Man who has lived on a cruise ship for 20 years reveals surprising downside to life at sea

Living full-time on a cruise ship sounds like a fantasy for most people, but for Mario Salcedo, it's everyday life. Known affectionately as "Super Mario," Salcedo recently marked his 1,000th cruise with Royal Caribbean, celebrating more than two decades spent largely at sea.

His cruising journey began back in 1994 when, at age 45, Salcedo decided to shift his life dramatically. "When I hit 45, I wanted to start a new chapter in my life traveling around the world—that was my vision,” he explained to Conde Nast Traveler. “But I didn’t know about the logistics, whether air, train, or sea."

After testing various cruise lines, Salcedo booked a trip on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas and found his perfect match. “It was the biggest cruise ship in the world at the time, and so revolutionary—the first ice skating rink, the first rock climbing wall, so many elements that took cruising to another dimension,” he said.

The captain guides his ship past some beautiful mountainsCanva

Since then, Salcedo has rarely set foot on dry land, spending approximately 50 weeks per year aboard cruise ships and only about 15 days a year ashore. He's managed to seamlessly blend work with leisure, continuing his career in investment management from the high seas. When he's not working, he's fully enjoying ship life.

“I go dancing in the lounges, or enjoy a nice cigar after dinner with a cognac, watching basketball or football games on TV," Salcedo shared. "Everything I do on the ship provides an opportunity to socialize.”

View of the wake left by the fast-moving shipCanva

But life on the open sea isn't without its challenges. Salcedo revealed a surprising downside to his seafaring lifestyle: “I’ve lost my land legs, so when I’m swaying so much I can’t walk in a straight line,” he admitted to Conde Nast Traveler.

Living permanently on a cruise ship isn't cheap, either. In a 2019 conversation with Cruise the World A to Z, Salcedo broke down his annual budget. He spends about $185 daily for an interior cabin, which adds up to around $72,093 per year—without extras like alcohol or excursions.

cruise ship living, mario salcedo, life at sea, royal caribbean, retirement ideas, unconventional living, travel lifestyle, assisted living alternatives youtu.be

"I don’t eat like a regular cruiser. I skip one meal a day, and eat smart," he explained. Despite this cost, Salcedo insists that cruise living is still more affordable than other options, especially assisted living facilities in the United States, which he noted average about $100,380 annually.

"I looked up the average cost of assisted living in the United States per year and it's $100,380. You can see that if you do an interior cabin, it's cheaper to live on a cruise ship," he shared with Cruise the World A to Z.

Deck on a ship overlooking the oceanCanva

For Mario Salcedo, the joys of living at sea—meeting new people, constant travel, and luxurious amenities—far outweigh the occasional instability underfoot.

This article originally appeared earlier this year.