I once started to write an editorial. It was great.
67
Wow. I am having a hard time with all the negative comments here. Having literally just come back from a 2 week NCL transatlantic cruise (Port Canaveral to Barcelona), I clicked on this article because I almost always leave a cruise ship depressed that the cruise is over and wishing I could just stay on the sea forever. Now I must admit that depends on the ship. We spent a horrible week with the in-laws on one of those 6k passenger mega-ships one year (the in-laws love that ship) and vowed we would never go on that ship ever again.
But we love being on ships and on the sea. When I finished this article and the video, I thought, wow, that's just what I want to do. Mario seemed perfectly happy and totally content. I didn't detect a hint of sadness. I saw the family that didn't believe he was happy. My guess is THEY would never be happy doing what Mario is doing. ME, it would be heaven...the sound of the waves, the gentle rocking of the ship, the smell of the salt air. At night the waves rock you to sleep. It's lovely. A week at the beach w/o the sand.
And don't forget the port days. We have now been to Spain 3 times, so overall, 3 days in each port. Each year we do something we haven't done yet, see something new in Funchal, Cadiz, Malaga and Barcelona. Gone around the tip of S. America and up the entire coast of Norway. 2 weeks in the Baltic. Seen penguins, whales, otters, sea lions, glaciers, fjords. Australia, New Zeeland, France, Italy. What's not to love?
18
What’s not to love: the people who love cruises.
3
I would imagine Salcedo is mugging for the camera, happy to help out a young Harvard, wanna be film-maker. If the story reads a little stilted, maybe it stems from a very wealthy man agreeing to help out the grandson of some other wealthy friends and finding out that this student filmaker is a little less interested in just documenting his 20 year trip and a little more interested in taking a short cut to those uncanny moments where one is, inevitably, sitting alone and smoking or awkwardly visiting with other cruisers while some tow-headed kid films it all. It's a little presumptuous and disrespectful of Salcedo for Oppenheim to pin him down like this, for the sake of his film... reminds of the storyline in the surprisingly charming While We're Young, a very funny and sweet film. One doesn't opine out of the air that they're the happiest guy in the world... no doubt, Salcedo is answering the filmmaker's off-camera questions and responding to the ongoing conversation.
Maybe another valid part of the story should reveal how a 20 year old college kid gets an op-docs opportunity. The who knows who tree would be very revealing.
41
One of the worst videos I have watched. Hope I never get to see his story again, ever.
The only part of this in which I envy Super Mario is his plan for the end.
I can see why Mr. Salcido made the choice he did. Good for him. But now I know FOR SURE I will never take a cruise. All that unending noise. How can you get away from it all on a cruise ship without noise canceling devices?
1
Well done movie - what living in a bubble is like. Granted we all live in our own bubble, but this one seems so ineluctably prison like, however luxurious.
So many possibilities, well - just in case, compare and contrast, google "matthieu ricard happiness ted"
What a sad commentary on "happiness" in our society.
So far from my values...
1
This piece was really done well and I just wanted to congratulate Mr. Oppenheim on the video. The subject was captured in a very authentic way and without color. The videography and direction was done so well. Great work!
1
As a cruise ship crew member, I can confirm that Super Mario is living his dream on the backs of an exploited underclass that serves him.
2
I had to stop watching a few minutes in. Man had either a drink in one hand or a cigarette. Doesn’t enjoy being around people. Why not stay home in his house or apartment and watch Fox News 24/7.
1
The comments are biting. Obviously a lot of commenters have not spent much time with retirees.
3
Most of the retirees I know take classes through the local universities and other educational centers. They also keep themselves busy with hobbies, grandchildren, religious services, volunteer work, etc. Even the "older" ones--80+ years old keep busy and socially active.
To each his/her own, but billing someone as the "happiest man in the world" is an invitation to feedback--it's a strange kind of title for someone who lives a non-traditional life on the seas. I know many "happy" people--all of them lead very active lives--on land.
2
Mario has found himself in a cynical place in his older years. This is not an unusual outcome. He threw in the towel about relationships years ago. He sees them as inherently shallow, so might as well accept a life that is shallow.
If he had married and had kids, maybe he would have had more skin in the game, but maybe not. Families and relationships fall apart for a lot of people as time wears on. Even so, why didn’t he marry? It’s a good deal for men. What about his family of origin? Where are they to anchor him? He comes from another culture, given his slight accent, but he made good (money) in the U.S. culture. There’s more story behind the cursory facts in the article. There were almost no facts about his previous life in the video. It was a setup to show an odd life form.
He sat for the video because he knows what his life is. He is on money life-support. This is one life played out on the choices one person, alone, can make with money. It is not an unusual American story.
5
Wes Andersen film coming up. Lobsters on a Danube cruise to Budapest. Or something like it.
1
Good job Lance! Your film was well made and generated a lot of discussion about very meaningful topics. It got me and apparently many other people thinking and feeling. Mission accomplished.
1
I don't see happiness in this man's face.
8
What a pitiful, pathetic little existence. If he were truly happy, I would not begrudge him his lifestyle, selfish and lonely though it is. The interaction he had with the tourist families with kids was most telling… they felt sad for him, they could see how pathetic is life is and that his professed happiness rang hollow. I can only surmise that the film maker is playing a cruel joke on poor Mario, because while Mario thinks that he’s famous for being the happiest man in the world, the filmmaker is actually showing the opposite in a fairly obvious way, including showing that some of his best friends are paid to treat him well.
9
I think it's very difficult to judge a man's happiness. And "compared to what"
2
How does he pay for it all?
3
Like strolling The Strip in Vegas, the feel of this little documentary is squishy and vapid, leaving behind a guilty shame forceven looking in on this man’s life.
Is he happy? Only he could answer that but he may not even know.
The plasticity and gaucheness of the surroundings leaves a bitter taste of regret and having settled for something inauthentic. A bit like Trump and his *presidency.
6
What a sad life.
2
Reminds me a little of the people living on the "Axiom" in the film Wall-E
3
That was amazing
1
Looks like slow suicide and mind numbing boredom to me. What happens when the cruise lines ban smoking?
4
I am tremendously saddened by the attitude of so many of the comments - soooo judgemental! (Just one of many examples: "...however, it appears he smokes and drinks a lot, spends a significant amount of time on the computer and watching TV, is overweight, has bags under his eyes, etc " Wow!) These comments remind me of the ones I expect to read in the local/regional papers I read on a regular basis - not at all what I expect from readers of the NYT.
If he can afford this lifestyle, he has choices. I haven't seen the film, but I say, More power to him. If this is what makes him happy, go for it! And don't listen to the rest of these harpies.
8
I'm planning on spending the remaining years of my life in a Holiday Inn lobby.
13
I’d do it if I could....
4
God do what a cruel world we live in.To the state the obvious about Super Mario is repetitive. What's more interesting is the 20 year old Harvard film student with all his "worldly experience" objectifying the "other" - the weird, the different, the lonely. It's this underlying Lord of the Flies ethos that is so apparent in this directors psyche that I find so disturbing, not poor Super Mario.
6
Sounds like he's doing what he wants with his life. More power to him!
Isn't that what "the pursuit of happiness" is all about?
5
Happy? I think not, not down deep as I understand it. Why would one pay good money to live like an automaton - eat, sleep, toilet, smoke, alcohol, smile, passive entertainment, book the next float to nowhere... Why pay others big bucks to enjoy the real rewards: plan the detailed route, navigate, landfall, weather-watch, provision, operate, maintain the ship, radio, safety? I'd rather have a small sailboat any day, and get more exercise while I'm at it. Maybe help others less fortunate as and when. Life is all about thinking of others, learning and meeting challenges, preferably with close partners. Good doc, reminds me how good I have it.
3
On many of my cruises I have come across several full-time ship travelers. While some would question what seems like a rootless existence, I found that these people have made the ship and its crew their friends, who interact with them on a first-name basis, cater to their whims and watch out for their well-being. Medical assistance is just a few decks below, the food is fresh, healthful and mostly delicious, the air quality is excellent, and good, interesting people are just a handshake away.
9
No different than the life most people live in old age, hanging around the house, watching tv, talking with the workers and customers at the local coffee shop or deli. To each their own. Unlike other commentators I don’t see a life of despair or isolation, at least not more than the typical retiree.
9
Despite his claim, I doubt that he is the happiest person. I doubt that he is happy!
1
I wouldn't be too quick to judge Mr. Salcedo as hedonistic. To me it seems like he's in a full service retirement home, except better. The crew are his friends and he's found a way to make himself somewhat helpful as unofficial ambassador. Good for him!
7
Never been on a cruise, and watching this film confirms my choice. The few people I know who go on them often, go as a couple or family and enjoy having their days programmed. The closest thing I've done is go on tours when traveling, and didn't like being shuttled with limited time from place to place. No thanks. I'll go at my own pace and take control of my trip.
3
On our last cruise we met a woman who cruises 10 months out of 12 and is very happy doing it. Her husband had died and left her sufficient funds. She seemed very happy and why not? Her children were into their careers, the food was good, and the accommodations fine. But you have to have the money to do it and she did.
6
Somehow his life seems to be missing the responsibility of failure and the rebound that can make a life. When you pay and have no commitments, what is the point of existence?
2
He doesn't strike me as the happiest guy in the world.
Purpose gives meaning to life. As do loved ones.
2
Speak for yourself, not for all.
2
I get it. Retirement is either boring or in constant vacation mode. If boring, then you go back to work in someway. But that indicates as empty a life as Mario’s. That person has nothing if s/he isn’t working. Mario has nothing and surrounds himself with silly tourists and professional servants. The former’s glad-handing and the later’s perpetual obsequiousness would wear me down. In fact, no one around Mario is authentic. Maybe that’s a good last chapter. These days it doesn’t seem to matter. Logic and reason have curdled into what sounds right. And that is probably the most salient point about Mario. He is a product of this time. Hey, he even watches Fox News! He isn’t totally at sea if he wants to keep plugged into the culture war.
4
How do I erase having seen this from my consciousness?
3
Personally, cruise ships give me the creeps but that’s just me. Translate this article to French and you have a treatment for a existential noir film from the 60’s or 70’s.
8
Sad here too is the misconception that anyone you "compensate" is your friend. The awkwardness displayed by the crew towards this gentleman during what appears to be a swing period makes that point. It's living a pseudo life much like people do on Facebook. Cheers to him, but glad it's not me...
3
Each human being has this vague idea of happiness. I guess what made him special is that acted on it.
5
I liked this film.
The comments are so diverse; it moved many people to think "what if it was me?" That's a good standard for a documentary.
The editing choices say more about the filmmaker's view of Mario's life, less about who Mario is and why he made the choices he did. For that, you had to read the accompanying article.
Thanks for a nice film.
8
I think of my older relatives and their lives of isolation- despite my visits- and realize that this is little different, but perhaps with a better view and a moderately greater amount of volition on his part in changing and choosing ships. When you have few attachments as Mario does, perhaps this is just fine. And perhaps this is just fine even if you have a few attachments who are not so constant. Its not much different than high end assisted living.
8
On our travels around the world over the years, we have come across little, rustic bars in faraway (usually beach) locations where there are expats who have just "dropped out". They lead a very simple, cheap lifestyle on the local economy and have no interest in returning to their previous life. Mario sounds like a similar character.
12
Perhaps the filmmaker's endgame was the conversation generated here about the meaning of life and happiness. If so, reading the variety of reactions and reflections it generated I would say it was quite successful. Still waters run deep.
7
I was surprised that Mario has to keep booking new cruises every so often. That would drive me bonkers--not knowing where my "home" was going to be from one year (or month) to the next. He obviously has few possessions to worry about. He's free from mundane everyday tasks, but it seems more like a perpetual Disneyland than real life.
It seems like a lifestyle he enjoys; however, it appears he smokes and drinks a lot, spends a significant amount of time on the computer and watching TV, is overweight, has bags under his eyes, etc. The ending was ironic-his obvious smoker's cough--after stating he thinks he has a lot more living in his future. To me, he doesn't look very healthy, but maybe it's difficult to judge from such a short film.
I know people who go on long (for months) cruises and I also am acquainted with people who work on cruise ships in various capacities. Those are short-term adventures, though, and I don't know anyone who works or travels on these ships for more than a year at a time.
Although people always urge me to give cruising a try, I say "no way." I like firm, dry land.
6
I once knew of an elderly women in a seaside convalescent home located on a wealthy island in New England. She thought she was on a cruise in her room, that was directly overlooking the water. She thought the nurses and others were cruise ship employees and asked them about ports of call, menus, etc. I thought to myself, yes, that's how I'd love to check out of this world, on a permanent cruise.
10
Seems like a very detached way of living, what happens if he gets sick? Oh well, it could be worse. At least he isn't hurting anyone.
2
To each his own but to me it seems to be a sad life. Living in a pretend world filled with superficial relationships. Definitely not for me.
22
After the last presidential election, many here in the US found many of their relationships, including close family ones, were at bottom, superficial. This is a truth always lurking in the backgound that many don't want to admit. The divorce rate after eternal promises to one's soul mate/best friend are only one obvious example.
As for a pretend world, that's what much of everyday lives are for many, although they don't realize it.
1
We think that if we repeat things to others (and to ourselves) all the time they will come true: "I'm the happiest guy in the world". We think that as long as we act in a certain way, people won't notice. When one looks at Mr. Salcedo from the outside it is clear that, sadly, he is not a happy man, but a profoundly solitary soul. It is deeply disturbing because you can see that he is trying to convince himself that he is happy. He is clearly not. The saddest part to me was when he was saying hi to the cruise staff. They think he is weird (isn't it obvious?) but he's a paying customer and as such, they are just being nice. It was cringe worthy. Very sad.
15
I also took away a sad message. His happiness seems hollow.
2
After all those years as a customer, the very least that Royal Caribbean owes this solitary fellow is the comfort and companionship of a permanent, cruising therapy dog, of his own choosing.
6
That would be shamefully cruel to the dog. They are living creatures, with needs, not stuffed toys.
3
Thank you for the captions in the video!!!
1
This is not the life for me, but that guy is a unique case. It is so obvious that’s the director created an impression of a very depressing, superficial life. He could have probably produced a second documentary by choosing other segments and made him sound quirky and amusing.
7
We are reminded that "one man's heaven is another man's hell".
I do have to complement the editor on some neat fades. One from a close-up of smoking in the day to smoking in the night. Another starting at 6:45 as land retreats, then the expanse of skyscrapers fades to be the expanse of empty sea with a really appropriate musical accompanyment.
4
What a sad shallow person. I rather feel sorry for him.
10
Lost interest when he wanted his fox news - The ultimate escaping reality.
24
Ha, my thoughts exactly! I need Fox to keep the happiness illusion going.
1
I went to a 2nd rate college and basically partied and drank for 4 years. After that I decided that's enough for me.
7
So where is the rest of the story?
6
My partner, Anna, and I have take a few cruises. One was aboard Princess to Alaska and the other on Holland America to Hawaii. While the accommodations and the food were good, the opportunities to really engage the destinations are lacking. You get a few hours in a given port to do the tourista gig. Maybe you spend extra money for an overpriced excursion promoted by the cruise line. Most of the clientele are seniors, as are we, who want to be led around by the hand, never having the opportunity to really see what a destination has to offer. It's a lazy man's travel agenda. If you want to experience the local culture, don't try to do it on a cruise ship.
17
Modt people like to do a number of things. Some people like to one thing all time. Some of these people are Ill, they are obsessive compulsives or addicts. But as long as these people are not trying to stop and are unable, they should not be pitied. Please, live and let live.
4
I would not be so quick judge Mr. Salcedo or ascribe personality or emotional traits to his lifestyle choices. He strikes me as someone who would change his situation if he didn't enjoy it. Given the isolation of many elderly people, perhaps the cruise ship offers a true benefit in activities and social atmosphere. He does seem to have a number of fellow "continual" cruisers who share his lifestyle. To each their own. But I would certainly want to see a mountain or forest every so often.
32
"I have nothing to look forward to, other than new ships......" Super Mario
Wow, and then the people listening to him say, that's great, Mario. I'm sure there is a lot here for a psychologist, but I'll just say, Mario, there is more to life than new ships for you. Get out of your comfort zone, and stretch a little.
9
Man without a country
4
Interesting editing choice. He says "all the time in the world," just as the B-roll shows him taking a drag on a cigarette....
9
Happy? Really?
What a bore.....
4
Reminds me of the Twilight Zone episode where a low life crook can't understand why after death he is in a place that all his wants are met - then realizes that he is in Hell not Heaven.
36
Not many people seem lo like his life style. Well, for one he doesn't have to work, I hope he has a hobby besides the boat, ha ha. Is his life boring? You have the same view from your window too. Maybe he looks out his "window" and imagines he's on land or in an apartment, who knows. If he says he's happy good for him.
5
I retitled this piece. Hell On Water. You are welcome.
13
On my return trip, Naples to NY, in summer 1966 abroad the USS Atlantic the ship broke down (engine trouble) in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. We were stranded for 5 days at sea and served sauerkraut juice. At that point reality hit, yet everyone was calm and life went on at sea. A surreal 5 days in my early twenties. I'll take a flight, thank you!
1
Great story, with a huge quality.
This kind of lifes sends you a big message to think about where we are going to live our next years.
Recomended 100%
4
Happiest guy in the world? With no lasting ties, and nothing more to aspire to? Nothing about this comes across as joyful. In fact, it’s my idea of hell.
Many people with that much money and time on their hands would put it toward helping others, work for an environmental cause, or otherwise try to do good in the world. Lounging around on cruise ships for 20 years is throwing your life away.
Cruise ships are horribly polluting things, brimming with too many brash people, most of whom eat and drink endlessly. Who would consider that home?
16
Where's my Dramamine?
7
Looks like an article tailor made to suit cruise ship advertisers. Is is a sponsored infomercial?
2
non-stop motel room service?
3
If Jeffrey Lebowski had money...
2
This man is fully aware of why he chooses this life. He’s happy. He’s not in denial. I applaud him.
8
somehow, this reminds me of “The Florida Project”
2
I guess the addition of Fox news on board makes his escape from reality complete.
57
That's gold, Evelyn....GOLD !
8
I WOULD GO BONKERS.
10
I love the moment when the people he's regaling with his lifestyle choices start to realize how empty his life is, and actually look sorry for him. "Gee pal, that's.... Great. Congrats."
5
Reconfirms to me to never go back on a Cruise. Waste of a life.
8
And the point of this expose is?
4
wow that was the most uninformative documentary I've ever seen - we learned nothing. We don't even know his age as a basic, his background - what he did for a living - how wealthy is he - did he have children - how many times was he married... Sorry Oppenheims - you did not deliver on either if he's happy or if he's not...
5
This seems so profoundly vapid and sad.
8
Hope they have a decent doctor on the ships as this guy is close to having a heart attack and or lung cancer.
He seems so pathetically lonely and sad to me.
The only thing that would make this life worse to me is a ship full of Fox viewers who are also cat people. I would have to jump overboard.
14
Thank you for your service, GeorgiaDem.
1
In addition to all of the comments, let’s not forget how wasteful and environmentally damaging these cruises are. So he is more like, the dirtiest guy in the world.
9
What a sad, empty life. What self-deception... does he look or sound like a happy, fully realized human being? Actually, he looks like a puffy, self-deceiver who drinks too much as he slides through life to what purpose? No judgment here; simply sympathy and regret for wasted opportunity.
2
No judgement? None at all?
4
How profoundly sad.
3
Deep down there is a hidden issue here. Could not uncover it from this piece.
7
I would be the happiest woman too if I had Mario's money. And I would be happiest sitting on my small porch, litening to the birds, the winds and the crickets!
29
If you read the 2016 in the Sun Sentinel newspaper, you'd learn that Mr. Salcedo conducts his business from aboard the ship, and books economy staterooms to stay on a budget of around $65,000/yr., so this lifestyle doesn't require extraordinarily wealth.
Every one of these letters seem to assume no body ever leaves the boat but part of a cruse is the ports that are visited. Every one is a new experence.
1
I have always found that anyone who feels the need to proclaim their happiness repeatedly may in fact be very far from it
5
Was he, in fact, proclaiming; or did Mr Oppenheim just hear about him and follow up w/an interview?
Interesting lifestyle choice. Obviously some people don’t enjoy it but he seems to be happy. He also has no maintenance, cooking, cleaning obligations. Good for him!
4
Can't help but pick up on the tight shots of his drinking and smoking, culminating in a rheumy cough that punctuates his hope for a long life ahead. Looks like the edit was meant to provide an undertone of mockery at the subject's life choices. Fair? Not so sure.
6
"I like being alone." On a cruise ship? Really? That's where one goes for solitude? What croc...!
3
I love the irony. He's "alone" in the middle of thousands of people on cruise ship after cruise ship. He also seems to interact with lots of people on a regular basis--the travelers, the crew. It's not like he's in a cabin in the middle of the woods. Very odd definition of "alone."
The ultimate nightmare! As an avid traveler it’s the equivalent to being locked in the monkey house.
3
Well, then, just tell him how unhappy he is, and he'll put an end to the journey.
1
i'd lose my mind
9
Does he need a companion! : )
I meant to write:
Does he need a companion? : )
1
Why does the happiest guy in the world rarely smile?
10
It's interesting and rather sad that Mario keeps insisting he's the happiest guy in the world. It seemed he was trying to convince himself that his lifestyle of being solo where his only friends are the staff and a few other cruisers with similar lifestyles.
He reminds me of characters in the play "Steambath" by Bruce Jay Friedman- they're deceased but they don't know it.
4
My lord...why is it that every time the NYT has an article about cruise ships, the long New Yorker knives come out?
Some of you have remarked about Mr. Salcedo's boring, bubble-like existence.
I was disabused of New Yorkers' sense of great entitlement and superiority after living there for 4 years. The majority of my friends haven't been to a play or museum in 20 years, and spend lonely evenings glued to their computer screens eating bad take-out Chinese food.
Who'd you say was living in the boring bubble?
16
Good comment. New Yorkers are some of the most closed minded / provincial / shallow people in world. They think the latest clothing styles, food fads. and entertainment is the end all and be all. (Disclaimer born and bred New Yorker.)
7
Odd editing. The bit about the ship getting Fox News appeared twice. But otherwise a fascinating short documentary. Made me think of Errol Morris's work at the end. Thank you.
Peculiar article. It had no conclusion. It just stops. Odd.
1
Couldn't even finish the video.
It's like going to Vegas. The first two or three or four times, there was always something new. As time went by, the new things had become as predictable and boring as "I Love Lucy" reruns. Vegas went from two to three times a year to once every two or three years.
Have never been on a cruise, and probably never will, at least on the ocean. A river cruise in Europe, though, does have a certain appeal. Better yet, I once read an article about cruises on the rivers and canals of France where the boat furnishes bicycles you can ride along the route, allowing you to stop and enjoy the local wines, cafes and places of interest and return to the barge miles later. The boat moves slowly enough that these side excursions are encouraged.
Now that, that might have possibilities for more extended stays.
12
The Dean of Students at my alma mater, retired and became the Bridge instructor on ships of the Norwegian Line.
He seemed like a very happy fellow.
10
I played in a show band on a cruise ship for almost a year in the early 80's. I was at a certain level of worker status that was privileged with their own private dining room and waitstaff. This was provided mostly because lower level third world staffs' wages were so ridiculously low and this could be provided to us very inexpensively. For breakfast there was an absolute myriad of items to choose from including several different types of cold fish dishes (for breakfast!). In the end, I would have given my right arm to avoid interacting with a waiter in the morning and to be able to crack a few eggs into a skillet in the privacy of my own kitchen making a simple omelet.
7
my wife and i have been on about 50 cruises w celebrity lines - sometimes three back to back. we enjoy the cruising and enjoy coming home once the weather starts to turn more mild in new york area.
good for him.enjoy every minute. unfortunately, with his smoker's hacking cough and the presence of his cigarettes and being in the smoking areas-his life my be shortened.there are very, very few area you can smoke (not in your cabin or veranda) so this may limit his life-shortening habit.also, if you do the financials,it does not cost much more or perhaps it is same or less living on a ship than having a house.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/retirement/2017/10/...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/24/business/retiring-on-a-cruise-ship.html
i was unable to get a definitive answer about paying the IRS taxes (on SS, pensions, investments, etc)if you give up your land residence but maintain your USA citizenship.
I was told by an knowledgeable employee on a cruise ship that there are very few crew and staff from the USA because the US is one of the very few, perhaps only,countries that require taxes paid regardless of where you reside if you are a citizen.my son lives in switzerland and gets a certain exemption of the first $100k or so from US taxes but still has to pay local swiss taxes.they get you coming and going.crew staff from other countries pay no income tax i was told.
5
Anyone who says they are "the happiest guy in the world," would seem to be begging the question. On the other hand, I sometimes remind myself that I'm rather content. No cruises for me, though. To each his (or her) own!
2
Decades ago a very old man, the happiest I ever met, told me that there is only one kind of success in life: To live your life the way YOU want.
62
Or so he convinced himself...what if he had a partner? Did his needs come first? Doesn't sound like that would be a ticket to happiness. What if he didn't have a partner? Most of us at some point understand loneliness and the insecurity that shadows it. Humans can convince themselves of anything, but it does not mean it's true. If you asked your current President, for example, about how happy he is, he would lie and say something like he's the happiest man on earth. He's doing everything possible to live his life exactly the way HE wants to. Things seem to be getting in his way... and he would still believe his statement to be true.
1
That was a smart old man.
1
This is the stuff of a novel by Charles Dickens. The story on the surface is a man of money enjoying life by traveling around the world in what appears to be a luxurious environment. But the deeper tale is that of a lonely sole who purchases the affections of others while surrounded by the illusions of wealth.
I must confess that after a major life crisis the prospect of cruising around the world with no moorings (literally and metaphorically) sounds attractive. But seeing this doc gives me pause. The path to happiness lies in finding freedom from desires and aversions, not indulging them. Mario seemingly lives in the moment, but his fears are palpable. Has he found enlightenment or is he trapped in an endless cycle unfulfilled attachments?
A series of cruises to nowhere is about as apt a metaphor as one could ask for.
46
Perfectly stated.
3
Yes, and on top of that he insisted that they play the lying bitter, angry Fox "News" on the cruise ship's TV.
This clearly isn't a man who is at peace. He is hiding his emptiness from himself by being distracted by constant motion.
Analyzing and guessing another's true state of mind is unfair and ignorant. He may be one hundred percent fulfilled and not lonely at all. And he may have no interest in nor believe in enlightenment, including your brand of it. Speak for yourself only. Remember the old saying about how couples with children and couples without children often feel sorry for each other. Different strokes for different folks remains as true as ever.
4
Mr Salcedo, I predict, will not have a long life. The cruise lifestyle is inherently unhealthy. We all know there is too much food and liquor and not enough activity.
And without close relationships loneliness is inevitable.
The summation of all these risk factors is not longevity!
4
Those he encounters seem generally uncomfortable around him. At some level, he seems realize and accept it, while constantly explaining that he is "happy" in order to ease the tension. His fellow voyagers may harbor some jealousy that he "made it over the wall," but it also seems they don't genuinely understand him and, as a result, may be somewhat fearful of him.
He wants people to take care of him, and he wants to be around new people all the time, without being tied to anyone. Serious personal commitments and/or a return to land would likely be the end of him. He has not escaped reality; rather, he believes he has created his own fantasy world as faux reality. He feels in control, but in fact he is controlled by the environment others persistently, though ephemerally, provide for him.
He deserves credit for being no hermit. He promotes himself to the crowds, wanting them to know who he is and what he is doing. Couldn't that be construed as a "service to the community?"
I suspect his attitudes about death are shared by many.
Live and let live.
4
Clearly Mario's cruising lifestyle isn't for everyone, as most of the commenters here would agree. It seems nightmarish to me, frankly.
But he had a job and a life on land and consciously gave it up to live like a wealthy nomad on the sea. And he hasn't turned back after nearly 20 years, though it appears that he has the means to live however he would like. A life of transience -- with superficial relationships to both places and people -- seems to suit him.
I admire his guts in breaking from conventional and doing what pleases him. I wonder how many of us would make that choice, even if we had the money.
8
Seemed sad and actually lonely to me.
8
The older I get, the more I realise how little I know about the lives of others: what makes, for any individual, a happy and rewarding life, a good romantic partnership, a fulfilling job. I've just learned from my own life that it's often not what society holds up as exemplars.
If this works for Mr. Salcedo, more power to him. I've certainly met people living stranger lives than his, and they seemed quite happy.
28
The meaning of happiness is different for all of us. For him that’s his way of life and it makes him happy. Kudos.
4
After a week of of cruise ship living I'd jump ship. Seems too much like Las Vegas - full of zombies.
But I'd not mind living on the beach in Thailand as I once did for six months, hanging with an international assortment of tie-dyed friends. $2.36/night for a thatch-roof cabana.
3
Although an interesting idea, this documentary is one of the saddest films I have watched. What his former life must have been like to end up this way as the “happiest man in the world” is hard to fathom. Hats off to the film maker who presented this enigma.
3
Why?
Why that lifestyle? Why this documentary?
I didn't learn anything, sorry. It was some artsy footage of being on a cruise ship. He said that he enjoyed it. So what????
That's what I took away.
What of his family? His friends, if any?
Sorry, this was 10 minutes I won't get back.
5
He was able to choose where and how he wants to live, and is doing it. It's not a lifestyle I would opt for but he's happy, so why knock it?
We've read about elderly people who choose ships over assisted living at the same price. Looks like for one man at least, this is what you call 'aging in place.'
7
I think he's doing just fine. There is a semi-permanent group to relate to, the people who work on the ship. And there is a temporary group to relate to, the tourists who come and go. He can make any friend he likes from either group. He seems to be oriented towards intellectual work and play. The ship has rooms with excellent room service, restaurants, gyms, laundry, entertainment, internet, and travel. He can get off and on at any port. What's not to like? It's more engaged than most single people's life at the same age.
27
I came to America in 1954. Still a wonderful memory. I went to Vietnam, 18 days, on a troop ship. This? I have refused to be on these huge hotels, even though in my business I can for free.
2
I admire Mr. Mario because he seems to have found his calling in life. It is not mine to judge the value of his aspirations.
I am happy for him because he has found his own happiness. I give him credit for that because for most people happiness is elusive.
5
So judgmental, people! It’s his life and he can live it however he likes. None of us have any idea what goes on behind closed doors or why people make the choices they make. He has made his choice and seems happy with it. Congratulations, Super Mario!!
10
Everyone needs a purpose in life. It may seem tiresome to change a bed, do laundry or cook dinner, but without these activities, what does one's day consist of? Wandering around a giant floating hotel, making small talk with near strangers?
Mario doesn't seem happy. He seems adrift. Which is apt, I guess.
12
What a great little film! Super Mario is an interesting man, this was a great topic and perfect length. Must be nice to be able to afford this but does seem like it would be a bit of a manufactured life - almost like escaping to a new prison.
1
His idea of scuba diving down 400 feet to pass on rather than rotting in a "land hospital" is rather romantic. To experience the raptures of the deep might be a wonderful way to transition if fear did not set in. It is a novel idea. At least I have never heard it expressed.
4
A nightmare. One Alaska cruise made me swear off cruises forever more. Stuck on a boat for hours on end. This is what I call he’ll on earth. No freedom to go anywhere or escape.
2
It took 3 for me.
1
Interesting way to explore this as part of life. Not wanting to be part of group dynamics is true for some of us. We are in better perspective of things and spontaneous with 1 or few people. It drains a lot of mental energy to be with people constantly. Why get enbroilled in the nitty gritty of life's chores and peoples miseries.
8
Sounds like a retirement plan. You get to see the world, you meet new people. If you get pesky neighbors, they are only there for the length of a cruise. You don't worry about the upkeep on your home. I like it.
4
Seems a bit lonely to me, but I guess one can get used to this lifestyle. I liked the singer's voice. So it's a life of no laundry, tan, and -- gym?
2
He reminds me of older adults (often men) who hang around churches or VA hospitals or work greeting folks, getting their people contact from those kind of casual interactions (such as he has with the workers), feeling and acting a bit like they own the place. To me, it feels empty. His choice, his life.
5
I've seen a million clucking hens doing the same so I don't think it is fair to say it's often men. As a society we say we want to see the elderly out in the community, that we value their presence, so I don't think we should be so critical when we encounter it. Widower and divorced older men may be at special risk of social isolation and subsequent depression and decline so I think is it all the better when we see them regularly active in our churches, hospitals, work venues etc.
4
Very nicely done video!
It captures the nuances of a lonely man pretending to be “the happiest man in the world.” He is a heavy smoker and drinker, significantly overweight, and it sounds like he spends a lot of his time protesting that he is “happy.”
He has the right to live as he does, I guess. He could also live in a casino in Vegas, or in a movie theatre or in a shopping mall. But what is his motive to get up each day? He is friendly with the crew but does not really know them. He is, after all, their paying customer.
It’s a very good documentary because it raises and answers the question: Would it be fun to spend the rest of your life on a cruise ship, smoking, drinking, eating and watching cruise ship shows?
2
Watching this gave me the creeps. Like some awful dream about a never ending cruise through the faces of strangers and acquaintances;bright lights, and stale cigarettes. Always the same search for home and never being able to make the right connections to get back there.
5
having spent 3 years circumnavigating the globe visiting over 23 countries at length, i find those cruise ships repulsive. i would never get near one as a passenger.
2
This video made me said. You could feel the man’s aching loneliness beneath his bonhomie and banter.
3
Thank you for another take on "reinventing retirement". Mario has found a lifestyle that suits him very well. My husband and I left our home in Seattle almost five years ago, pursuing the same dream - what if we could travel full-time and see the world without ever leaving "home". We do it by living our daily lives in other peoples homes - Airbnbs around the world! We are currently in Thailand, our 73rd country and enjoying life in our 182nd Airbnb. We call ourselves The Senior Nomads. We sold our own home three years ago and plan on continuing this journey until we are no longer having fun, not learning everyday, run out of funds or no longer in love! So far, so good!
11
"This is the other place." Twilight zone, season 1, episode 28.
5
I guess this is "happiness" for some, but just after the point where he said he got married and divorced on the same cruise, and then said he'd "exhausted all his goals," didn't know what was out there, and the only thing he looks forward to is seeing new ships ... I just got bored.
Maybe he is authentically happy, but he's simply not admirable, enviable, or even interesting. I stopped watching at that point.
6
" It is in that freedom that Mario has finally found his home."
I don't quite understand that last sentence -- did you conclude with that so Mario would not be hurt by the short film you made? Or do you feel that your film reflects that noble sentiment?
I sincerely hope it's not the latter, since the artistic choices made – the shots, the edit, the music, the narrative arc – all convey a sense of desperation and ennui.
Poor "Super Mario" seems like the polar opposite of the "Happiest Man on Earth" – a rootless, homeless man trapped in Jean-Paul Sartre's "No Exit."
5
Dude has it made, not a care in the world, smoking, drinking, eating (for sure), the extreme sedentary lifestyle, to die for!
1
It was a refreshing departure from what I've seen of previous coverage of Super Mario, but it seems as though the film had an agenda to show his life as empty.
Sort of seems like an obscene waste of money, or put differently, a reason to say that some folks are taxed at far, far too low of a rate.
8
this was a great film. thanks.
Listen - to each his own - but living life on a cruise ship strikes me as a failure of the imagination.
4
I would be suicidal if I had to live out my days on a cruise ship.
3
You are not kidding. Living on a boat, with all the facilities and entertainment you can think of, even those supposedly unable to manage by themselves, and meant to end their days in a retirement home, found out that, for the same amount of money, they could become relevant again...and treated like royalty for the asking...living 'la vida loca' in one of those marine behemoths, a super-luxury floating town.
2
To each his own. You never know what makes a person happy. I was just curious how much this cost, say, per 12 months. Someone get me that metric please. I have an old relative who might like this.
Living in a cruise permanently maybe unusual but it’s not rare. Lee Wachtstetter is an 88 year old retiree who has been living in cruises for the past ten years. She’s all over YouTube. Plenty of wealthy people live in hotels, plenty of poor never leave their neighborhoods because they can’t afford to. Most us, in fact, do live in a hermetic bubble when you stop and think about it.
8
What is presented is effectively a floating retirement home. Obviously, Mario made or inherited a ton of money and how he spends it is his decision.
4
Without being judgmental, I have to ask - how do you say I have nothing to look forward to and two seconds later, I am the happiest person in the world?
3
Where in the world is Mario...
wow what people do... just never ceases to amaze me.
However, probably less expensive than an apartment somewhere.
Just can't decide if this just weird or wonderful. I bet that after this cruise ships will be vying for him to be on board. Certainly must be a meme here.
And here I thought all wealthy, conservative Republican retirees retired to golf resorts!
Even that would be preferable to living as a nomad from cruise ship to cruise ship going nowhere. Which appears to have all the charm of a Walmart, an amusement park on 4th of July, and a corporate "retreat" all rolled into one. Ugghhh!
Mostly, he seems lonely, detached, and bored - spending most of his time on his laptop, watching Fox News, chatting with a few fellow cruisers - and drinking. And bragging about easily-ended "relationships." (I wonder if most of his "relationships" are the paid-for kind.)
But no family or real friends - no genuine social network. What happens as he gets older and his health fails? Maybe he's looking forward to getting buried at sea?
And I doubt that someone who repeatedly proclaims he's "the happiest man in the world!" actually is.
Finally, of all the billions of people in the world, why profile this bore?
12
If the goal of this doc was to capture the tedium of his lifestyle the. Mission accomplished!
2
In another life, he would be at a Vegas casino every day of his life. People like that are perhaps not as uncommon as one might think. though for most of the rest of us, difficult to fathom.
6
If he really is the "Happiest Guy in the World" why does he need to reassure himself so frequently? To me, a life without a purpose beyond getting up, eating, and going to sleep, is pointless and boring. Happiness and connection come from accomplishment in the face of challenge.
2
You couldn't pay me to be on one of those boats for more than three days. It look like being locked in a hotel for years. The world is so much more interesting than being on a cruise ship
4
No desire to do that even for a weekend, let alone years and years.
Empty life, devoid of purpose or focus. He has things that bring him pleasure, but pleasure is different from happiness.
8
But he says he is happy. Why don't you believe him?
1
Years after year of cruise food and cruise entertainment??
Not a chance thank you very much.
115
It actually sounds like a nightmare -- something out of "Twilight Zone" -- or being trapped forever at DisneyWorld.
20
I spent twenty years on a cruise ship once. Oh, wait, it was three days.
58
Let's see: people going overboard, cabin theft, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual assaults, gastro intestinal flus. With apologies to David Foster Wallace, taking a cruise is "A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do..."
80
Millions of people go on cruises again and again experiencing none of the misfortunes you mentioned. I'm guessing the number of people going overboard, getting sick, etc are a tiny fraction of travelers. Driving's dangerous...have you stopped driving? Flying?
8
That's a pretty dismal perspective from one who has no experience. Personally, I was surprised at how safe and clean a recent cruise was - we did the chef's dinner and toured the kitchen: the walls and ceiling were immaculate stainless steel, far cleaner than any mainland kitchen I've seen. There are cameras and tracking mechanisms everywhere, and not a single garbage can outside of the bathrooms and coffee bar: nowhere to dispose of evidence, should someone be compelled to wrongdoing. There is definitely an "I'm not safe if you're not safe" mentality and staff all have their eyes open to ensure cruisers have a good time, smile, laugh and stay out of harm's way. It's unfortunate your worst case scenario doomsday mentality is preventing you from possibly enjoying something potentially very special.
2
I crossed the Atlantic in an amphibious assault, again in a guided missile destroyer. No alcohol, no entertainment, but the very best travel companions. Those were memorable cruises, only cost me a Navy enlistment.
97
Hooyah!
6
Hmmmm, more like "The Saddest Guy in the World?".....
88
not on my watch.
Given his age, I gotta wonder -- where is his wife? is she up with this? or is he alone? how about his children and grandkids? this sounds like a lonely pathetic life. Though I am sure Mario is a nice non-violent guy....I am reminded of the Las Vegas shooter Stephan Paddock, who spent his golden years in casinos, alone.
2
Groundhog day!
85
perfect!
1
This Op Doc reads like an advertisement.
whats up?
50
I agree, I found the article stunted, missing an ending, and not clearly focused either.
2
An advertisement for what? Loneliness? Isolation? Meaninglessness?
4
Advertisement for staying on shore?
2
To each his own. That lifestyle would be a living hell for me.
148
But hey, being half cut most of the time must take the edge off.
2
Ditto.
What is the point of life if it is simply to escape reality? I've always thought that the beauty of living is in finding how our own life can make a difference in the lives of others. Whatever that difference is. I can't imagine that there is any true happiness to be found in being so disconnected to others and in living solely for oneself. What a shallow, sad existence.
64
It's okay that you can't imagine his lifestyle, it's called "to each his own". But it's horrible that you've judged it to be shallow and sad. I think that is what makes people want to escape.
4
Philip Nolan would agree with you.
There is no point to life, except maybe to perpetuate the species by merging your DNA with one or more others to create descendants. The rest is the meaning you give to it. Just because Mario differs from you in his approach to life doesn't make his life any more or less shallow or sad than yours.
6
I wonder if part of the appeal is that all of the relationships are understood to be temporary, without any sort of long-term commitment or obligation. The interactions between Mario and the crew are straightforward transactions and so uncomplicated by affection, disagreements, the need for compromise. Perhaps he is sufficiently self-aware to know that not only does he prefer superficial encounters, but that his is the sort of charm that loses its luster with prolonged contact. Though some seem to find his choices sad, to me, they seem to be the decisions made by a man who has, at some level, a sense of what he wants, even if those wants are unconventional.
126
I see the avoidance. But I also see a man with a need to be the center of the room. It’s an odd combination.
7
Well said.
3
Each person has the right to try and live their own life. But I would say that if you give a part of your time to the service of others, genuinely helping people, then that would be a goal that would carry you through out your lifetime.
113
To each his own. Sounds like a terrible life. Although he doesn't deal with some of the everyday hassles of life on land, he never lives in his own place. Sounds cold and depressing. If you don't mind the life of a transient, then this is potentially interesting. But if you like to live in a home that's yours and in an environment that isn't entirely manufactured by a cruise company, then you won't find this to be happiness at all.
44
Manufactured by a cruise company? Living in your own home on land, you’re in an environment manufactured by industrial concerns and financial corporations.
6
My only point was that one's home is generally an environment that they have created, as opposed to a hotel or cruise ship which has been created by others. This doesn't sound very pleasant to me personally, although it is obviously ideal for Mario.
With respect to being "manufactured by industrial concerns and financial corporations," we all live in that world on land or at sea (unless you live on a remote island or the like). So I see no distinction there. We all live in the corporate world to one degree or another, which has significant benefits as well as some drawbacks. That is our reality, whether one lives in a big city, in a rural town or on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean.
Great choice of music around 6:45. Can anyone tell me what it is?
9
The credits at the end say that Ari Balouzian wrote the music. He has a website (http://aribalouzian.com) with contact info. You could ask him and find out if the music is available anywhere (CD, streaming, etc.)
1
Composer Ari Balouzian is listed in the credits. No soundtrack titles are given.
3
It's the soundtrack to Dante's Inferno.
4
I consider myself lucky that six times (50s and 60s) I crossed the Atlantic by ocean liner. There was a purpose that we and all the rest on board shared: to get from A to B. It might be a business trip; or to start a new life; or to introduce grandma to the kids; but there was a goal. The kids on those trips cared nothing about which class was which and the bridge and the engine room were not off limits, and we had a blast. I don't think I could face a cruise.
39
We enjoy cruising...once in a while. This lifestyle seems tremendously lonely. Being on a cruise ship is living in a hermetically sealed bubble. It also looks like Mario drinks a great deal. Maybe that's part of what appeals to him, the lack of responsibility to friends and loved ones. But it also comes with a lack of friends and loved ones. He doesn't seem happy at all.
70
"He doesn't seem happy at all."
Having others take care of his basic needs is obviously more important to him than the loss of regular contact with genuine friends and family.
He craves companionship, even superficially, because he is a social animal; he wants his freedom; and he is lazy. In these things, we must admit, he is very, very human.
He has enough money to live life on his own terms. There are those who effectively spend their lives on cruise ships -- he has simply gone all in. It takes some courage to jump off the cliff the way he has done. But it is unlikely that this short film will convince others to do the same: it's really meant as some continuing education about the human experience.
I would not want to live like Super Mario, but it is enlightening to live vicariously through his eyes, if only for a moment.
3
Anyone who says that they're the happiest guy in the world is usually not even the happiest guy in the room.
20
Wow, so bana!.. like a lost little boy, and like a lot of people who watch Fox news; moneyed, serviced, bored and delusional. Great film-making!
126
Aside from cost which, from his prior position does not seem to be a problem particularly since he did not have a family (again complementing his solo lifestyle) the logistics seem a bit daunting. In the end, a life a sea on the same cruise -- seems boring to me.
46
Completely boring. And as far as I can tell, he spends his entire day on his laptop.
25
hot air balloons offer the same confinement and boredom as these cruise ships offer.
Considering everyone else on land has their face glued to a smart phone, a tablet or a computer screen all day...Super Mario doesn’t seem all that different to me.
7
A permanent vacation likely seemed very romantic and freeing to a burnt out workaholic. If he's found peace and contentment with his quirky lifestyle good for him.
134
Great little short film, thanks for making it. As for Mario's life, it feels very lonely and disconnected to me.
76