While most people eagerly await their vacation to embark on a cruise, Mario Salcedo has made it his way of life. Known as “the happiest man in the world,” this Cuban resident of Miami has spent 25 years sailing across the oceans without any intention of returning to dry land.

Salcedo is not a sailor or a ship captain—his story began in 1997 when, after years of working in finance, he decided to take a vacation on a cruise. He enjoyed the experience so much that, two years later, he left his life on land behind and embarked on a one-way journey.

Since then, he has lived from cruise to cruise, spending most of his time aboard ships operated by Royal Caribbean. Salcedo spends around €100,000 every year on his cruises, staying in a balcony cabin, and finances his lifestyle with various tasks aboard the ships. His story gained fame when New York Times journalist Lace Oppenheim made a documentary about his life on the Enchantment of the Seas in 2019.

A Life Aboard the Ship

Known as “Super Mario” by the crew and passengers, Salcedo says that living on the sea allows him to avoid the problems of life on land. “I don’t have a mortgage, I don’t have to take out the trash, I don’t have to clean… Now I have all the time in the world to do what I want,” he explains in the documentary.

Salcedo insists that his decision to live at sea has been the best of his life. His days consist of walks on the deck, enjoying whiskey, attending evening shows, and staying updated on global events via TV and the internet. “Living life on a cruise is escaping reality: you leave the world you know behind and say, ‘I don’t want to be part of that world anymore. I want to create my world, my reality,’” he explains.

The Price of Life on the Sea

However, spending more than two decades on a cruise ship without frequently stepping on dry land comes with consequences. Over the years, Salcedo developed a condition known as “disembarkation syndrome.” This neurological disorder causes a persistent sensation of swaying or movement after being exposed to a constantly moving environment, like a cruise, plane, or even a long car ride. Unlike motion sickness, this syndrome doesn’t occur during the trip, but once the person returns to solid ground.

Elaine Warren, founder and CEO of The Family Cruise Companion, told the Daily Mail: “Spending prolonged time on a cruise sounds like a dream for many families. But when you live at sea, many unexpected things happen to your body. The first adjustment is the constant motion.

The body adapts to the movement of the ship over time, but not always in a positive way.” Salcedo himself shared with Condé Nast Traveler that he has “lost his land legs” and that he sways so much he cannot “walk in a straight line.” “I’m so used to being on ships that I feel more comfortable than on land,” he adds.

Despite these challenges, Salcedo remains content with his unique way of life. For him, the open sea represents freedom—free from the routines and pressures of land-based life.

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