If you’re feeling frustrated with your current living situation, consider the story of Mario Salcedo, who decided 20 years ago to make a cruise ship his permanent home. With the high costs of renting or buying a place to live—whether an apartment, house, shared home, or even a houseboat—many people are exploring unconventional housing options.
Cuban-born Mario Salcedo took the leap at age 47 to live full-time at sea, and he’s embraced the lifestyle wholeheartedly. Known as “Super Mario” by the crew aboard Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas, he has no regrets.
In a 2021 interview with All Things Cruise, Salcedo shared his satisfaction with life on the ocean, saying, “Living on ships feels more comfortable than life on land. For 23 years, I’ve been cruising exclusively with Royal Caribbean, and it’s the best lifestyle I can imagine. Over 9,000 nights cruising, 52 weeks a year—and it never gets old.”
Salcedo revealed he manages a budget of about $100 per day, though costs can quickly rise if he ventures beyond the Caribbean. In 2019, he detailed the annual expenses of different cabins: around $72,093 for an inside cabin, $101,258 for a balcony room, and $136,000 for a junior suite. Remarkably, he noted that even these costs are less than those of an assisted-living facility, making his lifestyle not just enjoyable but financially savvy as well.