Simply over two months after embarking on his 1,000th cruise, the cruise fanatic so famend on the excessive seas that he has his personal Wikipedia web page was simply topped Royal Caribbean’s prime cruiser.
The 72-year-old Mario Salcedo, based mostly within the cruise line’s hometown of Miami, started crusing with Royal Caribbean in 2000 and has by no means appeared again.
Today, Salcedo – aka “Tremendous Mario” after then-Liberty of the Seas’ Captain Charles Teige bestowed the nickname on him within the early 2000s – is infamous for reserving so many back-to-back sailings on varied ships that it’s reported he solely lives in Miami for 2 weeks per yr.
Working remotely in finance from the pool deck of whichever cruise he occurs to be on any given day, Salcedo obtained the highest honor from representatives of the cruise line on March 22, 2025.
A fan shared the second on Reddit, the place a photograph confirmed Salcedo has racked up 12,001 factors by crusing practically 51 weeks per yr, together with his 1,000th voyage onboard Explorer of the Seas on January 5, 2025.
Throughout that momentous cruise, the captain and crew outfitted Tremendous Mario in a Royal Caribbean jacket, calling the person a “licensed LEGEND.”
“I might love life like Mario. I envy him,” stated a passenger. “I do know he has discovered the proper life.”
“Speak about dwelling the dream,” one other stated.
Different passengers have been fast to share kudos on social media – though Salcedo isn’t on-line – with many sharing their interactions with him onboard and calling him “an all-around nice man.”
Seafarer’s Dedication
Really, “Tremendous Mario” has formally been dubbed the “Happiest Man within the World” by the New York Instances, which profiled the cruise aficionado in 2018. The identical title was utilized in a brief movie concerning the cruise devotee.
However Salcedo’s love for cruising didn’t start with Royal Caribbean. Hopping on sailings on varied cruise strains from PortMiami starting in 1994, a ardour was ignited that saved him at sea on back-to-back sailings.
It was in January 2000, nonetheless, when Salcedo launched into his very first Royal Caribbean cruise, becoming a member of the 137,267-gross-ton Voyager of the Seas. And that, because the saying goes, is historical past.
Learn Additionally: Dwelling on a Cruise Ship: What You Must Know
Tremendous Mario historically sticks to steady voyages on his favourite ships, which, he jokes, is “Of the Seas,” that means each one of many fleet’s 24 vessels.
Together with his 12,001 factors, after all, Salcedo is a member of Royal Caribbean’s Pinnacle Membership.
The best tier within the Crown & Anchor Society loyalty program means he receives all of the perks, together with occasions with ship officers, precedence every part, Wi-Fi, unique backstage excursions, and entry to Suite, Concierge, and Crown Lounges, amongst a number of different advantages.
It’s estimated Salcedo spends greater than $100,000 yearly to trip the waves full-time, which, within the grand scheme of life’s bills – mortgage, groceries, utilities, house and auto insurance coverage, and many others. – isn’t that unrealistic.
Salcedo makes use of his loyalty factors from crusing, in addition to his bank cards, to assist fund his adventures and is infamous for selecting inside cabins to maintain prices down.
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