Here’s a shocker: You might actually save money. If you cancel your rent, car payment, and utility bills for a year, a $20,000 cruise suddenly sounds like a deal. Surprising fact: Some retirees live on cruise ships full-time because it’s cheaper than a retirement home. A 2019 study found you can live on a budget cruise for $86 per day, including food and entertainment. Compare that to the average U.S. nursing home cost of $200 per day. You’ll be eating lobster while Gladys in the retirement home eats tapioca. The choice is obvious.
But there’s a catch: medical emergencies. Cruise ship doctor visits start at $200 for a hangnail. Bring a first-aid kit big enough to stock a small pharmacy. And travel insurance? Add $1,000 to $3,000 to your total. Don’t skip it, or you’ll be that person selling your kidney on a Turkish ferry to pay for a sprained ankle.
