How To Live On A Cruise Ship Top Tips For Life At Sea

Table Of Content

• Godmother Named for Biggest Ever Princess Cruises Ship
• People who live on cruise ships full time share how they do it: 'It's not just for retired people'
• The vessel will navigate the globe indefinitely, and residences start at $1 million.
• Too Expensive? Here's How to Lower the Cost
• To spice up the itinerary, the vessel will stop at different ports of call every time it circumnavigates the globe.
• And in May, the Victoria Majestic and its seafaring passengers will begin circumnavigating the globe every 27 months.
• The Budget Accommodation Choice

While it can be an exciting and unique lifestyle, there are a few things you need to know. By the end of our journey, you will have all the information you need to embark on your year-long adventure at sea. "I've been told I'm crazy for trying to live full time on a cruise ship, but it's not just for retired people," Gutridge said. Besides the health aspect, you'll always need to have a solid backup plan. Things like mechanical breakdowns, disaster-related shutdowns and cruise line business decisions can drastically affect your plans — more so than in most land-based living situations. You would need annual travel insurance as well as enough available money to cover hotels and transportation from almost anywhere on the globe.

Godmother Named for Biggest Ever Princess Cruises Ship

The ship will also have a theater for performances and movies, though unlike traditional cruise ships, extravagant entertainment won't be much of a focus, Punton told CNBC. If you would rather stick to a traditional cruise line, you can still keep prices low, but remember you’ll be booking cruises regularly, and you would need to avoid paying for many extras on the ship. You’ll also want to look at cruising with the cheapest cruise lines in the world, such as Carnival or MSC Cruises.

People who live on cruise ships full time share how they do it: 'It's not just for retired people'

If you choose to own a cabin, prices start from just $99,999, although there is then a monthly fee you need to pay on top of that. However, you can welcome guests to your cabin and only pay the daily port fees and gratuities for them ($33 per day), and what’s cool is you can rent out your cabin when you aren’t on the ship – making your money back. The days of grocery shopping, meal planning, prep and cleanup are over. Cruise ships offer a variety of dining options and cuisines for all dietary needs.

The vessel will navigate the globe indefinitely, and residences start at $1 million.

Room and board will be the most significant expense on any cruise, especially if you choose to live on a cruise ship for an extended amount of time. Considering all these factors, the cruise fare for living on a cruise ship can cost anywhere from $60,000 per year to upwards of $150,000. This year, Gutridge budgeted $30,000 to live on a cruise ship full time. Even an option that visits the same ports over and over might be more appealing than staying at home for some people.

Based on that number, the average cost of living aboard a cruise ship year-round would total a little more than $77,000 for retirees taking a nomadic approach. So if you were planning to spend 20 years in retirement, you could spend $1.54 million to live on a cruise ship. An alternative to booking back-to-back cruises or buying a condo is booking long-term cruises. Oceania offers 180-day cruises around the world with fares starting as low as $35,899.

Other elements include waste-to-energy tech, growing vegetables in the hydroponic garden, and committing to only using biodegradable or reusable items instead of single-use plastics. If you’ve ever watched The Suite Life of Zack and Cody spin-off – The Suite Life on Deck – you may be familiar with living on a cruise ship. You might wonder how true it is and whether you can live on a cruise ship.

And in May, the Victoria Majestic and its seafaring passengers will begin circumnavigating the globe every 27 months.

A retired couple sold their home to live on a cruise ship. This is how much they’re saving - CNN

A retired couple sold their home to live on a cruise ship. This is how much they’re saving.

Posted: Thu, 02 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

The UK’s cost of living makes it being cheaper than the average cruise, while the US is slightly more expensive. A cruise ship offers a number of perks over regular living, the main one being that you get to see the world. Living on a cruise ship means travelling all across the globe, experiencing new cultures and thrilling experiences. Arguably the better way to live on a cruise ship is to choose one that’s designed for permanent living. It can be lonely living on a cruise ship, away from friends and family, so be sure to make time to socialize.

Explore the ship’s amenities, make new friends, try new activities, and immerse yourself in the wonders of each port of call. Living on a cruise ship for a year is an extraordinary adventure filled with endless possibilities and memories. By choosing the right cruise ship, booking your long-term voyage, and preparing for life onboard, you are embarking on a journey like no other.

After all, when people cruise they are on vacation and likely willing to spend more freely than they would normally. By limiting the amount spent on board, you can cut thousands off this estimated total. Just know that you’ll definitely need to open your wallet to live full-time in paradise. Cabins on middle floors offer the best combination of access to facilities and less movement in the event of rough seas.

If you look for older ships, you should be able to cut the price down. Yes, you would be able to sail for cheaper in an oceanview or interior cabin, however, we assume that if you are aboard the ship for an extended period of time, having your own balcony is a must. Carnival Horizon is a newer ship from the cruise line that sails six and eight-day itineraries year-round from Miami in 2024. That means you could sail the entire year without having to change ships and always coming back to a homeport in the United States. Your friends and family are far away and letters can be few and far between thanks to the remote nature of living at sea.

Make sure your coverage includes any treatment that a cruise ship’s physician may offer. There are two ways to consider the costs of spending retirement on a cruise ship. The first is what you might pay if you’re booking cruises consecutively and moving from ship to ship and the second is buying a cabin. Living on a cruise ship full-time can be an incredible experience, but it does come with a significant cost. If you have the financial means and desire for a unique lifestyle, it’s worth considering.

The company had originally announced a three-year itinerary on their ship MV Gemini, with all-inclusive fares starting at $29,999 per person, per year. At the time, this looked like one of the most affordable long-term options for anyone interested in living on a cruise ship. Ships are required to maintain medical staff on call 24/7, including at least one physician and two nurses. Similar in model to assisted living facilities, cruise ships are equipped to handle most medical emergencies in the short term.