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Retirement
Cruise Ship nearing launch...Innovative
new concept caters to active baby-boomer
retirees
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Oceanic
Retirement Communities of America (ORCA) has
started taking reservations for a program
that will allow seniors to own a condo on a
private residential cruise ship that also
provides both the Independent and Assisted
Living accommodations typically found in
land-based facilities.
"People retire to Florida for three things mainly ... warm
sunshine, golf, and the water," states Mel
Medina, President of ORCA. "This is a unique
package that provides for all that plus a
wellness capability."
The ORCA Lifestyle Cruising Program will provide the
healthcare aspects of traditional retirement
facilities on private resident-owned cruise
ships to be home ported in various coastal
Florida cities.
Seniors would enter the program just as they would a
typical Continuing Care Retirement Community
(CCRC) with a nominal entrance fee and
subsequent monthly Residents' Care fees, but
would live aboard the cruise ship until
eventually health issues would necessitate
their moving into a skilled nursing facility
ashore.
The big difference is this. Unlike a CCRC, on an ORCA ship,
you actually OWN your residence like a
condo. Upon passing, it actually reverts to
your estate.
The heirs can sell the stateroom or keep it for their own
use by renting it out until they are 55 and
ready to retire and move aboard themselves.
The first ship will enter service sometime late Summer or
early Fall and will take frequent cruises to
the Bahamas and Central America.
"This is an ingenious concept that fosters the active and
adventurous senior lifestyle so demanded
among the retiring baby boomers," says
Medina, who also owns a major Central
Florida home healthcare company.
Enrollment pricing in the ORCA Lifestyle Cruising Program
varies from $259-499,000 for 2 people.
Monthly Residents' Care Fees are about the same or a little
less than conventional retirement
facilities.
The fee covers all expenses of operating the ship including
fuel, crew, housekeeping, medical center,
insurance, cruises, port fees, maintenance,
and all residents' meals.
The owners will live aboard the ship in typical cruise ship
size staterooms which are about the same
size as conventional land-based facilities
but with a twist ... This retirement
community has a night club, martini bar,
library, elegant dining room, spa, workout
room, putting green, shuffleboard, 12 guest
cabins, and 6,000 sq' of sun deck.
The staterooms have large flat-screen TVs, WiFi, room
phones, and are fully furnished.
"All things considered we think most retiring baby boomers
and seniors will rather move onto a
beautiful ship whose view changes frequently
rather than sit in a typical shore-bound
facility that lacks the ambience of
moonlight on the open sea," concluded
Medina.
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