not. Additionally again, retirees are not cruising just to get the ports of call, they are basically "living on the boat" so room, meals and entertainment are the primary considerations, and on a cruise the entertainment and activities beats the activities in a retirement home hands down. Further, the retiree is really only in their room when they sleep, or take a nap or for some short "down time". The rest of the time they are lounging on the pool deck or in the hot tub or in one of the 12 or so 5-star restaurants or eateries or engaging in crafts and online dancing and photo classes and any one of a dozen other activities outside their inner cabin.
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