Man who’s lived on cruise ship for more than 20 years reveals cost of his unusual lifestyle

Living on a cruise ship is getting more appealing in these recent (and very expensive) times, and a man who has done it for decades has broken down his cost of living.

Living on land is expensive - in an apartment, a house, a houseboat, wherever you call home, and doing so can cost quite a few dollars.

So as many people deal with a rising cost of living, some have taken to living out at sea on cruise ships. And in some cases, it even ends up being cheaper.

Fancy a life out at sea? (Getty Stock Image)

It's not new information that housing prices have been on the increase in recent years - with your average home in the US now costing $417,700, as of late 2023.

But while some couples are ditching their normal life for one at sea, one man did it over 20 years ago and has been living it up ever since.

At 47-years-old, Mario Salcedo handed in his notice and moved on to a cruise ship more than two decades ago.

The man, born in Cuba, has also affectionately been given the nickname ‘Super Mario’ by the crew of the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas.

Speaking on how he manages his money, Salcedo broke down some of his costs and what its been like living on a floating home that cruises around the world. (All things cruise)

Speaking on how he manages his money, Salcedo broke down some of his costs and what its been like living on a floating home that cruises around the world.

In an interview with All Things Cruise in 2021, he said: “I’m so used to being on ships that it feels more comfortable to me than being on land.”

“For 23 years. Always on Royal Caribbean. It’s the best lifestyle I can find. More than 9,000 nights cruising with Royal Caribbean, 52 weeks a year. Cruising never gets old.

He also explained that he is quite good at keeping himself on a tight budget and for his basic day-to-day cost, he regularly only spends about $100 however he did warn that additional costs could quickly add up.

Mario explained that he is quite good at keeping himself on a tight budget and for his basic day-to-day cost, he regularly only spends about $100. (All things Cruise)

To help keep costs down, he spends time around the Caribbean but if he wanted to travel further he would have to part with more cash but the time of the year can also greatly impact the price.

In 2019, he said for an inside cabin with no window he could pay $72,093 a year.

This rises to $101,258 for a cabin with a balcony – and jumps even higher to $136,000 if you fancied a junior suite.

Salcedo has also said that these costs for a year was still less than that of moving into an assisted-living facility, so not a bad way to choose to live.