Man who lived on a cruise ship for 23 years shares the bizarre experiences he had after returning to dry land
Published on Sep 12, 2025 at 9:53 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Sep 12, 2025 at 9:53 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Claire Reid
Mario Salcedo, who has lived on a cruise ship for more than two decades, revealed the unusual experiences he faced when back on dry land.
Salcedo, from Miami, has continuously lived aboard Royal Caribbean International cruise ships since 2000.
His unusual lifestyle has earned him the nickname Super Mario from cruise staff.
In total, he’s spent more than 9,000 nights sleeping on high-end cruise ships.
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He’s lived on a cruise ship for so long, he struggles on land
The businessman, who was born in Cuba, trialled more than 100 cruises across 10 different cruise lines before deciding that the Voyager of the Seas was the one for him.
Mario Salcedo makes the most of his time onboard, making use of the luxury facilities, such as going scuba diving, relaxing in the cigar lounge, and ballroom dancing.
He also runs his investment management company from the cruise ship and gets free internet access due to spending so much time on the vessel.
Aside from 15 days’ break per year and 15 months during the COVID pandemic, Salcedo has lived on a cruise ship for more than 20 years.
In fact, he’s spent so long at sea that he prefers being out on the ocean rather than on dry land and even struggles to walk when on land.
Salcedo reckons he’s developed a permanent set of sea legs that make it hard to adjust.
“I’ve lost my land legs, so when I’m swaying so much I can’t walk in a straight line,” he said.
“I’m so used to being on ships that it feels more comfortable to me than being on land.”
Now, in his 70s, Salcedo says he has no plans to return to land permanently and insists he’ll ‘die on a cruise ship’.
He shared a tip for anyone thinking of adopting the same lifestyle
If you’ve read the above and you’re not feeling too put off by the thought of permanent sea legs, then Mario Salcedo also has some advice for you.
He recommended going on a short three to five-day cruise first before jumping and making the decision to live on a cruise ship.
“That way you experience the cruise and if you don’t like it or if there’s something you didn’t anticipate, it’s only three days,” he told Cruise the World A to Z.
He also suggested starting with a smaller vessel, like the Royal Caribbean’s Empress of the Seas, to get used to things without feeling overwhelmed.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
