Mario Salcedo gave up life on land almost 25 years ago.
Tired of travelling by plane for his job, the Cuban national, who moved to Miami with his family in the 60s, booked a cruise — and fell in love with perpetual movement.
While spending your days surrounded by nothing but miles of deep ocean might sound like a nightmare to some, we can all relate to the dream of escaping the 9-5 for something more adventurous.
And it’s a dream that Mario is living.
Known as ‘Super Mario’ by the staff on the ships he lives on, he recently completed his 1,000th cruise with Royal Caribbean while aboard the 3,286-passenger Explorer of the Seas.
The ship, which departed Miami on January 5 on an 11-night voyage to Panama and the Southern Caribbean, even held a special event to celebrate the occasion.
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24 years at sea
Though he has an apartment in Miami, Mario spends little time there — around 15 days on land and the rest at sea.
He has effectively lived full-time on a cruise ship for over 20 years, and admits he finds it difficult to walk in a straight line because he has ‘lost his land legs’.
He previously told Conde Nast Traveler: ‘When I hit 45, I wanted to start a new chapter in my life travelling around the world — that was my vision’.
After trying out a few different lines, Mario booked a stint on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas in the year 2000 and hasn’t set foot on another liner since.
‘Nothing could lure me away from them, because I get treated like royalty,’ he revealed.
He’s now the highest-ranking member of Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society, having become the first cruiser to pass 10,000 points in 2022.
To put this in perspective, members earn one point for each night on a Royal Caribbean cruise (with an extra point per night for staying in a suite or cruising solo in a double occupancy cabin).
Tempted to try a cruise?
There are many misconceptions about cruise holidays. Some people think they’re exclusively for old people or don’t like the idea of being cooped up on a ship, while others can’t bear the cringey entertainment.
If the idea of a crowded mega-cruise seems daunting, don’t worry. There are many shorter and more intimate options that can ease you into a unique way to see the world.
Metro’s Cruise editor Richard Mellor has curated a list of the best voyages for cruise newbies.
Mario schedules his trips two years, or 150 bookings, ahead, meaning he can stay in the same room for an extended period.
And he’s become so accustomed to life at sea that he now feels uneasy when spending time on land.
While ships are in port, he prefers to go scuba diving rather than venturing on land. He enjoys dancing, watching basketball and football, and enjoying a cigar and cognac after dinner with other passengers on board.
An expensive habit
In 2019, Mario revealed to cruise content creator Alanna Zingano how much it costs to live permanently on a cruise.
Between the fare, the cabin, taxes and tips, Mario explained he tends to spend around $185 (£151.75) each day for the ‘basics’ while on a cruise — meaning no alcohol, excursions or internet access.
He then revealed that his own annual budget is $72,093 for an interior cabin.
That number goes up to $101,258 (£82,672) for a cabin with a balcony, or $136,000 (£111,037) for a junior suite, according to Mario.
‘I looked up the average cost of assisted living in the United States per year and it’s $100,380 (£81,955),’ he added.
‘You can see that if you do an interior cabin, it’s cheaper to live on a cruise.’
How much does it cost to live on a cruise ship?
Mario isn’t the only person who’s left dry land behind in favour of life on a cruise.
48-year-old Kevin Martin, from Missouri, previously spent a year living on cruises, and broke down the costs on his YouTube channel.
In total, Kevin spent £1,615 in a month. A few of his costs included:
- Accommodation & inclusive meals – £1,080
- Extra food – £22
- Phone – £85
- Insurance – £42
- Healthcare – £19
‘I plan on integrating cruising into my travel plans in the future… I hate flights. I loved my year on cruise ships,’ he said.
But if you fancy sailing around some destinations in Europe, you’ll need to leave extra room in your budget for tourist taxes — the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos have introduced a visitor tax for cruise passengers.
Memorable moments
After 1,000 cruises, Mario has had some unforgettable experiences.
He recently told the Royal Caribbean blog that his favourite stop is the cruise line’s private destination in Labadee, Haiti.
Revealing his most memorable moment, Mario said: ‘Without a doubt, the ‘hurricane evacuation’ cruise onboard Enchantment of the Seas in September 2017.’
After an evacuation order was issued in South Florida, following the devastation caused in the Caribbean by Hurricane Irma, Enchantment of the Seas was offered to Miami-based employees and their immediate families as a means of free evacuation.
The only time in the past 20 years Mario hasn’t cruised for most of the year was when the cruise industry shut down at the height of the Covid pandemic.
And he doesn’t plan on leaving the cruise ships again if he can help it.
He said: ‘With so many friends and memories made out at sea over the years, I plan to continue cruising indefinitely, so long as I’m in good health and having fun.’
This article was originally published on 22 January 2025 and has been updated.
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