Fancy cruising your way into retirement?

If you want to 'test the waters', there are plenty of cruiselines to do so.

I have heard about retirees who spend their retirement cruising the world. Imagine just relaxing on that deck chair, eating sumptuous food, no housework to do, no house maintenance and all your washing arriving back ironed and clean.

You would get to see the world and you would certainly get to meet a lot of people. The ever-changing scenery would make for an interesting way of living.

There would be plenty of entertainment, a gym, a doctor on hand and a beautiful swimming pool that would always be sparkling clean.

With retirement homes costing approx. $6500 per month (based on what one of my family members pays) you could have a lovely time sailing to exotic destinations around the world.

Pacific Encounter sails around the South Pacific, taking in some of the most exotic destinations in Australia, Melanesia and Polynesia.

I can see the advantage if you have limited mobility and if you were in the older age bracket, how easy it would be getting on to a ship, unpacking once and having the world come to your door.

There would be no airports, no transfers, and no finding a hotel!

There is always a downside though, you would not want your cabin to be windowless as that would not be fun, you would not want to get seasick, and would boredom eventually set in?

Staying connected with family, especially grandchildren could prove to be a bit difficult, but no more difficult than having your family live overseas, I guess.

You will also have to hit the onboard gym regularly if you do not want to put on too much weight from the wonderful onboard food!

When it comes to the cost of living on a cruise ship, it is going to depend on how you choose to live, just like it would on land. For example, what cruises you book, the food plans you choose, and how much entertainment you buy, will all vary with each person and could impact your overall costs. Many find living this way more affordable than paying off a mortgage!

If thinking about making cruising a permanent idea, it might pay to take an extended cruise to make sure you want to make this a permanent retirement option.