A Man In His 90’s Lived On A Cruise Ship for 13 Years
Morton Jablin lived a life of adventure, from his days as an officer in the Navy to his travels aboard various cruise ships with his wife. After decades of sailing across the open sea, they finally settled on a ship that they love and that feels like home.
Read on to see how Morton spent his twilight years at sea!
Spend Most Of His Life At Sea
Born in 1924 in Brooklyn, New York, Morton Jablin had a strong affinity for the sea before he ever dreamed of living on a cruise ship.
After joining the Navy in the 1940s, his appreciation for life at sea only grew stronger. While assigned to the Office of Naval Intelligence, he spent time traveling abroad until returning back to America in 1946.
Made A Living Making Lace
After Morton's return to the US, he juggled life as a pharmacist, husband and father of two. Additionally, he started his own business by capitalising on an opportunity that had arisen during his time abroad; having met a textile worker with whom he eventually collaborated to manufacture lace-making machines in America.
This later evolved into a successful and long-lasting lace production venture, now led by one of Morton's grandchildren.
They Loved Being On The Water
Jablin and his wife shared a special bond borne out of their mutual love for the sea. To indulge in this passion, they would take multiple cruises together, exploring different companies and experiencing a wide range of exciting adventures over the years that they were married.
Never sticking to just one line, the couple always sought something new, comparing and contrasting each voyage with enthusiasm.
No Problem Making Friends
Thanks to their friendship with a crew member of their past cruise, Morton and Charlotte were introduced to Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Taking this advice, the couple found it to be exactly what they wanted in a cruise line.
Perused Options
With their friend's assistance, Charlotte and Morton spent numerous years sailing across the Seven Seas on different cruises. During that time, they hopped between two vessels - the Mariner and Voyager - for five years before becoming captivated by the Seven Seas Navigator in 2000.
The tiny cruise ship only had room for 500 passengers, yet this didn't deter them; in fact, it seemed to be exactly what they wanted as they decided to remain on board for a further five-year period.
Grief Led Him To His Home
After Charlotte passed away, Morton settled into the Seven Seas Navigator, viewing it as his true home. Although he still had a condo in Florida that held his possessions and was declared as his permanent address, it was on the cruise ship where he spent most of his time.
When asked why by Forbes magazine, Morton replied saying "It's impossible for me to get this kind of lifestyle anywhere else - I have so many good things to say about the crew; they're incredibly sincere and wonderful."
He Stopped Going Onshore
Due to health restrictions that Morton began facing in his old age, he became limited in his excursions. He lost most of his eyesight, so he could no longer participate in onshore explorations.
Instead, he stayed on the ship and took comfort in having a familiar schedule. Having spent most of his life traveling alongside his beloved wife, Morton had seen just about everything already.
He Had A Very Strict Schedule
Part of maintaining his safety and sanity was keeping a strict schedule. Every day, Morton took his breakfast while in bed.
Since he knew the ship like the back of his hand, Morton was able to get around quite well, and spent two hours a day walking. He took his lunch and dinner in the main dining room and enjoyed the ship's musical entertainment.
Dover Sole Was His Favorite Meal
At Morton's age, he could do just about whatever he wanted. Yet, he'd experienced so many things in life that he liked to stick to what he knew. A prime example of this was his favorite meal, which he liked to eat twice a day.
For both lunch and dinner, Morton preferred the Dover sole. It may seem over-the-top to eat that much fish every day, but the man knew what he liked and he stuck to it!
Everything Was Arranged So He Could Find It
Morton always sat at the same table in the dining room and it was always set up the same way, so he didn't have a problem finding the right spices and utensils. Given his loyalty to the luxury cruise line, they did all they could to accommodate Morton as he aged.
They increased the brightness in his room and installed hand railings. They even supplied Morton with a special shaving mirror so he could stay as well-groomed as ever.
He Was Known As "The Captain"
Though Morton wasn't the captain of the ship, the crew made him feel that special by referring to him as "the Captain." He certainly had an authoritative way about him given his experience on the ship and in the Navy.
With all of his experience on the sea, he walked with ease on the cruise ship, exploring the shopping areas and throwback nightclubs. What Morton didn't do was visit the casino, purely because he'd "never been much of a gambler."
His Family Came To Visit Him
The two young boys that Morton raised with his wife Charlotte are now elderly men themselves! While Morton was in his 90s, his boys were in their 60s and have children and grandchildren.
This means that Morton was a great-grandfather, and had plenty of family to come pay him a visit. Since his family lived in Florida, they came onboard to catch up with him whenever the ship docked in Miami.
He Didn't Have Many Close Companions
Though Morton saw his family regularly, he didn't have many people in his day-to-day life who he was close with. The crew members treated him wonderfully, and other passengers would swing by his table and strike up a conversation.
But most of the people Morton interacted with are the same age as his sons, if not younger. Since he was limited on how much he could relate to younger generations, he kept things light and friendly, but ultimately embraced his seclusion.
He Sometimes Ran Into Old Friends
One thing that could be fun about his living on a cruise ship was when he saw a familiar face. After all the traveling he'd done, Morton sometimes would see an old companion who also loved to explore the world.
The two may have met on another cruise or in another country years, or even decades, ago. But like a transient city, people who arrive at the cruise are bound to leave. Only Morton stuck behind, comfortably residing in his home away from home.
A Different Kind Of Nursing Home
Part of why Morton loved living on the cruise ship so much was because he didn't have to live at a nursing home. He boasted, "If I need a nurse or doctor, someone is in my cabin within five minutes."
Even if it wasn't a medical need, Morton said that someone arrived at his beck and call in less than 20 minutes. Plus, the cost of living on the cruise ship was comparable to many nursing homes.
One Downside: Sea Storms
The only downside to living on a cruise ship was that the weather conditions out at sea can be risky. With all of the movies that have been made about ships sinking, you'd think that Morton's odds of being in a dangerous storm were pretty good.
In reality, he'd lived a perfectly safe life during the several years he'd spent aboard. Plus, as a former Naval officer, he had to embrace the chance of things going wrong decades ago.
People Admired His Way Of Life
Those who have heard about Morton's lifestyle or who met him while onboard have often praised him for daring to be different. While many elderly men end up doing whatever their families think is best, Morton held to his own convictions.
Not only was he living on his own terms, but he was doing so in the lap of luxury. For some who are in a similar time in their lives, Morton's story was inspiring.
His Story Was Well-Known
Since many have become fascinated by Morton's way of life, his story has gained popularity over the years. One Facebook user said that Morton was "doing it right," referring to his freedom and fortune.
As his story spread, people realized that their later years don't have to look so traditional. There are still an array of options to chose from, even as you age. Granted, Morton was very lucky to have the support of the crew and the financial backing to pull this off.
He Kept Up To Date With Some Technology
While Morton may not have been up-to-date with how his story had floated around the internet, he stayed apprised of some technological advances. He had an Amazon Echo in his room to make it easier to gather information.
He also had a cell phone to stay in contact with his family in between their visits. For someone well into their years, Morton had managed to stay as connected as he needed to be, even while in the middle of the ocean.
His Life Couldn't Have Been Better
Morton couldn't have been happier with his decision to spend his final years on a cruise ship. We suspect that it reminded him of the adventurous times he'd spent with his wife over the course of their long marriage.
After securing a successful career and raising a family, Morton got to enjoy time to himself without a care in the world. He even got to enjoy his preferred meals in his favorite place. Best of all, he was doing what he loved: cruising.
