LIFE AT SEA

Posted on 03/11/2016

To describe Lee Wachtstetter as a cruise aficionado would be an understatement. The Floridian has logged 400 Crystal cruises including 15 world cruises, and that’s just as of today.  The 88 year-old sold her home and all of its contents almost eight years ago after her husband passed away and since then has been calling the Crystal Serenity home.

Wachtstetter wrote a piece for the Washington Post about her story.  She says that she has been on the 12 year old ship longer than any of the 655 crew members.At the Captain’s cocktail parties she is often recognized for her cruising history.She describes her routine, “I rarely go ashore nowadays because I’ve probably already been there several times. When most everybody else goes, it‘s so quiet, and I have almost the whole ship to myself. I’ll read, watch a movie, continue my needlepoint work or just take a nap.”Wachtstetter admits that her lifestyle is decadent, estimating it costs her about $450 a day, but she does enjoy some perks; nice floral arrangements, occasional shipboard credits and actual cash rewards upon reaching high-level cruise number milestones.Three other women are also living on the ship, but they are newbies compared to Wachtstetter.She says, “What most I miss, of course, is my family. I manage to get my mail and keep in touch with my three sons and seven grandchildren with my laptop. I'm also blessed with a 2-year-old great grandson who'll be getting twin brothers in July. I hear from a family member almost every day, and visit with them whenever we dock in Miami. Last year we docked there five times.”