World Cruising short segments full time on various lines - 50+ retired

[SoloFullTime]

I've posted this in 50+ forum but probably better place here.  Have been reading/searching this forum but am seeking input for my scenario or links to threads that could help...

 

I'm retired, upper 50s, Florida based and solo cruise once in a while out of Florida, considering full time around world on various lines.  I own property in Midwest but am established as a FL resident.  Am planning to *not* own/lease in FL and use a mail forwarding service with physical address to maintain FL residency (full time RV'rs do this and I used to be in that world too).  May buy small condo at a FL port if needing to.

 

The thought is to base out of various key ports in world and stay at port hotels between 7-30 day cruises on various lines... mainly base out of Ft. Lauderdale for E Coast, San Diego W Coast, Southampton and Rome ports for Euro/Med/Africa tours, Aukland NZ for Asia/Pacific tours. But stays in any port town globally likely as well between cruises. Will fly/train between ports as needed.  Ft. Lauderdale will be my home port.  Stays in some countries could be up to a month.

 

I may only do this for months or years, as long as I enjoy it.  Seems to be the best way travel world alone.

 

- What are some things I should plan for and think about? 

 

- Best way to address health insurance if not staying long in US over year?    No issues other than on blood pressure med.

 

- Can I get long term travel (w/perhaps full health) insurance across many cruises/countries?

 

- Experiences from others doing this in context to my scenario?

 

TIA

Edited December 12, 2022 by SoloFullTime

[tigerfan75]

On 12/12/2022 at 2:01 PM, SoloFullTime said:

I've posted this in 50+ forum but probably better place here.  Have been reading/searching this forum but am seeking input for my scenario or links to threads that could help...

 

I'm retired, upper 50s, Florida based and solo cruise once in a while out of Florida, considering full time around world on various lines.  I own property in Midwest but am established as a FL resident.  Am planning to *not* own/lease in FL and use a mail forwarding service with physical address to maintain FL residency (full time RV'rs do this and I used to be in that world too).  May buy small condo at a FL port if needing to.

 

The thought is to base out of various key ports in world and stay at port hotels between 7-30 day cruises on various lines... mainly base out of Ft. Lauderdale for E Coast, San Diego W Coast, Southampton and Rome ports for Euro/Med/Africa tours, Aukland NZ for Asia/Pacific tours. But stays in any port town globally likely as well between cruises. Will fly/train between ports as needed.  Ft. Lauderdale will be my home port.  Stays in some countries could be up to a month.

 

I may only do this for months or years, as long as I enjoy it.  Seems to be the best way travel world alone.

 

- What are some things I should plan for and think about? 

 

- Best way to address health insurance if not staying long in US over year?    No issues other than on blood pressure med.

 

- Can I get long term travel (w/perhaps full health) insurance across many cruises/countries?

 

- Experiences from others doing this in context to my scenario?

 

TIA

My suggestion is to have a conversation with Steve, Kim, or Deanna at TripInsuranceStore.com regarding any insurance.  If they cannot help directly, they may be able to refer you in another direction.  Steve often hosts Q&A on CruiseCritic, and is highly recommended.  I have sought advice and used their products for years, with no problems.  YMMV.

[SoloFullTime]

Thanks for the reply.  Conversation with Steve already started in another thread.

[SargassoPirate]

Sounds like a wonderful adventure.

 

I have traveled abroad for extended periods of time by combining land tours and cruises.  Some land tours are totally independent travel and others organized through a tour company - such as someone who specializes in South America, for example.

 

With the advent of online banking and paperless statements, I receive very little first class mail, and our local post office will hold it until I return or I have a neighbor pick it up.

 

For travel insurance, I carry an annual policy that covers me on any travel more than 150 miles from home - car trips, motorcyce trip, cruises etc.  For coverage beyond the limits of the policy, I self insure by not taking the insurance offered by the cruise lines or travel companies and over 50-some cruises it has added up to quite a savings.

 

For health insurance abroad I refused Medicare when I was eligible to sign up  and continued Blue Cross and Shield from my employer.  BCBS provides coverage outside the US. Medicare doesn't and one needs a Medicare supplemental policy for international coverage.

 

I think you can make it work and with the internet you can find places to rent in between cruises or land travel anywhere in the world.  She Who Must Be Obeyed and I once rented an apartment in Venice in between cruises and lived like locals for a while.

 

Good luck on your adventures.

 

"Life's a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death"  Auntie Mame

Edited December 14, 2022 by SargassoPirate

[SoloFullTime]

^Excellent info.  Looks like it insurance approach could be a good fit.  I may post some followup questions to you on this thread as I dig deeper.  For now just looking for various high level insurance options, which I have ongoing in another thread.

 

I like that on booking.com it's easy to rent full apts for short stays, planning to do that when I can with hotels as backup.  Seems easier to deal with than AirBNB?

 

Thanks much for the info!

Edited December 14, 2022 by SoloFullTime

[BVILady]

I have been for forever renting apartments (from the good old times on when it was still called Corporate Housing) and find that the most comfortable way to travel, much more space and a refrigerator. I will do a hotel if it is only one or 2 nights. Booking.com and sometimes Expedia are my to go sites for accommodations and rome2rio for logistics to travel in between destinations. Sometimes you will have to play around with the travel options and instead of direct, check for a larger place in between to change carriers. On a train ride the ride from Augsburg to Trieste was a real pain with 7 hours layover in some Eastern State town, but going Augsburg-Mestre-Trieste was great and convenient. My son is flying to the Philippines next summer and EIS-Singapore, Singapore-Cebu was a much better fare. Have fun planning and playing around finding the best options for you. I am so envious and happy for you for your travel-plans.

[SoloFullTime]

^Thank you for the helpful reply.  Great info.  Rome2rio looks like a great multimode planning tool.

[SoloFullTime]

An approach I intend to take is to plan 2 month legs of travel at a time from say Ft Lauderdale to Southhampton, England.  Stay for up to a month in England (hotel or short term apts).  Travel to say Rome's port in any form, stay/cruise for up to a month.  While on this leg, planning the next 2 months, say fly Rome to FL, take care of local things, within days to weeks, cruise to any California port, stay until cruise available to Asia/Pacific.  Base out of a port in APAC for a month, fly back to FL. Rinse repeat around world until tired of it.

 

I'm hoping to stay abroad longer than 2 months at a time (not back in FL often) but depends on what med insurance plan I go with and any other requirements.

 

Any potential issues to think about with this 2 month pre-planning approach while on each leg?  Seems it should work out OK.

[cruiselvr04]

For us insurance is the biggest hurdle.  We have Geo Blue which limits us to 70 days.  We will have Medicare but a BCBS supplemental which does cover world wide but only if the place you’re taken to participates in BCBS. In a non emergency we can look that up but if it’s an emergency you won’t have that option. 
 

After discussion, we’ve decided for now to limit our travel to 70 days per trip outside the US.  Since we still have a home, a dog and grandkids this probably makes sense anyway. If we decide to do a world cruise we’ll have to figure it out.  I’ve talked with Steve and he says he’s been able to cover many of the Serenade world cruisers. 
 

Your plan sounds awesome.  If you’re not worried about cabins you can book what’s left 2 months out but if you want lowest prices and best selection you’d need to plan about 18 months in advance.  

Edited December 19, 2022 by cruiselvr04

[SoloFullTime]

On 12/19/2022 at 3:21 PM, cruiselvr04 said:

For us insurance is the biggest hurdle.  We have Geo Blue which limits us to 70 days.  We will have Medicare but a BCBS supplemental which does cover world wide but only if the place you’re taken to participates in BCBS. In a non emergency we can look that up but if it’s an emergency you won’t have that option. 
 

After discussion, we’ve decided for now to limit our travel to 70 days per trip outside the US.  Since we still have a home, a dog and grandkids this probably makes sense anyway. If we decide to do a world cruise we’ll have to figure it out.  I’ve talked with Steve and he says he’s been able to cover many of the Serenade world cruisers. 
 

Your plan sounds awesome.  If you’re not worried about cabins you can book what’s left 2 months out but if you want lowest prices and best selection you’d need to plan about 18 months in advance.  

 

Thanks for posting your experience with GeoBlue.  It's an option I'm considering as I do plan to be back in FL once in a while but ideally don't want to commit to 70 day returns.  Also considering Cigna Global coverage.