A millionaire has lived on cruise ships for over 25 years

Mario Salcedo, a Cuban-born millionaire investor, has lived exclusively on cruise ships for over 25 years. After building a fortune in finance, he left his Miami apartment in 1998 and never returned to permanent land life.

Since then, he's completed more than 1,154 back-to-back cruises with Royal Caribbean. Crew members know him as "Super Mario", a nickname born from his constant presence and unique lifestyle. "I don’t have vacations. People come here to vacation. I’m here to live my life", he told The New York Times in 2019.

Salcedo works remotely from a reserved table on deck, marked by a handwritten sign that reads "Super Mario’s Office". He manages his investments there, funding a lifestyle that costs between $70,000 and $100,000 per year. He chooses interior cabins without balconies: "I only use my cabin to shower, dress, and sleep".

To maintain his routine, he books up to 150 cruises in advance, avoiding the need to disembark. He lives in a world of pools, dance floors, and ever-changing travel companions. His life is mobile, rootless, but rich in daily experiences.

The biggest cost of this life isn’t financial—it’s physical. After decades swayed by ocean motion, Salcedo developed mal de debarquement syndrome, a rare neurological condition. When he steps on land, he loses balance and can’t walk straight. His body no longer recognizes stable ground.

This syndrome occurs because the vestibular system, which controls balance, adapts to constant ship movement. When the environment becomes still, the brain continues to process non-existent motion. Affected people feel the ground moving beneath them, even when standing still.

"I don’t have vacations. People come here to vacation. I’m here to live my life"