For nearly two decades, Jeff Farschman, 72, has spent his golden years like many other adventurous retirees — enjoying leisure cruises to exotic ports of call.

Farschman, unlike most cruise passengers, actually lives on the sea. He spends months traveling the world’s oceans and waterways — half of the year, if not more. Farschman still has a home in Delaware but is now part the growing number of “retired” older people who cruise on ships.

Farschman explained that, “Pandemic aside,” he had been cruising for 7 to 8 months each year. “I’m a globe traveler and an explorer, so cruising has allowed me to literally see all of the planet.” 

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Farschman did not intend to cruise on a boat when he began his cruising journey. However, Farschman was forced to take a traditional Caribbean cruise in 2004, after Hurricane Ivan hit.

He explained that he just continued to extend and prolong his time aboard because of the storm’s destruction of my winter plans. “Ultimately, I completed six voyages in succession.”

Almost 20 years later, Farschman now organizes his life around his time at sea — keeping his periods ashore as brief as possible. “Retirees-at sea” were, however, able to return home as normal during the coronavirus pandemic. This was when all cruises departing from U.S. port ports were shut down by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For Farschman, that meant 19 months — including winter — without cruising, his longest period ashore in nearly two decades. Serial cruisers became the first to board after major lines had established Covid protocols. While Covid outbreaks have since been reported — including notable instances in San Francisco and Seattle — folks like Farschman say they feel safe while cruising.

Lee Wachtstetter (author and serial cruiser) is an example. wrote a much-read memoirAbout her 12 year experience living aboard cruise ships after the death of her husband. Farschman reports on his seafaring experiences. ventures on his blog — facilitated by on-board WiFi that’s “become so much more reliable, though sadly not necessarily more affordable,” he said.

Semi-retired cruisers can now work at sea thanks to upgraded connectivity. Tara Bruce, creative brand manager and consultant at TEDxTara Bruce said that Zooms can now use the WiFi from most ships. Goodwin Investment Advisory ServicesWoodstock-based firm whose financial advice helps people retire at sea is referred to as.  

It makes sense to retire on a cruise vessel in many ways. Although stereotypes are not true, older people have enjoyed cruising for decades. According to the Cruise Lines International Association, one-third of the 28.5 million people who took a cruise in 2018 were over 60 years old — and more than 50% were over 50 years old.

Additionally, seniors can enjoy organized activities and good medical care. And, perhaps most important, they have a network of fellow travelers. 

Economically, it can be a good idea to retire on a cruiseship.

Holland AmericaFor example, a Grand Africa Voyage that stops in 25 ports in 21 different countries is offered by. A Grand World Voyage, which visits 61 ports across 30 countries in total, lasts for 127 days at sea.

Colleen McCDaniel is the editor-in chief of Cruisecritic.com. With careful planning — often bookended by shorter “connector” cruises — “grand” itineraries can keep cruisers at sea almost indefinitely.

According to Eric Elvejord (director of public relations for Holland America), the back-to-back Collectors Voyages in Holland America not only prevent retirees from repeating port visits, but also offer discounts of up to 10% or 15%. 

Although few cruise lines specifically target retirees — Oceania, for its part, had a Snowbird in Residence program, which has since been canceled — specialty agents are waking up to this lucrative demographic.

CruiseWeb was founded in Tysons (Virginia) and launched in April 2008. Senior Living at SeaThis program helps retirees plan their own itineraries, and clients can manage their life back at home. CruiseWeb is a provider of services such as cruise transfers, ship-switches visas, and insurance.

CruiseWeb senior operations and marketing coordinator Michael Jones stated that there are clients that have been aboard for at least a year. He said that most clients have downsized or rented out their homes while they are onboard to cover the costs of cruising. 

The most significant component of the retirement at sea movement, however, is the arrival fully residential vessels like the 20-year old. The World The soon-to debut MV Narrative, from Storylines. The former includes 165 individually-owned on-board residences, while the far larger MV Narrative – set to hit the high seas in 2023 – offers 547 one- to four-bedroom apartments.

The cost of owning a vessel at sea can be prohibitive: MV Narrative units start from $1 million to $8 million while a small number of leases for one- or two-years begin at $400,000.

McDaniel stated that “there are also monthly, or even annual, costs for fuel, port fees and taxes as well as house-keeping.” “It’s kind of like living in a condo – that just happens to be at sea.”

— By David Kaufman. Kaufman works as a freelance journalist.