Could you live on a cruise ship?

I can see that if you are without personal care needs but don’t want other responsibilities, a cruise life would work very well. You wouldn’t have a home to run and more people to joke and laugh with. If you progress to having personal care needs I assume your cruising days are over…

Where do I sign?
Yes I would, providing good WiFi, a nice big TV and my PS5 or laptop. Much better than a care home. Fabulous food, no cleaning or gardening. Ditch the responsibility for too many possessions. No property to maintain. You meet lovely people, and some dickheads too, just like anywhere else. I’d like a layover in the UK every so often to see my children though.

Just the thought of it makes me shudder. Those huge great ships that just look like tower blocks of flats, nowhere to escape to, definitely not for me.

Well I have to agree that it would be better than a care home but for those not yet destined for a care home - I would rarely see my friends and family, I would miss all the family celebrations, I would miss the cycle from Spring to Winter in my home. Might be possible for a year I suppose, but all those things are far more meaningful to me than not having to cook and care for a home.

I’m in the camp of loving a cruise. We came back Sydney to Southampton after DH retired. It was wonderful. The ships doctor had been to school with my husband and gave him an article from the BMJ which said that cruising was cheaper than a care home. That was 20 years ago and I lobby for a cruise holiday every time DH talks of a holiday. On our first cruise we made friends with over half a dozen people who are still friends and we still meet up though one or two have dropped off their perches. We are going on a cruise next month which turns left out of Newcastle and goes round the uk to places we haven’t been to and are now too far to drive in one day whereas younger we would have got up very early and set out for the Scilly isles in a day. The other joy is packing and unpacking or the lack of it. I can’t stand beach holidays and do not lie by a pool. There are usually very good talks often excellent musicians and if you want a film night. I download books on my kindle although there is a library but I’m a bit iffy about well handled books. I once bumped into someone from a ship I was on in a bookshop and they had been sent to update the library. I gleefully guided their choice and had first picking of the new books which I had wanted but were still too pricy for my mean nature on kindle(99p max)
We stick to ships of less than 500 people and yes there maybe someone you take a dislike to but you probably never see them again unless on your table and then just ask to move. It’s only happened once and it was a rather unpleasant woman who objected to another ladies perfume. I also find that my DH actually enjoys the black tie evenings and so I use up my rather ancient evening dresses. As long as no moths fly out . As for the food I ask for half portions ,always choosing waiter service as I’m on holiday and find I lose weight round my middle because I eat carelessly at home . I’ve so fat never had a tummy upset but all the ships we’ve been on have had either wash hand basins by the restaurant or someone with a hand spray. If anyone was ill I would say unless sea sickness got them then they should scrub hands rather than wash them and stick to waiter service. And that’s on board life. The ports are usually lovely and a bit of research is a good idea. We generally book a taxi to meet us and know the route we want. Often have recommended individual taxi drivers to others having kept their names and cards.

Goodness that was long and no paragraphs.

Which companies have been the best stansgran?
And could you live onboard?

No l hate the thought of cruise ships. But l could live permanently in a nice, Adults Only, Inclusive Hotel. Somewhere warm..

Would have be older adults and have a heated indoor pool and spa.

AmberGran

I've read about a few people who do now. It costs them less than paying a mortgage and at least some of them work from the ship.

I've also read about people (Americans) who live in hotels. Some of the chains have apartments that are kept for visiting staff and if you ask you can apparently rent them out long term. Again people have found it cheaper than paying a mortgage. The hotels do the cleaning too. I don't think you can decorate or furnish the apartments, but you do get the use of the hotel amenities like pools.

My aunt worked in a local hotel and my cousin and I were sent to visit an old lady who lived there. She had sold everything after her husband died, and reckoned a hotel was preferable to a care home!
Now, we were about 16, and I remember the lady was interesting to talk to, as she had travelled the world with her seafaring husband, so visiting her was never a chore, but I don’t remember how we came to stop going. It also never occurred to us at the time how she would fare if she needed actual nursing care, say after being discharged from hospital. The self- centredness of youth, I suppose!

I am correct when thinking who may have started this thread! You don’t need a cruise Nana with the beautiful Queensland coast
This afternoon I have been looking up cruises again from Sydney as you also mentioned, the ship we both took at the beginning of this year but on different voyages was a fantastic ship.
However, although I have found the flight would not be that different from my last January flight to NZ. However, the cruises have gone sky high. Shame as it did give me a rest between the long flights.
The only other cruise I took was with my late husband when we took a three week trip to the Caribbean during the Christmas period, so that was also great.

Stansgran

Goodness that was long and no paragraphs.

Ha! I usually scroll past if there are no paragraphs as it looks too overwhelming to read. But I did read and enjoy yours and in fairness you did manage one paragraph.

I’m with you WithNobsOnIt.
I like to be on terra firma .