Meet Chris

I want to tell you about a lady we met 3 years ago on Insignia’s 2023 Around the World cruise. She is also on Vista’s Around the World Cruise in 2026. Her name is Chris. She is either 86 or 87 years ago (she told me but I forgot and hated to ask again). At the beginning of this cruise, she had logged 2400+ days at sea. She lives on the ship.

This is Chris’ 9^th trip around the world. She has been sailing for 5 years straight and is already signed up for her 10^th, Vista’s 2027 Around the World cruise. According to her, it will be Oceania’s last world cruise, but she plans to remain on the ship, and she doesn’t care where it goes.

I’ve been wanting to ask her questions (sort of “interview” her) to write this blog post for a while, but I’ve been somewhat hesitant to ask. The other night we were walking through a public area of the ship where she often hangs out (a peaceful place, stringed instruments playing in the evenings) so I stopped to chat. I told her what I wanted to do and ask if she might be willing to answer some questions for me. Her response was “ask away!” 

I wasn’t really prepared with my questions but I realized this was my interview, so I just began asking as things came to mind. I saw her again today and asked her a few more but I still have more I would love to ask. If you’re reading this, you probably have questions too. I told her that her I consider her to be a “pioneer in ship living.” She said she just thinks of herself as “a little old lady who lives on a ship.”

I tried not to ask personal questions but from comments in conversation I’ve picked up several things. Chris is a widow (I think her husband was a doctor). I’m not even sure where she's from. But the bottom line is, she did not want to go into a retirement home, so she decided to downsize her life on land and move onto the ship. I have not asked any personal questions about family, but she did say that she doesn't have any grandchildren.

I asked what a typical day is like for her. I’d already observed that she has her own table where she eats breakfast every morning in the Grand Dining Room. It’s a very nice area on the ship where a waiter puts your napkin in your lap, takes your order and sees to whatever you might need, just as in any nice restaurant. 

In the photo below, some unknowing couple has taken "her" table, so she's having to sit at a different one. Notice she's looking at her tablet with her scooter parked next to her chair.

 

Sunday's brunch in Grand Dining Room

After breakfast, she said she typically hangs out at Barista’s (coffee shop on one end, mini bakery on the other with tables, chairs and sofas between). It’s a beautiful but casual, light filled area overlooking the pool deck where people help themselves to snacks, visit over coffee, sit with a laptop, etc. I found her there the next day visiting with another lady. I also see her occasionally in the Terrace Cafe at noon where Ronnie and I find ourselves more often than not because the dress code is very casual.

 

casual seating in Baristas, round sofas on left don't show

mini-bakery in Baristas

more snacks on left, coffee shop around corner that overlooks deck

As you can see, it's not a bad place to hang out if you want to mix with other people. It appears that she gets a healthy amount of social interaction along with her personal time.

I don't get the idea that she spends very much time in her room because she says she enjoys being around people. Every worker on the ship knows her and I suspect after 5 years some almost feel like “family” to her. You might say she is somewhat of a “fixture” on the ship, having been here so long. I felt like the paparazzi when I snapped this photo of her a few days ago having lunch with the Chief Concierge in the Terrace Cafe.

Chris now rides a scooter because her knees are giving her a lot of trouble. She wasn't using one when we met her in 2023. I didn’t ask her for too many details but I suspect she most often lunches in the Grand Dining Room because it would be much easier than managing a scooter in the Terrace or Wave. Of course there’s always room service, but I can’t see her eating in her room unless she was ill. 

In the afternoon she plays on a Trivia team and she reads on her tablet or Kindle reader. I asked if she uses the ship’s library (it’s extremely well supplied) but she prefers to download books using the Libby app. I've noticed that she also plays games on her phone or her tablet. She appears to be very comfortable sitting alone at meal time, often playing a game on her phone after a meal. As mentioned above, I’ve seen her sitting in public areas (think “living room” as ships go) with snacks like cheese, olives and nuts and a glass of wine in the evenings. 

She no longer gets off the ship as far as excursions, shopping, etc. She only gets off if truly necessary.

What does she do about her mail? She has someone that picks up her mail and texts her a photo of anything that might be important. She takes care of everything else electronically. She sends her tax person whatever he/she needs to do her taxes each year. 

Does she ever get tired of ship food? She didn’t hesitate to answer ‘no’. She said they will get her whatever she wants. She knows what she likes and where to get it.

Re: medical issues. She loves the ship doctor (called him by his first name) so I’m sure she sees him if needed. She says she’s accrued so many ship credits....and then kind of faded off, giving me the impression that she somehow “pays” with those. Her medications? She has prescriptions for a year’s supply at a time from some doctor she sees annually. A family member gets them filled, then flies to meet her when in a U.S. port. 

I was curious about any other appointments and yearly checkups. She has all of this arranged in advance, then gets off the ship once a year (didn't ask where) for her annual eye and dental exams and any other appointments she needs. This is how she has handled it to date. As I've already mentioned, she is riding a scooter these days. However, it is a rental and much too heavy. She has ordered one that weighs only 42 pounds from Amazon and it will be delivered to the ship when we make port in the U.S. in less than a week. A relative will bring her annual supply of prescription medications and anything else she needs.  

Regarding her bad knees - she gets acupuncture on the ship 3 times a week, and works with a personal trainer for upper body strength 3 times a week. However, she had a hard time getting up out of her chair when I was with her, so it doesn't surprise me that she needs a scooter. No better than I know her, I can't imagine that she would agree to knee surgery. By the way, there are others on the ship who use scooters so she doesn’t “stand out” in that way. 

She gets her hair cut in the ship's salon. She also uses occasional spa services on the ship. She doesn’t require her own “stash” like I do (preferred brands of toiletries) but uses the soap, conditioner, shampoo and lotion that the ship provides for all passengers. She doesn’t wear any makeup, and her hair is short in a low maintenance cut.

All laundry and dry cleaning services are included for Around the World passengers. I might add they do a fantastic job – far better than I do at home! She always looks neat and put together. She doesn't need or buy hardly any clothes these days (if she needed something, she said she would order it).

Of course all her meals are prepared for her. No need to plan meals, grocery shop or cook (one reason I enjoy cruising!) She seems to have all of her needs met – physically and socially. She appears to be very content with ship life and considers it her home. And as mentioned above, she couldn't care less where the ship is going. lol

She no longer takes excursions or gets off the ship without a planned, specific reason. But in her earlier travel days she’s obviously seen much of the world. When I asked for her favorite place she's ever visited, without hesitation she said Easter Island and then quickly gave me some advice for going there (fly to Santiago, Chile and catch a flight because currents are often so bad around the island that one can’t tender in). Next on her favorites list was Petra (Jordan), then Xian (China) and the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.

I asked how she thinks ship living vs living in a retirement community would compare price-wise. She couldn’t answer that question since she hasn't looked into it. 

The advantages of ship living are obvious, but I wish I had asked her about any disadvantages she sees. Whatever they might be, I assume she’s somehow found a way to work around them. She did emphasize that she has everything she needs on the ship.  Obviously, she does have some outside support (relatives, accountant). I later wished I had asked if she has any advice for anyone considering doing the same.

According to Chris, two cruise lines – Crescent Seas and The World – are looking to offer condo living on ships. Crescent Seas was going to buy Oceania’s Insignia and convert it to individual condos, but reneged after discovering it would be cheaper to build a new ship than completely re-model an old one.

Whatever the trend is in the future, for now Chris is very happy with ship living.

 * I googled Crescent Seas and found this (below). It was obviously written before the deal with Oceania fell through. It also had a link to a youtube video on ship living. Unfortunately I can't watch it because the ship internet is quite limiting, but if you're interested perhaps you can watch it and tell me what it says?!

Crescent Seas is a luxury residential cruise line, founded by developer Russell Galbut, that allows individuals to purchase private, permanent homes on ships, with the first vessel, Navigator (formerly Regent Seven Seas Navigator), set to launch in late 2026. The concept, offering 189–210 residences priced from $1.25 million to $10 million, features extended, immersive, multi-day stays in global ports.

*  Unlike traditional cruises, residents own their cabins as primary or secondary homes, with options to rent them out.

*  The initial ship is the Navigator, undergoing a $50 million renovation. A second ship, the Insignia, is planned for 2027, with ambitions for five ships within five years. (as Chris said, this fell through)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1dQvWLLa5s