Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

Living life on a cruise ship may seem like an impossible feat–but Mario Salcedo has figured out exactly how to do it. (And so has this couple.) The cruising legend and Miami native celebrated his 1,000th cruise with Royal Caribbean earlier this month, marking over 20 years of living on a cruise ship ship and solidifying his reign as Royal Caribbean's most loyal cruiser.

Nicknamed 'Super Mario', he began cruising in 1994. "When I hit 45, I wanted to start a new chapter in my life traveling around the world—that was my vision,” he told Conde Nast Traveler. “But I didn’t know about the logistics, whether air, train, or sea."


After testing out different cruise lines, he booked a voyage on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas—and never looked back. “It was the biggest cruise ship in the world at the time, and so revolutionary—the first ice skating rink, the first rock climbing wall, so many elements that took cruising to another dimension,” he told the publication.


Since then, he has remained loyal to the cruise line, and shared that he only spends about 15 days on land, averaging 50 weeks a year of cruising. Salcedo found his groove with cruising while continuing to work in the the investment management business from sea. And when he's not working, he's playing.

“I go dancing in the lounges, or enjoy a nice cigar after dinner with a cognac, watching basketball or football games on TV," he told the publication. "Everything I do on the ship provides an opportunity to socialize.”

Cruise danceHappy Dance GIF by The Crab PlaceGiphy

While life at sea may seem like a dream, living permanently on a cruise also comes with its challenges—including its impact on Salcedo's health. "I’ve lost my land legs, so when I’m swaying so much I can’t walk in a straight line,” he told Conde Nast Traveler.

And although he has taken full advantage of Royal Caribbean's loyalty programs—he is a Pinnacle Club member in the line's Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program—he certainly doesn't cruise for free. In 2019, he shared with Cruise the World A to Z exactly how much he spent each year to live full-time on a cruise ship.

Mario Salcedo shares how much it costs to live on a cruise ship.www.youtube.com

Salcedo explained that it costs an average of $185 per day for his interior cabin. "If you do the math, in my case, my budget is $72,093. So the minimum is $72,000," he shared. He added that this is for the most basic of accommodations, and no extras like alcohol or excursions. He explained to Conde Nast Traveler, "I don’t eat like a regular cruiser. I skip one meal a day, and eat smart," he added.

However, Salcedo argues that it's still a deal compared to the average cost of assisted living in the United States, which he shared with Cruise the World A to Z that he also researched. "I looked up the average cost of assisted living in the United States per year and it's $100,380. You can see that if you do an interior cabin, it's cheaper to live on a cruise ship."


More For You

A cup full of chocolate kisses.

Chocolates are sweet, but this promposal might be sweeter.

Teen's braille promposal to blind girlfriend resurfaces, and it's still melting hearts

Prom season is often a time for creativity and big gestures, but one teen’s unique idea has raised the bar entirely. A promposal (prom + proposal) involving braille, chocolate, and a whole lot of thoughtfulness is making waves on social media years after it first happened. The story of Jake Schwartz and Paige Drury isn’t just a tale of young love—it’s a beautiful example of how a little extra effort can make someone feel truly valued.

In the video, Schwartz asks Drury to read a message he created using Hershey’s Kisses. As her fingers glide over the candies, she begins to spell it out, "Wait, that's a 'P'...'R'...'O'..." before realizing what it says and gasping with joy. She then happily accepts the invitation to prom, a moment that was met with applause from friends who were present.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pregnant mom asks for first-class seats, gets a reality check the internet couldn’t wait to deliver
Representative photo by Canva

Pregnant mom asks for first-class seats, gets a reality check the internet couldn’t wait to deliver

Flying with a young child isn't always smooth sailing, especially when it comes to seating arrangements. A soon-to-be mother, known online as Deekaytwo, found herself turning to the internet for advice after wondering if it was fair to ask front-row passengers to swap seats so she could sit with her toddler. But the reaction she got online was anything but supportive.

Representative Image Source: Pexels | Oleksandr P

Keep ReadingShow less
Images from a baby name reveal.

The moment this mom realized her daughter's name had a hidden Batman connection.

They picked the perfect baby name—until a movie changed everything

When it comes to baby names, parents pull inspiration from all sorts of places—family history, beloved books, even favorite meals. But sometimes, a name carries a hidden meaning that only one parent is in on. That’s exactly what happened to TikTok user @viashoe, whose daughter's name has a secret connection to Batman that she didn’t discover until well after the birth.

A casual Thanksgiving reveal

In a now-viral TikTok, @viashoe shared the moment the puzzle pieces fell into place. While spending Thanksgiving with her husband’s family, they decided to watch Batman: The Animated Series—a classic from the '90s that's known for its dark tone and emotionally complex characters. As the show played in the background, someone in the family was entertaining their baby girl when a familiar voice on the screen said, “My wife, Nora…”

Keep ReadingShow less
Manager forbids wage talk—employees hilariously post their salaries on company notice board
Representative image by Canva

Manager forbids wage talk—employees hilariously post their salaries on company notice board

Navigating corporate life isn't easy, especially when managers impose questionable rules on employees. A recent incident at a Planet Fitness in Kentucky highlighted how some managers misunderstand labor rights, particularly regarding salary discussions. Employees brilliantly confronted their manager after he attempted to forbid wage discussions—both at and outside the workplace.


Keep ReadingShow less
An image of a restaurant with the quote "This is my real smile..."

Representative Image: It's a wonder what one simple note can do.

Widower leaves waitress a note with her tip—and the message instantly brought her to tears

Amid all the noise and negativity that tends to dominate our days, moments of pure human kindness remind us how much good is still out there. And sometimes, it’s the simplest gestures—like good service at a restaurant—that carry the most emotional weight.

That’s exactly what happened to Megan King, a server at a Perkins Restaurant & Bakery in Yankton, South Dakota. She shared the emotional moment on X, where it quickly went viral and touched hundreds of thousands of hearts.

Keep ReadingShow less