Woman Books Princess Cruise. Then She Reveals Why It’s Dubbed The ‘Retirement Home Of The Seas’: ‘Ur Private Yacht Is Niceeeee’

Cruise ships aren’t ordinarily supposed to be as quiet as an exam hall. But a recent video that shows a ship deck with no DJ shouting over dance music and a conspicuous lack of crowds elbowing up to the bar sparks disbelief and a feeling that maybe a quiet time at sea wouldn’t be so bad.

The clip from cruise enthusiast Jordyn (@jordynszn) pans across the areas of a cruise ship that, in most cases, would be full of life and revelry. But the pool is empty, the bars are barren and there’s not a person in sight in any of the gathering or social areas.

“Look at this. I mean, ain’t not a soul,” she says in the clip.

As of this writing, her post has been viewed more than 2.1 million times. Jordyn didn’t respond to a direct message seeking comment.

Are Empty Boats An Attraction?

If Jordyn expected viewers to recoil at the prospect of spending their vacation aboard what many commenters jokingly described as the “retirement home of the seas,” TikTok as a whole jumped in with other ideas.

“You know, some people take cruises to relax, drink, rest and enjoy the peace,” one viewer wrote. “Would love to have that pool to myself.”

Others were ready to hand over their credit cards with no further questions.

“The ship all to myself??? Ok let’s me just pack my s*** neeeoowwww,” another commenter replied.

That sentiment echoed throughout the responses. “Ur private yacht is niceeeee,” another viewer agreed, while someone else admitted, “I’m not gonna lie this looks fantastic.”

The reaction showed an unexpected, if understandable, divide in the preferences of leisure travelers. For some passengers, the ideal itinerary includes crowded sail-away parties, bars buzzing well into the night, and a schedule packed with activities from sunrise to last call.

For others, the very things Jordyn found puzzling looked like luxuries money usually can’t buy.

“I see people at work, on land. I just want to see water!” one commenter wrote.

Another imagined exactly how they would spend the voyage: “You know how many books and relaxation I could enjoy.”

That perspective may help explain why Princess has developed such a distinct reputation among cruisers. 

Cruise lines have spent decades cultivating different onboard experiences. Carnival and Royal Caribbean have leaned heavily into family attractions, nightlife and high-energy entertainment, while Princess, Celebrity, and Holland America have traditionally appealed to travelers looking for destination-focused itineraries, enrichment programming and a more relaxed onboard atmosphere. 

One commenter who identified herself as a Celebrity Cruises fan embraced that reality; “Literally why I do Celebrity. I’m always the youngest by 20 years besides like 5 kid kids on board. You don’t wait for NOTHING.”

Travelers Value Exclusive Experiences

If the comments are any indication, plenty of people watched Jordyn’s post and came away thinking they’d just stumbled across the vacation of their dreams.

Serving partygoers as well as introverts seeking a quiet getaway is part of the challenge of booking any cruise.

For Jordyn, the near-silence across the decks felt jarring enough to share with millions of strangers online. The implication was clear: anyone looking for a floating resort buzzing with energy late into the evening may be in for a surprise.

Thousands of viewers interpreted the footage in a very favorable light. The empty lounge chairs meant never having to scout for a place to sit, and a bar without customers meant they’d be served immediately.

The exchange also hints at a broader shift in what travelers value.

Across the travel industry, operators have increasingly marketed exclusivity, private access and crowd-free experiences as premium products. After years of crowded airports, sold-out attractions and vacations spent waiting in lines, many travelers increasingly view fewer people not as a compromise but as a luxury.

Jordyn’s attempt to showcase what she saw as an oddity was turned on its head and ended up serving as an endorsement for an entirely different audience. It’s a clip anyone in the travel or hospitality industries would be wise to study and use for designing new experiences at sea.

Scores of people in the comments who were mentally packing their suitcases, many of them perhaps considering their first-ever cruise.

To them, the prospect of days spent reading on an uncrowded deck, uninterrupted conversations over dinner, and evenings defined by the rhythmic sound of the sea instead of a booming party boat soundtrack didn’t sound disappointing at all.

@jordynszn I think princess 65+ fr we were the only ppl our age 😭😭 it was like this the whole cruise even when it was sunny , the club was dry too #princesscruises #fyp @Princess Cruises ♬ original sound – scream if you think im thick