Retiring on Princess

[twinkle toes]

I was curious what others had to share about this. A few cruises ago, my DH and I met an elderly couple who had decided to "retire" on Princess. Instead of going into an assisted living home, they decided to just live on a cruiseship, as it would be cheaper for them. Has anyone else met this type of couple, talked to them, etc.?

[paul929207]

We sailed with Ray and Barbara a couple of years ago. I believe they are the current Princess most traveled with 2500+ nights. They are a lovely couple.

[oceanseagle12]

I haven't met anyone, but I recalled seeing this story about a woman who did the same thing. It sounds like a great plan to me! http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2015/01/19/woman-pays-164k-per-year-to-live-on-luxury-cruise-ship/22030011/

[cynbar]

Not exactly the same, but we sailed Celebrity Reflection last January, and there was an elderly couple spending the winter onboard. I seem to remember they had a lower priced ocean view cabin, and the staff made quite a pleasant fuss over them. Plus, they were Elite Plus and got quite a lot of perks. Reflection was sailing both Easter and Western Caribbean itineraries, so there was some variety. I'm not retirement age yet, but it does sound enticing.

[JimmyVWine]

I've heard of it, and read of it. But I know it would not be for me. First off, I'd have to see the math. Second, consideration has to be given to how much "assistance" one needs as part of their "assisted living" program. The ship cannot provide much assistance, and buying out a second cabin for a qualified caregiver would drive the cost up even higher. Then there is the issue of the availability of quality medical care while on the ship. The ship's medical center is not set up to take care of complex eldercare. I certainly would not want to shoulder the burden of having the ship re-route itself to get me to a port to take care of my needs. While spending extended time at sea might be a great substitute for "retirement", I cannot wrap my head around the idea that it could ever be a great (or even fair) substitute for "assisted living".

[PenguinLife]

There is a wide range of needs for "assisted living" many elderly people just need someone around to do those daily household tasks that they can't do anymore, but are otherwise healthy and don't have any advanced medical needs. And while I guess I can see an appeal to it, I think certain practical matters would likely get in the way as it seems one would still need a "home base" to operate from, somewhere to have a permanent mailing address, and a place to keep things beyond what you can carry from cabin to cabin on a cruise ship..

[timetravler]

What is Elite plus? Never heard of that category

Anyways I have meet several seniors who stay on the ship for 6 to 9 months of the year. They are always in good health and do not need assistance as far as special medical needs. A cruise ship can be cheaper then many retirement homes. For instance my dad lived in a retirement home that cost almost $5,000 a week, but it was for Alzheimer's patients which of course would not work on a cruise ship at all. Do the math and then you can decide if living on a cruise ship is for you.

BTW google the cruise ship "The World". That ship is for people who want to live on a ship. However one needs to be rather wealthy to live on "The World".

[JimmyVWine]

Anyways I have meet several seniors who stay on the ship for 6 to 9 months of the year. They are always in good health and do not need assistance as far as special medical needs.

And I think that this fall into the category of living on a ship as a means of "retirement" as opposed to living on the ship as a substitute for "assisted living". The latter term is used more to reflect assistance with needs such as meal preparation, medication management, bathing, dressing and financial management. A cruise ship can provide the first of these, but not the rest. One shouldn't conflate the idea of healthy seniors living on a ship with people in need of assisted living opting to live on a ship instead. I suppose that they could. But they would have to bring along caregivers.

[satxdiver]

Seniors who are able to retire live in many places. Some choose to live in a hotel suite permanently and there have been quite a few articles printed about these people. Others like to be at sea going to different places and choose to live on the ship. The stories I have read seem to center around single women but there are couples who do it. They don't need assistance but choose the lifestyle they can afford. For most it is not a "less expensive" issue but a quality of life that they can afford. The staff seems to really take to these people both on land and on the sea and gives them special attention. Personally I don't think I would want to do that full time. We do manage to spend time at sea much more than we did when we were working and enjoy it but we enjoy coming home also. To each their own.

[geoherb]

What is Elite plus? Never heard of that category.

I don't think it's an official category. People start to get extra onboard credit per cabin after their 20th cruise credit. The rate goes up after 30, 40, and 50 cruise credits:

 

$25 for 21–30 cruise credits

$50 for 31–40 cruise credits

$75 for 41–50 cruise credits

$100 for 51+ cruise credits

 

As much as I enjoy being on a cruise ship, I don't think of it as a retirement option.

[paul929207]

What is Elite plus? .

 

 

I think the poster who referenced Elite Plus was talking about someone on RCI.

[2pbears]

I think the poster who referenced Elite Plus was talking about someone on RCI.

 

Actually, it was Celebrity.

[pablo222]

I was curious what others had to share about this. A few cruises ago, my DH and I met an elderly couple who had decided to "retire" on Princess. Instead of going into an assisted living home, they decided to just live on a cruiseship, as it would be cheaper for them.

 

I don't understand the comparison. The people who go into

'Assisted Living' need assistance. They are not going to get

that sort of assistance as a cruise ship passenger.

[partybarbie]

There are three types of land-based "homes" that one can retire to.

 

The first is called "Independent Living". This is for people who can still bath and dress themselves, can get around on their own (or with a walker or cane), manage their own medications, take the shuttle or taxi to doctor appts., and can wash their personal clothing. The one by our house is $2350.00 per month, and includes a studio apartment, all meals and snacks, and weekly housekeeping, with laundry service for bed linens and towels. Passengers on the cruise ship would need to be in this category.

 

"Assisted Living" is for people that can't take care of themselves. They need help bathing and dressing, possibly eating. They have mobility issues. This costs more than than Independent Living because they need a helper.

 

"Skilled Nursing" is the most expensive because those people need 24 hour medical care.

 

I was researching this for my mother-in-law, so I learned some new terminology. ;)

[cb at sea]

Assisted living wouldn't work on a ship. Only those requiring NO assistance could do it...and how boring would it get, after a while.....no circle of friends....doing the same things over and over and over...teensy personal space...

Nope...not for me!

[blkspy]

We met a cpl in their early 80s from Kentucky who had brought a 'Princess' condo...This is how they said it would be done.

 

50 weeks in an Inside cabin....the only kind they would allow them...maid service would be $2 per person per day. The ships doctor would handle routine medical things for them, check ups, flu shots , light things.....Meds would be forwarded from medical supply places to Princess who would forward them to the ship. The ship was at the time scheduled for 2 week dry dock at the time....Princess would put them up with meals during this time.

 

Cant remember which ship, it was one that had great ports of call....NOT one of the bigger ships.

 

They were selling their property and sailing until they died.

 

This is the stoty they told and it sounded great. We all wished them the best.this was 4 years ago

 

the 50 weeks was something like $48,000

 

id do it.

Edited September 24, 2015 by blkspy

[Arzeena]

I was curious what others had to share about this. A few cruises ago, my DH and I met an elderly couple who had decided to "retire" on Princess. Instead of going into an assisted living home, they decided to just live on a cruiseship, as it would be cheaper for them. Has anyone else met this type of couple, talked to them, etc.?

 

Never met but heard/read of many. Lovely way to retire!

[twinkle toes]

Blkspy,

 

I wonder if this was the same couple??? I guess I should be a little more technical in my writing. In Illinois, we have "Assisted Living Retirement Homes" which ALSO house people who are "independent", but want to live in the same community so that they don't have a big transition when the need eventually arises. The couple we sat and talked to were quite old, but I didn't ask how old. They LIVED on the boat. The wife told me that they didn't always stay in the same cabin, and went wherever the boat went. I believe it was the Crown we were on when we met them. They knew ALL the staff, and any time any of them came around, they hugged them and called them by name.

[JimmyVWine]

50 weeks in an Inside cabin....the only kind they would allow them...

 

id do it.

No way could I spend a year in an inside.

[pcur]

There are three types of land-based "homes" that one can retire to.

 

The first is called "Independent Living". This is for people who can still bath and dress themselves, can get around on their own (or with a walker or cane), manage their own medications, take the shuttle or taxi to doctor appts., and can wash their personal clothing. The one by our house is $2350.00 per month, and includes a studio apartment, all meals and snacks, and weekly housekeeping, with laundry service for bed linens and towels. Passengers on the cruise ship would need to be in this category.

 

"Assisted Living" is for people that can't take care of themselves. They need help bathing and dressing, possibly eating. They have mobility issues. This costs more than than Independent Living because they need a helper.

 

"Skilled Nursing" is the most expensive because those people need 24 hour medical care.

 

I was researching this for my mother-in-law, so I learned some new terminology. ;)

 

My Dad lived in a Brookdale Senior Living center for 6 years until he died this past January at age 95. Brookdale specializes in "aging in place", where you start out in Independent, then go to Assisted, and then to Memory Care or SNF. My Dad started in Assisted and moved to the other side of the building to ClareBridge, which is their Memory Care/Alzheimer's unit. My MIL is in independent, and will stay there since they now have the same building licensed for Independent and Assisted. If she lives long enough, we will probably have to move her over to SNF. She does not have Alzheimer's.

 

Dad got so bad that I couldn't see him anymore because he got agitated about wanting to go running around with me. So, I kept in touch with the staff, who became his family after that, and he passed about 6 months later.

 

Fantastic care!!

[Times Prince]

Retiring on cruise ships is for the special few whose personality, lifestyle, health, and resources match. We considered it for a day or two, but our lifestyle includes family, church, and considerations for when age catches up.

 

Until then cruising remains our vacation of choice - to be pampered by stewards, dining room staff. To have perks from being returning passengers, lowering costs, to arise each day to somewhere different, to experience warm weather when it is cold up north. We love to expand our experience of the world, even when going to ports we've been to before; to learn about the people, the ecology, the history, the music; to be able to experience the ocean and see the life below. We love having choices for food; from fine dining to a burger and fries, not having to worry about what is in the fridge this week. We can enjoy our time in any way we want - from entertainment to simply reading a book, or good conversation, and the thrill of getting to know someone we would probably never encounter in "normal life".

 

Cruising is a blast. I'll take mini-retirement on Princess ships, and leave the rest of the year for wife, family, church, and whatever else God brings our way.

[notentirelynormal]

50 weeks in an Inside cabin....the only kind they would allow them...

 

It seems odd they would only let them do an inside. Lorraine Artz had a suite.

[caribill]

It seems odd they would only let them do an inside.

 

Maybe Princess offered special pricing for an inside cabin and there was no similar special pricing for a higher type cabin.

[notentirelynormal]

Maybe Princess offered special pricing for an inside cabin and there was no similar special pricing for a higher type cabin.

 

That is probably it. I could do it in a suite or mini suite but inside cabin :eek: no.

[Matcodixon]

The concept is certainly interesting to me. I could and would do it. I worked and lived on a couple of charter sailboats in the Caribbean when I was young and unattached. One small problem though. My wonderful wife of 39 years would never go for it. She is not as much of a fan of the cruise ship life as I am though I can convince her to go on one occasionally. Second problem. She will probably outlive me. :rolleyes:

Edited September 25, 2015 by Matcodixon