As the cruise industry booms, cruise lines are increasingly offering longer-term voyages to appeal to cruisers who want to leave behind the lowly life of a landlubber.
Driving the news: Major cruise lines like Norwegian and Holland America have made longer voyages part of their plans for this year, Princess’ longest voyage ever will set sail in 2025, and Royal Caribbean's ongoing nine-month cruise has become a TikTok sensation.
Yet all of these pale in comparison to the mighty three-and-half-year cruise.
The Odyssey from cruise startup Villa Vie Residences is primed to set sail in May on a 1,301-day journey, passing through 425 ports around the world. At a cost of ~$119 a day for the cheapest package, the entire voyage will run you ~$154,700 before taxes.
- Food, biweekly laundry service, weekly housekeeping, and internet service are all included, as are visits to the ship’s medical centre (though procedures cost extra).
Why it’s happening: These extended trips are perfect for the growing number of cruise hoppers. They’re usually retired folks who live full-time on ships, booking cruises throughout the year — but increasingly include people working remotely (yes, there’s Wi-Fi on cruises).
- Armed with passports and visas, these sailors spend between $40,000 and $150,000 a year to live at sea, returning to a home base on dry land only to retain insurance.
- One guy, “Super” Mario Salcedo, has done it for nearly 23 years. He’s been living between Royal Caribbean cruises for so long that he claims he can’t walk straight on land.
Why it matters: The advent of ‘cruise as full-time home’ is a sign of how tough the housing market is these days. Sure, $40,000 annually to live on a ship isn’t cheap, but amid record rents and stubbornly high home prices, it’s not that much more than living in a city.
Yes, but: Long-term cruises come with risks. Another three-year cruise that was planned for last year was cancelled just a week before it was set to sail, leaving hundreds who had uprooted their lives in total disarray, and, in some cases, on the brink of homelessness.—QH