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The consequences of such an unusual lifestyle are quite strange: Mario Salsedo has lost his “land legs,” as sailors say. After spending so much time at sea, he has nearly forgotten how to walk on solid ground.
The American businessman of Cuban descent, Mario Salsedo, known in cruise circles as Super Mario, has spent a quarter of a century on ocean liners. He has only been on land for a few days each year and took a longer break during the COVID pandemic.
How Did This Story Begin and Continue?
After taking his first cruise in 1997, Mario Salsedo was hooked. He tried out several cruise lines but settled on Royal Caribbean, as he liked their ships the best. Since 2000, he has practically lived continuously aboard their vessels.
His 1,000th cruise took place on the Explorer of the Seas, which had 3,286 passengers on board and set sail from Miami on January 5 of this year for an 11-day journey to Panama and the southern Caribbean.
A seasoned cruiser who runs an online investment management business, he decided to permanently embrace life at sea, “tired of the business world with its stiff suits and ties, as well as the long flights to meet international clients.” By the way, he doesn’t have any social media accounts.
According to Salsedo, he spends about $101,000 a year on his maritime lifestyle. His customer status with the cruise line is very high, so he is consistently offered a spacious cabin with a balcony. On some ships, they even set up makeshift offices for him on deck with a sign reading “Super Mario’s Office.”
He dedicates about five hours a day to work and spends the rest of his time enjoying himself.
The Strange Impact of Cruise Life on Health
Mario Salsedo shared, “I’ve lost my ‘land legs.’ On solid ground, I sway so much that I can’t walk in a straight line. I’m so used to being on ships that I feel more comfortable there than on land.”
Businesswoman Elaine Warren, who runs one of the cruise companies, explained that the loss of the ability to walk on solid ground, known as disembarkation syndrome, is a common phenomenon among avid cruisers.
According to her, many dream of spending as much time as possible on a cruise ship. “But when you switch from the dream of a vacation to the reality of life at sea, a lot of unexpected things happen, especially with your body. Short trips are one thing, but long-term stays on board are a completely different experience,” Warren told the Daily Mail.
“The body eventually adapts to the movement of the ship, but that’s not always a good thing. Many long-term cruisers find that they develop ‘sea legs.’ These passengers become so accustomed to the slight rocking of the ship that walking on land feels strange to them. I’ve spoken with people who have lived at sea for months, and they said that returning to solid ground disoriented them. It felt like the ground was moving beneath their feet,” she noted.
Meanwhile, Mario Salsedo confessed, “Cruises never get boring. It’s zero stress. And it’s the best lifestyle you can find.”
