For Heather and Paul Schlueter, retirement didn’t mean slowing down. The pair started traveling full-time in 2023, including setting a goal to spend one-third of the year on cruise ships.
The couple, who were previously based in Arizona but now spend only about a month there each year, also travel by plane, RV and train, but have found cruises play an important role in their nomadic lifestyle. “It’s the easy button for us,” said Heather, 56. “A lot of our other travels are complicated and require a lot of work. When we need a break, and we want to be pampered, we want everything taken care of for us, we’re like, ‘You know what? It’s time for a cruise.'”
Younger passengers have shown increased interest in cruises in recent years, but older guests still make up a large portion of their clientele. According to Cruise Lines International Association’s 2025 State of the Cruise Industry Report, 17% of cruise travelers were between 50 and 59, while 18% were between 60 and 69.
With cruise lines offering a wide range of sailings, including some stretching for months at a time, travelers can comfortably spend much of their retirement on the high seas. Here’s how.
Jim Lenahan, executive editor for AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin, said, “Cruise travel is of high interest to our members.” He cited a number of reasons, from its “floating hotel” format, which allows guests to unpack just once, to its atmosphere.
“Most of the commercials, I think, are geared at the family audience, which is, you know, roller coasters and water slides and all sorts of constant activities that you do,” he said. “But what we find is that a lot of the appeal to the older crowd is the cruises where you can relax, where you don’t necessarily have a shore excursion every day, where you can just spend some time … sitting, relaxing, looking out at the ocean.”
A survey released by AARP also found that among travelers 50 and older taking a cruise in 2025, 71% said it was the best way to visit multiple destinations, while 62% said it was hassle-free.
For frequent travelers like the Schlueters, who document their trips on their YouTube channel, cruises similarly allow them to “sample the world” according to Paul, 62, but they also give them time to reset.
“Sometimes when we’re on our other travels, and we’re just really busy and not taking great care of our health, when we feel the need … we will go book two, three, four weeks on cruises so we can dedicate gym time and [have] great healthy food,” Heather said. Cruises can have a reputation for overindulgence, but she’s found many ships offer a wide range of choices – including lighter fare and options for those with dietary restrictions.
“So when we tell people, ‘Well, we’re going to go take some cruises to get healthy,’ they all laugh at us. But it is actually true,” she said. For older travelers with mobility limitations, cruises can also be an accessible way to see the world.
The Schlueters added that incorporating cruises into their travel can be more cost-effective than other modes of transport. “It is often cheaper to do a 12-day transatlantic cruise where all your food’s included, entertainment’s included … to do that than take a flight,” Heather said. The adjustment to the time change is more gradual, as well.
“We get an experience out of it, too,” Paul added.
Travelers might think of a typical cruise as lasting anywhere from three to seven nights. However, cruise lines offer a variety of options that allow guests to enjoy extended stays on board.
The Schlueters often take back-to-back or side-to-side cruises (the latter involves disembarking one ship and boarding another on the same day). Many cruise lines also offer long voyages such as world cruises that visit multiple continents and last between three and five months on average – though Royal Caribbean International’s recent Ultimate World Cruise sailed for 274 nights.
Travelers can also book those itineraries in segments, allowing guests to board for days, weeks or months at a time.
There are residential cruise ship concepts that function more like permanent homes at sea, as well, though they generally aren’t run by major cruise lines, and some have faced operational hiccups.
Bridget Marshall, Global Travel Manager at Audley Travel, suggested that travelers determine what type of experience they want. “Clients should consider if they want an adults-only ship, and whether they are looking for a more intimate experience where they will get to know the other guests and crew (a ship of 200-400 guests would be ideal for this),” she said in an email.
Marshall recommended brands such as Holland America Line “for a mature client looking for a premium category cruise,” or Silversea Cruises for a luxury feel. Passengers can also mix it up, but it can pay to stick with the same line: travelers who spend extended periods sailing can earn loyalty status that comes with rewards such as complimentary drinks or priority boarding.
The Schlueters’ loyalty status with Celebrity Cruises entitles them to free laundry service onboard. “And for those of us who travel extensively, that’s important and otherwise expensive,” Heather said.
Cabin category is important, too – especially on longer trips when it serves as a home away from home. “When booking the cruise element, I suggest clients select a higher suite category to give them more space for a longer cruise, or access to butlers and extra amenities,” Marshall said (some stateroom types also come with complimentary laundry service, as well, among other perks).
Depending on how long passengers are planning to travel, packing light is often helpful. That could mean simply paring down the number of suitcases they bring – or something more extreme.
The Schlueters rented out their house at first, but after deciding they were committed to full-time travel – and realizing they could make more by putting that money in the market – they sold it and got rid of many of their belongings. They keep a stash of items in a northern Arizona cabin they co-own with family, but otherwise travel with just one backpack and one computer bag each.
There are other practical considerations, too. Marshall suggested travelers “consider their mobile phone/internet needs, as it may be useful and cheaper to purchase an eSIM card with an international plan in advance.” The Schlueters also got an international health insurance plan, which can cover medical expenses conventional plans may not (cruise ships have their own medical staff and facilities, too, in case health problems arise at sea).
The pair noted that they spent a lot of time communicating about what they each wanted out of retirement and their travels.
“I think for sure, extensive travel, including extensive time on cruise ships, for us personally has been wonderful (couple time), togetherness that, as you’re working and raising children, you don’t have that,” Heather said. “And we’ve made deliberate efforts to say, ‘Hey, this is our time now, and we’re doing this together.’ So I do think that’s super important.”
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
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