About 2 years ago my wife and I were on a cruise through the
> > western Mediterranean aboard a Princess liner. At dinner we noticed an
> > elderly lady sitting alone along the rail of the grand stairway in the
> > main dining room. I also noticed that all the staff, ships officers,
> > waiters, busboys, etc., all seemed very familiar with this lady. I
> > asked our waiter who the lady was, expecting to be told that she owned
> > the line,but he said he only knew that she had been on board for the
> > last four cruises, back-to-back.
> >
> >
> >
> > As we left the dining room one evening I caught her eye and
> > stopped to say hello. We chatted and I said, "I understand you've been
> > on this ship for the last four cruises."
> >
> >
> >
> > She replied, "Yes, that's true."
> >
> >
> >
> > I stated, "I don't understand" and she replied, without a pause,
> > "It's cheaper than a nursing home."
> >
> >
> >
> > So, there will be no nursing home in my future.
> >
> >
> >
> > When I get old and feeble, I am going to get on a Princess
> > Cruise Ship. The average cost for a nursing home is $200 per day. I have
> > checked on reservations on a Princess and I can get a long term discount
> > and senior discount price of $135 per day. That leaves $65 a day for:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > 1. Gratuities which will only be $10 per day.
> >
> >
> >
> > 2. I will have as many as 10 meals a day if I can waddle to the
> > restaurant, or I can have room service (which means I can have
> > breakfast-in-bed every day of the week).
> >
> >
> >
> > 3. Princess has as many as three swimming pools, a workout room,
> > free washers and dryers, and shows every night.
> >
> >
> >
> > 4. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and
> > shampoo.
> >
> >
> >
> > 5. They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient. An
> > extra $5 worth of tips will have the entire staff scrambling to help
> > you.
> >
> >
> >
> > 6. I will get to meet new people every 7 or 14 days.
> >
> >
> >
> > 7. T.V. broken? Light bulb need changing? Need to have the
> > mattress replaced? No Problem! They will fix everything and apologize
> > for your inconvenience.
> >
> >
> >
> > 8. Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don't even have to
> > ask for them.
> >
> >
> >
> > 9. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on
> > Medicare; if you fall and break a hip on the Princess ship they will
> > upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.
> >
> >
> >
> > Now hold on for the best! Do you want to see South America, the
> > Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or name where you
> > want to go?
> >
> >
> >
> > Princess will have a ship ready to go. So don't look for me in a
> > nursing home, just call shore to ship.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > PS: And don't forget, when you die, they just dump you over the
> > side -- at no charge.
> >
> >
> >
> >