Alanna Zingano we always book on board. Like Mario says you get the best deals. Then our agent gets credited and owns the booking from there. I do like Mario’s idea of asking the agent to check every two weeks for lower prices. I wouldn’t want to lose his business
Nice! Thank you for uploading this very informative video! I’d love to see a copy of the “Strategic Cruising Plan” spreadsheet from past cruises so I can get a better idea of how to be very organized. Thank you!
In 2013 I took my grandma on a cruise. She had dreamed about one her whole life. During the muster drill the staff brought her to a table to sit as her health was falling. There was only one other person at the table.... Mario. His warm and charming personality was such a welcome start to our experience. We ran into him a few times during our cruise and he was always eager to learn how we were enjoying it. He made the trip of a lifetime for my grandma even more special.
Tim that is so touching! So wonderful to cherish those memories with your family! Mario sends his best regards to you for your very nice words and best wishes your grandma.
He is so smart. No wonder he has the money to life this lifestyle. He set his goals, made a plan and is sticking to it. I hope to travel with Mario in the future. Congratulations on your 8,000 milestone
Mario explains everything very clearly and succinctly and is a font of cruising knowledge. I really enjoy listening to him. No 'umming' or 'arrhing' , his words just roll off his tongue without hesitation. Legend !
This is an intriguing topic, and I enjoy being exposed to the ins and out and details. Thanks for bringing this to us. I remember my first cruise, and thinking to myself, "Man, I could live non-stop on a cruise."
Super Mario hit the nail on the head with the next cruise sales office (early booking). We have been very fortunate to have cruised more than a few times and we always use the next cruise sales team to book our future cruises. This is a guarantee of best pricing and like Mario mentioned, your are face to face with the sales agent so, let the negotiations begin! You can get upgrades at discount and most popular is the on-bard credit! Best thing is you are not paying for the full cruise on the spot, just guaranteeing your rate and cabin! And, he is so right about being connected with an agent essentially to manage the paperwork (RCI does pay them in the back end).
Mario is a wealth of information! It sounds so cool!! As he speaks about booking 2yrs in advance, and being on the same ship for 6mths, I think of how much his family must miss him 😔. Im sure they're happy for him living his life with such adventure and fun, though it's hard not to be able to drive over to have a cup of coffee with him whenever they want. I'd love to be able to travel for 6mths straight a yr when I grow up😁.
Donna Jones, is that a list of all the cruises that you have done in your lifetime? Or, like Super Mario, were you referring to 42 cruises that you had planned to come? Are/were all of these with one cruise-line? Are you a Pinnacle guest?
@@brentshuffler1234 At that time, I was referring to a list of all the cruises I have taken. Unlike Mario, I enjoy different cruise lines. Sometimes RCCL doesn’t have the destination/itinerary I might want so I select other cruising companies and go with them. Because of that I am Diamond Plus with RCCL. BTW, since that post I am up to about 62 cruises now. Sorry I’m a little behind on my spreadsheet. Due to Covid, I opted for traveling to out west National Parks area and Branson, Missouri in lieu of cruising.
Always transfer your cruise reservation to a travel agent. I booked an 11 day Mediterranean cruise with Celebrity while on a cruise and got $500 OBC then transferred it to a travel agent and git $1,500 more for a total of $2k in OBC. All my excursions were paid for and then some.
@@ILOVENJ00 Commissions, if any, are between the airline/hotel/cruiseline and the travel-agent, not a direct cost to the guest. Good travel-agencies have the advantage of economies of scale and long relationships with service-providers. Therefore, they can provide added value, bigger discounts, and/or more benefits than what an individual booking directly would ever likely achieve. It is like wholesale prices versus retail prices.
Loved the video. Mario is so knowledgeable going into detail about cruising. My husband and I have been on four cruises, so far. We want to go on the inland passage to Alaska next. A big thumbs up to you and Mario!😉💜
Great stuff, thanks for sharing this for people. I just started a Travel Agency and it is good to get people aware of how valuable Agents are for travelers!
This is a great topic. What happens when Mario books his cruises and for whatever reason a week cruise is cancelled. I know sometimes big companies and group will fully book a ship and then the cruise line has to rebook peoples cruises 🚢. That would really mess up a schedule when you were trying to stay on the same ship but it might force Mario to go to his condo for a week and check his mail. Ha ha. 🚢 That’s a great tip about meeting with the onboard agents. I’ll do that on my next HAL cruise in July
I'm sure you've been asked this question, but I must have missed it. Why is it not possible to simply book a particular cabin, on a particular ship for say one or two years and just never leave the ship? Negotiate a price with the line and then not have to leave the ship unless you have business ashore in some port. It also seems that you could arrange for mail to be delivered to a ship if you had a quasi permanent room on it.
9/21/19....Just "discovered" this YT video series on Mario & all his cruising for the last 22 yrs! WOW! FANTASTIC MAN! FANTASTIC CONCEPT---LIVING ON THE SEAS! Lots of personal preference + just plain common sense + heavy dose of organization that Mario uses to "spreadsheet" his life! What a fun way to live that he has chosen & "perfected" to his own special lifestyle of living & running a business as he really wants to! I think Mario might have been a SWASHBUCKLING PIRATE CAPTAIN in a previous life! Maybe even Capt Jack Sparrow perhaps? 🍺
I was on Navigator when he celebrated his 8,000th cruise point. Saw him sitting with his Pinnacle friends he mentioned on several occasions. I chatted with him one morning in Chops, this was the second time I've met him....he's always super nice!
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ And, since then, he has reportedly celebrated over 10,000 Cruise Points! But, even that, was a couple years ago, right? Where has he reached by now? 12,000?
Karen - per Mario "they are my favorite cruises (together with transatlantic crossings) ... because the Canal is a marvel of engineering and so interesting to experience and to transit ... also because you get many sub-segments in that one 16-day crossing ... Caribbean + Canal transit + Central America + Mexican Riviera. And if you have the time, you can do a back-to-back for 32 days and transit the Canal twice."
Last year and this year it was 12 cruises each year. My favourite ship is the radiance class, that would include serenade of the seas which I mentioned in another post. I’m on her in a couple of weeks out of Stockholm. I also stick with Royal like Mario. Can’t beat those perks. 😃. It’s not as easy to cruise all year in Australia as the ships repo out during our winter, so I do holiday elsewhere quite a bit. For example, I am in Bali at the moment.
@@michellecollins4974 I'm interested in sailing from Brisbane or Sydney back to the USA around August. I'm hoping to fly there and cruise back home. Do you know how cruise ships that reposition during that time?
@@nancywebster8492 they are coming to Australia at that time. Go to whoever you use for bookings and search for both repositioning and Hawaii cruises. There will be 2 or 3 royal ships doing this journey in September. They will go from vancouver or Washington state. They will cruise into brisbane or Sydney depending on which one you choose. Good luck.
Thanks PreacherJimC, appreciate your support! Since you enjoyed this series you will like the new season of living at sea with a new guest is coming this weekend! 😀
Alanna Zingano Royal Caribbean is my favorite cruise line but I did a back to back thru the Panama Canal on holland America. I wanted to see it from both directions. It was amazing. And holland America was relaxing. It was my retirement gift to myself and after working all those years I just wanted quiet. So holland America was perfect for that voyage.
Cruising is awesome expect that its not that environmentally friendly. It would be good if there were enough solar panels on the ship to power it as well as save up enough energy during the day to use throughout the night. Maybe like tow behind huge platforms with as many solar panels as you need.
Cruising is actually more eco-friendly than what it used to be and peoples perception of it. Newer ships are built with having a green footprint in mind. I do love the idea of solar panels though! I would like them for my home as well! Do you have them?
Even if you want to live on a cruise ship full time, why would you want to spend 6 months on the same ship? There are two problems here. The first being that that ship is going to repeat the same or very similar itineraries many times. The second being that the facilities, entertainment, restaurants, etc get old pretty fast. I understand that you don;t want to "move" your habitat every week or two. But, wouldn't it be better to do so once a month or once every month and a half? New ship, new itineraries, new region, new shows, etc.
The auto checking and repricing of cruises is specific to certain TA's. I check every weekend and never once had my TA automatically check and reprice. I have told them twice of a price drop and they will reprice, but it would be nice not to have to check all the time.
Duncan, that's a bummer how long have you been working with that TA? Perhaps you could look into finding a different one that could prioritize that for you.
Plus a Travel Agent my have a group blocked on a sailing, therefore might have amenities points which translates to maybe shipboard credit and a price break to the client.
If you have 10 back to back cruises booked, and they cancel cruise #7 what do you do when they kick you off for that week? Sounds VERY inconvenient and expensive unless you can switch to a sister ship that is in harbour that day.
Cruise Crazy, that is not a regular occurrence. Far worse is likely with typical hotels and airlines. With a cruiseline like this one, as Mario explained, there is always compensation: either a refund or an upgraded benefit for switching to another available ship. There is no extra cost to the guest, only added benefits.
What's your biggest problem with a cruise on board life!!!!! Cruise passages are they not the same as before. Examples 10 years ago and how different was it.
Mario, thank you for sharing your plans. They are logical and well thought. I have no wish to delve into your finances. It would be good if you would share advice regarding a budget for cruises. You stay on the same ship for months. Does staff that you interact with regularly stay the same; cabin attendant and wait staff are two that come to mind. Do you use cruise perks to prepay, or do you have a system? Thanks Mario!
Tim per Mario "you have to figure out which cabin type (inside, balcony, Junior Suite) budget fits within your overall financial situation ... if you are going to live full time on cruise ships then you must be mindful of your total expenses (at sea + on land) and make sure it doesn't exceed your financial capacity for sustained living over many years."
When Mario talk about staying in the same cabin on back to back and back to back....Does it means to take the same cruise over and over again sometimes for 2-3 months? I thought the cruise company use the same ship for the same cruise route.
Helpful! I am looking for three cruises in a row for Sept 2020.... Checked everything on Royal's web and then went to a travel agent (I live in Uruguay). I asked for the same stateroom for all three and do not have an answer yet. I wonder if I have to check in in every initial port....
Gilbert, I don't believe the world was around when Mario started cruising. There is something to be said though about being so invested into one cruise line and the perks and benefits that go along with it.
@@TheGregWallace That is absolutely correct. Like me, a fellow financial professional, he always chooses Inside Cabins and plans early, maximising discounts and savings far in advance. In another interview, he explained that, on average, he budgets U.S.$6,000 a month or U.S.$72,000 per year all inclusive. Given the rents/mortgages and cost of living in most big cities, this works out very well overall.
In other words, do your research and book at least two years ahead, and t hat would give you a much better price on your cruise. And the cabin in what that you want.
The best prices I’ve seen were a few weeks before the sailing. You can’t count on that though and you can wind up not making that sailing if it sells out.
@@DenaInWyo He clearly stated that, while he does his initial reservations with the Next Cruise department on the cruise-ship, he uses a travel-agency to manage all the details and any updates to his multiple reservations, which are made one to two years in advance. He also highly recommended that everyone use an excellent agent and explained why.
When you stay on the same ship and room back to back for that long, does the ship allow you to leave your luggage in the room or do you have to pack completely, leave the ship and then re-board?
SgtBooker44 per Mario "no, you leave everything intact in your cabin, do the back-to-back procedure to clear passport control, and then back on the ship (and to your cabin) in no time."
Super Mario....you are my hero! We are almost identical....single, close in age, living in Ft.Lauderdale and retired...and two handsome dudes!! Is there some way I can make contact with you or the other way around to discuss this fascinating topic into a bit more detail? So much appreciate it!
What if Mario is on A ship that has to go into A Dock for repairs? Does he change ship and bookings, or does he just go abroad for these couple of weeks?
Yasmin, Mario books his yearly check ups when the ship in making a turn around day in Miami. That is his "homebase" so he can keep up with those types of appointments. Good question!
Per Mario: "passports are valid for 10 years ... I use a passport card when I release my passport for renewal ... takes only 2 weeks using expedited renewal."
@@mrrobvs There is no end to the variety that is available. Multiple cruiselines, each having multiple ships, multiple itineraries, and even the destinations evolve over the years, as the ships themselves also do with renovations, upgrades, new technologies, new services, new menus, new entertainments, and new excursions, etc. With each new ship, you will find that the ship itself is a destination fit to rival anything on land . . . and by the time that you would have experienced every ship in any one brand's fleet, you would have new ships to experience and new ports to visit.
I know this is two years ago. If Mario is on a ship for that long, does he have to embark and disembark like everyone else or does he stay on the ship?
I used to date someone who worked on a cruise ship and I visited once for two in a row. During the turnaround day, I wasn't required to disembark and get back on, but I was required to attend a second muster drill.
My only question is if he stay on board or he need to get out every time the cruise go to a new destination and every body need to get out what happens to him ?
Aaron if he isn't getting off the ship to run errands in his home port or anything else, yes he goes to a lounge they give him a transfer card and he becomes re-accounted for. We cover the topic in detail in another video if you want the full explanation.
I thought that travel agents went the way of the dinosaur because of the Internet. Also, isn't the best price the one you'd get just before the sailing on Lastminutecruise.com, etc.
Toni, travel agents are very much still alive within the cruising industry. And with that website, I haven't personally used it but I know that booking last minute and ridiculously early are the best ways to save money on your cruise!
MARIO must of had his share of noisy and annoying neighbours in the cabins next to him over the years. How does he deal with this situation and does he have some advice on a peaceful cruise with so many passengers.
per Mario "not an issue when you sail in an inside cabin ... but my advice for dealing with annoying neighbors ? ... if all else fails, call Guest Services or Security and ask them to keep the noise down."
Ed Burhop - He did try Carnival along with other cruise lines. Mario prefers Royal due to the perks along with other benefits we talked in a previous season. Along with next week episode.
Carnival is like the Walmart of the Seas. Maybe okay to visit in a pinch, but as you yourself pointed out A LOT cheaper, and you get what you pay for in life. Royal Caribbean is a good line with the latest bells and whistles. Personally, I like Norwegian, but could certainly retire on a RCCL ship with no problem. Holland/Princess (both owned by Carnival) are both a tad more upscale but too sedate. Regardless, there are no bad cruises!
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ well it not about the cost he have choosen to live the way he do and they all shutdown currently luckily he have his home base but he cant live where he want to
How do you generally book your cruises? What did you think of Mario's method?
I like it. Smart to book directly with the cruise ship booking office.
Alanna Zingano we always book on board. Like Mario says you get the best deals. Then our agent gets credited and owns the booking from there. I do like Mario’s idea of asking the agent to check every two weeks for lower prices. I wouldn’t want to lose his business
Michael Falgares the agent doesn't own the booking, they only manage it for you...the ownership is always the clients'
Nice! Thank you for uploading this very informative video!
I’d love to see a copy of the “Strategic Cruising Plan” spreadsheet from past cruises so I can get a better idea of how to be very organized. Thank you!
@@emailbenjie Thanks so much Benjamin, sure thing just send me an email at azingano1@gmail.com requesting one and I can send you a copy!
In 2013 I took my grandma on a cruise. She had dreamed about one her whole life. During the muster drill the staff brought her to a table to sit as her health was falling. There was only one other person at the table.... Mario. His warm and charming personality was such a welcome start to our experience. We ran into him a few times during our cruise and he was always eager to learn how we were enjoying it. He made the trip of a lifetime for my grandma even more special.
Tim that is so touching! So wonderful to cherish those memories with your family! Mario sends his best regards to you for your very nice words and best wishes your grandma.
He is so smart. No wonder he has the money to life this lifestyle. He set his goals, made a plan and is sticking to it. I hope to travel with Mario in the future. Congratulations on your 8,000 milestone
Michael Falgares - Yes he is! W all hope to get there one of these days. Thank you so much for watching.
Mario explains everything very clearly and succinctly and is a font of cruising knowledge. I really enjoy listening to him. No 'umming' or 'arrhing' , his words just roll off his tongue without hesitation. Legend !
I enjoy Mario's videos so much. This was so interesting. Actually they all are. And you're the best. Thanks for sharing. 😀😀
This is an intriguing topic, and I enjoy being exposed to the ins and out and details. Thanks for bringing this to us. I remember my first cruise, and thinking to myself, "Man, I could live non-stop on a cruise."
I find Mario so interesting. I really enjoy these interviews.
Carolyn Gurney - Thank you! More to come from Mario. There are also ship and cruise related videos!
Super Mario hit the nail on the head with the next cruise sales office (early booking). We have been very fortunate to have cruised more than a few times and we always use the next cruise sales team to book our future cruises. This is a guarantee of best pricing and like Mario mentioned, your are face to face with the sales agent so, let the negotiations begin! You can get upgrades at discount and most popular is the on-bard credit! Best thing is you are not paying for the full cruise on the spot, just guaranteeing your rate and cabin! And, he is so right about being connected with an agent essentially to manage the paperwork (RCI does pay them in the back end).
Mario is a wealth of information! It sounds so cool!! As he speaks about booking 2yrs in advance, and being on the same ship for 6mths, I think of how much his family must miss him 😔. Im sure they're happy for him living his life with such adventure and fun, though it's hard not to be able to drive over to have a cup of coffee with him whenever they want. I'd love to be able to travel for 6mths straight a yr when I grow up😁.
Go Mario go with the spreadsheet! I love organization. I have all my 42 cruises listed on a spreadsheet also.
Donna that's awesome! So fun and convenient to go back and look if you forget a port or other details!
Donna Jones, is that a list of all the cruises that you have done in your lifetime? Or, like Super Mario, were you referring to 42 cruises that you had planned to come? Are/were all of these with one cruise-line? Are you a Pinnacle guest?
@@brentshuffler1234 At that time, I was referring to a list of all the cruises I have taken. Unlike Mario, I enjoy different cruise lines. Sometimes RCCL doesn’t have the destination/itinerary I might want so I select other cruising companies and go with them. Because of that I am Diamond Plus with RCCL. BTW, since that post I am up to about 62 cruises now. Sorry I’m a little behind on my spreadsheet. Due to Covid, I opted for traveling to out west National Parks area and Branson, Missouri in lieu of cruising.
Mario probably got hella onboard credits when the Rona happened 😳😂🙌
He def has a lot of credits! Sail half of the year ir not more free!
I like it. Smart to book directly with the cruise ship booking office, then have a travel agent mange the bookings.
Bill Clark - it goes back on knowing what you want. Both have amazing perks!!
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ Agreed. Having a mutually beneficial relationship with a travel agent is smart.
Always transfer your cruise reservation to a travel agent. I booked an 11 day Mediterranean cruise with Celebrity while on a cruise and got $500 OBC then transferred it to a travel agent and git $1,500 more for a total of $2k in OBC. All my excursions were paid for and then some.
Crypto Vin - wow! that was an amazing deal!
What is OBC? Doesn’t the travel agent’s commission add up?
ILOVENJ00 On board credit.
@@ILOVENJ00 Commissions, if any, are between the airline/hotel/cruiseline and the travel-agent, not a direct cost to the guest. Good travel-agencies have the advantage of economies of scale and long relationships with service-providers. Therefore, they can provide added value, bigger discounts, and/or more benefits than what an individual booking directly would ever likely achieve. It is like wholesale prices versus retail prices.
this was great! really enjoyed watching this one!
Gareth Bretton - Thank you for watching. We do have few more episodes coming!
Super Mario is awesome, keep does videos coming.
Great information I missed the premiere last night but 6 months at a time you have to have some good organizational skills... thanks for sharing
Loved the video. Mario is so knowledgeable going into detail about cruising. My husband and I have been on four cruises, so far. We want to go on the inland passage to Alaska next. A big thumbs up to you and Mario!😉💜
Another great video!!! Thank you so much. It is so nice of both of you to share your cruise knowledge. I remain your biggest fan!!!
Great stuff, thanks for sharing this for people. I just started a Travel Agency and it is good to get people aware of how valuable Agents are for travelers!
Booking a cruise on the ship has been one of the best places to get a good deal on another cruise, and receive nice perks for the cruise you are on.
Totally agree! Specially if you plan on sailing often, you need to find all the good deals..
This is a great topic. What happens when Mario books his cruises and for whatever reason a week cruise is cancelled. I know sometimes big companies and group will fully book a ship and then the cruise line has to rebook peoples cruises 🚢. That would really mess up a schedule when you were trying to stay on the same ship but it might force Mario to go to his condo for a week and check his mail. Ha ha. 🚢 That’s a great tip about meeting with the onboard agents. I’ll do that on my next HAL cruise in July
I'm sure you've been asked this question, but I must have missed it. Why is it not possible to simply book a particular cabin, on a particular ship for say one or two years and just never leave the ship? Negotiate a price with the line and then not have to leave the ship unless you have business ashore in some port. It also seems that you could arrange for mail to be delivered to a ship if you had a quasi permanent room on it.
Mario is a very smart guy. He must have done well in his career not only financially but because he's sharp.
Dana, yes! Mario is incredibly smart and planned ahead to have the lifestyle that he wanted.
9/21/19....Just "discovered" this YT video series on Mario & all his cruising for the last 22 yrs! WOW!
FANTASTIC MAN! FANTASTIC CONCEPT---LIVING ON THE SEAS!
Lots of personal preference + just plain common sense + heavy dose of organization that Mario uses to "spreadsheet" his life!
What a fun way to live that he has chosen & "perfected" to his own special lifestyle of living & running a business as he really wants to!
I think Mario might have been a SWASHBUCKLING PIRATE CAPTAIN in a previous life!
Maybe even Capt Jack Sparrow perhaps? 🍺
Haha he deffinitly has that sea air running through his veins!
I was on Navigator when he celebrated his 8,000th cruise point. Saw him sitting with his Pinnacle friends he mentioned on several occasions. I chatted with him one morning in Chops, this was the second time I've met him....he's always super nice!
Mike Pastore - That is so great you were there and had an opportunity to chat with him! Mario was so excited for his 8k!
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ And, since then, he has reportedly celebrated over 10,000 Cruise Points! But, even that, was a couple years ago, right? Where has he reached by now? 12,000?
So fascinating! I met a guy on a recent cruise who lived on the ship and it opened my eyes to this idea!
Excellent video…thank you for all the information.
Great info! Love this series.
Mario, please share why the Panama Canal sailing is so special? What do you recommend for overseas cruising. Thank you for your time and expertise.
Karen - per Mario "they are my favorite cruises (together with transatlantic crossings) ... because the Canal is a marvel of engineering and so interesting to experience and to transit ... also because you get many sub-segments in that one 16-day crossing ... Caribbean + Canal transit + Central America + Mexican Riviera. And if you have the time, you can do a back-to-back for 32 days and transit the Canal twice."
Congratulations to Mario on 8000 points. Can hardly wait until I can do similar in a couple of years! 🤗💐
michelle collins - How often do you cruise?! do you have a favorite ship?
Last year and this year it was 12 cruises each year. My favourite ship is the radiance class, that would include serenade of the seas which I mentioned in another post. I’m on her in a couple of weeks out of Stockholm. I also stick with Royal like Mario. Can’t beat those perks. 😃. It’s not as easy to cruise all year in Australia as the ships repo out during our winter, so I do holiday elsewhere quite a bit. For example, I am in Bali at the moment.
@@michellecollins4974 I'm interested in sailing from Brisbane or Sydney back to the USA around August. I'm hoping to fly there and cruise back home. Do you know how cruise ships that reposition during that time?
@@nancywebster8492 they are coming to Australia at that time. Go to whoever you use for bookings and search for both repositioning and Hawaii cruises. There will be 2 or 3 royal ships doing this journey in September. They will go from vancouver or Washington state. They will cruise into brisbane or Sydney depending on which one you choose. Good luck.
Could you please ask him if he ever goes the other way and does a transpacific crossing to see Australia and Asia.
Toni - Per Mario "I did many during previous years but don't do them anymore because of too much flying."
Super mario do every i know you take a inside room but do you ever get a digital balcony ocean view
I love watching your interviews with Super Mario. My wife and I will be on the Oasis of the Sea in February 2020 going to the Eastern Caribbean.
Thanks PreacherJimC, appreciate your support! Since you enjoyed this series you will like the new season of living at sea with a new guest is coming this weekend! 😀
Thanks Mario amd Alanna!
Your welcome. Hope the information helps!
Panama Canal is my favorite as well.i could just go back and forth between California and Florida on any ship going.
Michelle lorino - Do you have a preference on which direction on cruise line?
Alanna Zingano Royal Caribbean is my favorite cruise line but I did a back to back thru the Panama Canal on holland America. I wanted to see it from both directions. It was amazing. And holland America was relaxing. It was my retirement gift to myself and after working all those years I just wanted quiet. So holland America was perfect for that voyage.
Mario is very good at explaining👏👏
Love this segment. Ok so i need to figure out sailing from fall to spring, thats 6 months 👍. I am loving this!!
Autobot Diva - What cruise line would you pick?! And would you have a temporary home base?
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ
Yup. House would be paid off by then. I jus sold another house so dwindle debt. Idk what cruise line yet.
Thanks Super Mario!
👍😃
Thank you for your answer, good plan
Of course Yasmin! 😀
Cruising is awesome expect that its not that environmentally friendly. It would be good if there were enough solar panels on the ship to power it as well as save up enough energy during the day to use throughout the night. Maybe like tow behind huge platforms with as many solar panels as you need.
Cruising is actually more eco-friendly than what it used to be and peoples perception of it. Newer ships are built with having a green footprint in mind. I do love the idea of solar panels though! I would like them for my home as well! Do you have them?
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ not currently something we do, but they're readily available almost everywhere nowadays.
Even if you want to live on a cruise ship full time, why would you want to spend 6 months on the same ship? There are two problems here. The first being that that ship is going to repeat the same or very similar itineraries many times. The second being that the facilities, entertainment, restaurants, etc get old pretty fast. I understand that you don;t want to "move" your habitat every week or two. But, wouldn't it be better to do so once a month or once every month and a half? New ship, new itineraries, new region, new shows, etc.
The auto checking and repricing of cruises is specific to certain TA's. I check every weekend and never once had my TA automatically check and reprice. I have told them twice of a price drop and they will reprice, but it would be nice not to have to check all the time.
Duncan, that's a bummer how long have you been working with that TA? Perhaps you could look into finding a different one that could prioritize that for you.
Duncan Taylor well you need a new travel agent!!!! Any especially with Mario as a client the agent doesn’t want to lose him
Have you considered opening your own travel agency? You get the commission on each cruise. Surprising savings.
What does Mario do during this chaotic time? What a great guy:)
What does he do about medical insurance?
Does Super Mario have Mobile Starlink satellite dish and service?
I know Mario stays in an interior cabin, which deck is his preference, front, mid or aft ship and why? Thanks for the videos and happy cruising!
When I went to book my cruise on board I’m limited to 3 bookings how is he able to book so many?
Per Mario "normally if you are a high Top Tier member (Pinnacle) of Crown &Anchor you may get an exception, depending on the Manager on duty."
Plus a Travel Agent my have a group blocked on a sailing, therefore might have amenities points which translates to maybe shipboard credit and a price break to the client.
Chris Williams that is why He transfers to a TA after he books it.. Great questions
If you have 10 back to back cruises booked, and they cancel cruise #7 what do you do when they kick you off for that week? Sounds VERY inconvenient and expensive unless you can switch to a sister ship that is in harbour that day.
Cruise Crazy, that is not a regular occurrence. Far worse is likely with typical hotels and airlines. With a cruiseline like this one, as Mario explained, there is always compensation: either a refund or an upgraded benefit for switching to another available ship. There is no extra cost to the guest, only added benefits.
@@brentshuffler1234 Hopefully the cruise line will be sure that the passenger suffers no losses at all.
I love this guy!
Mario is a super star!
What's your biggest problem with a cruise on board life!!!!! Cruise passages are they not the same as before. Examples 10 years ago and how different was it.
Mario, thank you for sharing your plans.
They are logical and well thought.
I have no wish to delve into your finances.
It would be good if you would share advice regarding a budget for cruises.
You stay on the same ship for months.
Does staff that you interact with regularly stay the same; cabin attendant and wait staff are two that come to mind.
Do you use cruise perks to prepay, or do you have a system?
Thanks Mario!
He has addressed some of your questions on other videos.
Tim per Mario "you have to figure out which cabin type (inside, balcony, Junior Suite) budget fits within your overall financial situation ... if you are going to live full time on cruise ships then you must be mindful of your total expenses (at sea + on land) and make sure it doesn't exceed your financial capacity for sustained living over many years."
Thank you Jack!
Thanks Mario and
When Mario talk about staying in the same cabin on back to back and back to back....Does it means to take the same cruise over and over again sometimes for 2-3 months? I thought the cruise company use the same ship for the same cruise route.
yes, he would stay on the same ship...many have two different routes that they rotate..
Helpful! I am looking for three cruises in a row for Sept 2020.... Checked everything on Royal's web and then went to a travel agent (I live in Uruguay). I asked for the same stateroom for all three and do not have an answer yet. I wonder if I have to check in in every initial port....
I'm just curious to ask Super Mario...why not just buy a condo on World or another ship that offers these?
Gilbert, I don't believe the world was around when Mario started cruising. There is something to be said though about being so invested into one cruise line and the perks and benefits that go along with it.
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ I would bet that doing it Mario style is cheaper than buying a condo on the world.
@@TheGregWallace That is absolutely correct. Like me, a fellow financial professional, he always chooses Inside Cabins and plans early, maximising discounts and savings far in advance. In another interview, he explained that, on average, he budgets U.S.$6,000 a month or U.S.$72,000 per year all inclusive. Given the rents/mortgages and cost of living in most big cities, this works out very well overall.
In other words, do your research and book at least two years ahead, and t hat would give you a much better price on your cruise.
And the cabin in what that you want.
Along with other things yes...
you forgot to check his mic. It was clacking on his necklace again.
Mario should hop onto serenade. It has a massive voyage coming from europe to Alaska and on to Australia.
michelle collins - He enjoys the perks of Royal and porting home often.
I thought he would be using those long term round the world cruises instead of 1-2 week long ones.
Yea it is interesting isn't it how he has the shorter cruises but it works out well so he can visit his home base frequently.
The best prices I’ve seen were a few weeks before the sailing. You can’t count on that though and you can wind up not making that sailing if it sells out.
We love last minute deals! But agreed, you can't count on them and need to be extremely flexible!
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ yeah. If you’re retired and live near a port that’s the way to go. There are crazy deals to be had.
Why choose 3 and 4 day cruises? Seems a lot more work than booking 10 day cruises.
Who is the travel agent of Super-Mario?
He's his own travel agent, because smart people book their own voyages.
@@DenaInWyo He clearly stated that, while he does his initial reservations with the Next Cruise department on the cruise-ship, he uses a travel-agency to manage all the details and any updates to his multiple reservations, which are made one to two years in advance. He also highly recommended that everyone use an excellent agent and explained why.
Thank you
D you are so welcome! Appreciate your support!
I'll like an up date of Mario 2022
Your wish is my command here is the Playlist with the updated Mario interviews! Interviews: ruclips.net/p/PLz4blHKPTE5Dj0ISZN1GEmvP3vAukg1x0
What kind of cabin does Mario have for the year?
He normally books inside cabin!
So what does it cost per year.....give us some sort of Idea.
Greg Wallace for super Mario is about 72k a year. Great question.
Good idea....does Mario sometimes switch ship? If he does, does his "pool side office" move with him? Just curious
Yes Mario typically switches ships every 4-6 months! And his pool side office gets set up on the new ship!
When you stay on the same ship and room back to back for that long, does the ship allow you to leave your luggage in the room or do you have to pack completely, leave the ship and then re-board?
When you back-to-back, if you have the same cabin, you stay there. No moving. An earlier video talks about this.
SgtBooker44 per Mario "no, you leave everything intact in your cabin, do the back-to-back procedure to clear passport control, and then back on the ship (and to your cabin) in no time."
Super Mario....you are my hero! We are almost identical....single, close in age, living in Ft.Lauderdale and retired...and two handsome dudes!! Is there some way I can make contact with you or the other way around to discuss this fascinating topic into a bit more detail? So much appreciate it!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the video. Unfortunately Mario doesn't have any social media accounts.
What if Mario is on A ship that has to go into A Dock for repairs? Does he change ship and bookings, or does he just go abroad for these couple of weeks?
I want to do this but have a plan to do it free hopefully great interviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
best of luck that you get to see your dream through!
Do you need to disembark and embark after every cruise even if you are keeping the same stateroom?
yes you have to leave the ship , go through Customs and then you can go back on
@@emmib1388 thanks!
How do you book your yearly doctors appointments on land?
Yasmin, Mario books his yearly check ups when the ship in making a turn around day in Miami. That is his "homebase" so he can keep up with those types of appointments. Good question!
What does he do when his passport is close to expiration?
Dont need passport from is ports but its good for 10 years
Per Mario: "passports are valid for 10 years ... I use a passport card when I release my passport for renewal ... takes only 2 weeks using expedited renewal."
When I look at the itinerary for Caribbean cruises I’m tired of all the ports...and only been there about three times.
@@mrrobvs There is no end to the variety that is available. Multiple cruiselines, each having multiple ships, multiple itineraries, and even the destinations evolve over the years, as the ships themselves also do with renovations, upgrades, new technologies, new services, new menus, new entertainments, and new excursions, etc. With each new ship, you will find that the ship itself is a destination fit to rival anything on land . . . and by the time that you would have experienced every ship in any one brand's fleet, you would have new ships to experience and new ports to visit.
Does Mario earn credit card points or RCCL points on these cruises?
As per Mario, "yes I do, I pay for all cruises with a rewards credit card and I get Crown & Anchor points for each cruise."
Alanna Zingano
WoWZA
Bingo!!
The travel agent that won the lottery.
What does he do for laundry? Last I looked it was VERY expensive.
He still has his home base that he takes his clothes during turnaround days!
What is the fee his travel agent recievs ?
Mark East - normally travel agents receives booking incentives from the cruise line. Mario (by using a travel agent) does not need to pay anything.
11-12% of base fare
He should sell that spreadsheet (empty of course) to prolific cruisers.
We been talking about it...
What cruise are is Mario on in Dec 16 2019
I'm not sure what ship Mario was on then Betty.
Hope he's on the Navigator of the seas in Dec
Where does he stay between cruises?
He has a home base in Miami.
I know this is two years ago.
If Mario is on a ship for that long, does he have to embark and disembark like everyone else or does he stay on the ship?
I used to date someone who worked on a cruise ship and I visited once for two in a row. During the turnaround day, I wasn't required to disembark and get back on, but I was required to attend a second muster drill.
Does Mario need to get off the ship in between the cruise and have to go through the checkin process even though the next cruise is on the same ship?
They discussed that in one of the previous episodes. Not sure what episode.
My only question is if he stay on board or he need to get out every time the cruise go to a new destination and every body need to get out what happens to him ?
When a new sailing starts he needs to clear customs and then he board the ship back.
Also have travel insurance
Yes important aspect to have for full-time travel!
...does Mario have to get off the ship at the end of each cruise and re-embark? Or can he stay on esp since he's in the same room most of the time...
Aaron if he isn't getting off the ship to run errands in his home port or anything else, yes he goes to a lounge they give him a transfer card and he becomes re-accounted for. We cover the topic in detail in another video if you want the full explanation.
makes sense, thanks so much :-)
I thought that travel agents went the way of the dinosaur because of the Internet.
Also, isn't the best price the one you'd get just before the sailing on Lastminutecruise.com, etc.
Toni, travel agents are very much still alive within the cruising industry. And with that website, I haven't personally used it but I know that booking last minute and ridiculously early are the best ways to save money on your cruise!
Booking last minute would be virtually impossible to do if you wanted the convenience of the same cabin for months in advance.
So Alanna, we may need to new tier for Mario - he isn’t a a pinnacle but a pineapple Plantation 💃🏼🕺🏼
Right?!?! I wouldn't be surprised if they created a new tier for 10k or above
Can Mario refer his agent to us?
Would Mario be willing to share his spreadsheet template so we don't have to create our own?
Jack Mortimer - please send me an email to azingano1@gmail.com! Mario is going to send me his template!
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ great l'd like a model of the spreadsheet also. 702PLACE@GMAIL.COM
Thanks for everything
Me too me too 💕
Me too! Thanks!! Jeff.kirchoff@gmail.com
Me too! Allenvicky44@icloud.com
You ever miss stuff like watching sports etc
On the cruises they have cable along with the sports bars!
Chad Clark welcome to the digital age. That’s not a concern any longer
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ Believe it is SATELLITE and not cable since that would require thousands of miles of line
Do you pay your travel agent?
He does not pay for his travel agent. He has been using the same person for years..
Alanna Zingano How does she get paid? Does she work for free? 😊
Wonder what he is doing now?
great question! I actually did an update video of where he is now! ruclips.net/video/6878WScWG0Y/видео.html
MARIO must of had his share of noisy and annoying neighbours in the cabins next to him over the years. How does he deal with this situation and does he have some advice on a peaceful cruise with so many passengers.
per Mario "not an issue when you sail in an inside cabin ... but my advice for dealing with annoying neighbors ? ... if all else fails, call Guest Services or Security and ask them to keep the noise down."
Wonder what he has been doing since Covid.
Not much in the way of cruising I'd think...
The Great Attractor - he is doing well in land.. Anxiously waiting for cruise to resume...
Very cool but why would you do this on Royal Caribbean and not Carnival? Carnival is cleaner, cheaper, and a lot more fun!
Ed Burhop - He did try Carnival along with other cruise lines. Mario prefers Royal due to the perks along with other benefits we talked in a previous season. Along with next week episode.
Carnival is like the Walmart of the Seas. Maybe okay to visit in a pinch, but as you yourself pointed out A LOT cheaper, and you get what you pay for in life. Royal Caribbean is a good line with the latest bells and whistles. Personally, I like Norwegian, but could certainly retire on a RCCL ship with no problem. Holland/Princess (both owned by Carnival) are both a tad more upscale but too sedate. Regardless, there are no bad cruises!
I am wondering how Mario is doing during pandemic. He must be missing the cruising.
He can't wait to get back on a ship.. His land legs don't work as well as he sea legs..
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ please convey best wish to him and hopefully in future he can talk about his life without cruise ship during pandemic.
this pandemic would be horrible for people like him still sounds like the best retirement plan
Well keep in mind he pays with credit cards to rack up points.. So he is using points to cover other costs..
@@CruisetheWorldAtoZ well it not about the cost he have choosen to live the way he do and they all shutdown currently luckily he have his home base but he cant live where he want to
why is Mario doing 3 or 4 days bookings why not 7 days?
It worked best for his schedule and mostly likely it made more financial sense.