In this episode, we chat with Richard and Angelyn Burk who have been traveling the world for over two years. Inspired by their forever home, they decided to pursue traveling upon their retirement and took advantage of deals for cruises after the onset of COVID. We discuss cruising during and post-COVID, the protocols in place to keep passengers safe, and the flexibility of the cruise industry. We also explore the benefits of cruising, such as being able to explore a new place every day, taking advantage of on board amenities, and having all maintenance taken care of. Lastly, we provide tips for people considering taking up cruising as a lifestyle.
Episode 136: How to Cruise for Six Months Every Year; Richard and Angelyn Burk
Richard and Angelyn are pros! We cruised with them and they were putting all of their tricks to the test. They know there stuff!
Hey, I’m 70! Haha. My husband is 75. No offense taken. We share the Burks’ love of cruising and their reasons for it. There are no decisions to make on a cruise except about what kind of fun to have. And yes, the internet on ships can NOT be relied upon. The accessibility of cruises is really as plus. (Oh and as someone who is highly susceptible to motion sickness, I swear by, and hoard, prescription Scopolamine patches). I really enjoyed this podcast. Thanks.
2024 will be our “cruisiest” year with 204 days booked on 9 cruises, including a world cruise. We have 50+ cruises under our belts and generally cruise between 30 and 60 days annually. In 2023, we have/will cruise 56 days.
Of those 204 days, 80 are “free,” gambling comps (on Carnival, NCL and Princess) we’re sailing for taxes and fees only. With the gambling cash thrown in, they are essentially free. My blackjack and video poker budget is what I would pay retail for the cruise (between $2K and $6K). . (In the past 10 years, the most I’ve ever lost on-board was $3K, the most I’ve ever won was $20K—on an Oceania cruise last month). Unfortunately the world cruise is never discounted and I haven’t gambled enough on Cunard and Oceania to be offered comps. . Because it was cancelled, we are getting the world cruise for the 2021 price.
My experience is that the gambling offers are getting stingier and stingier. I don’t know what the future holds. Offers in 2021 and 2022 were MUCH more generous.
A few tips the Burks didn’t mention? Owning 100 shares of stock in the cruise line’s parent company (e.g. Carnival and NCL) provides additional on-board credit. Discounts are also routinely offered to military veterans and, sometimes, first-responders as well. I have found that the best prices are available when you book super early or super late.
We have often identified places to live for longer periods of time, we have discovered on cruises. For example, we plan to return for month-long stays on Tenerife and Isla de la Palma based on 1-day stops on cruise ships.
A great source for learning about cruising and connecting with other cruisers is cruisecritic.com. Repositioning cruises (used by many nomads) can be easily found at vacationstogo.com. Interested in a specific port? Cruisetimetables.com can sort by port and date. Excursions provided via the ship are almost always more expensive than doing it yourself. AirBnB Experiences, Viator, Tours by Locals and Get Your Guide and local providers are good sources.