John and Melody, a couple from Florida, USA, made a drastic decision to sell almost everything they owned, including their business and their home. They wanted to change their lives to embark on a permanent cruise, they told Sky News. Aged 76, John was the driving force behind this change after feeling wearied during their campervan trips across the United States, initiated in 2020. Everything changed when they discovered a 274-year-old cruise days with Royal Caribbean on Facebook, marking the start of their adventure at sea.
The couple is currently on a journey aboard a series of cruises covering destinations in the South Pacific. They claim that this new life is not only more “exciting”, but also financially advantageous. “We no longer have a mortgage or housing costs,” John explained. We no longer have car insurance, home insurance or utility bills. The list is long. We are sure that the cruise costs less. […] That’s about half of what it cost us when we lived on earth.”
At least 15 years on the ship
While their trip around the globe is planned until December 2024, the Americans see themselves ultimately living aboard the residential cruise ship Villa Vie. This is one of the first boats of its kind designed to perpetuate this way of life. The project, however, has a cost: 249,000 dollars for a villa with balcony, or 224,966 euros, without forgetting the monthly costs of nearly 8,000 dollars, that is to say a little more than 7,000 euros.
“We wanted to buy a cabin so we could design it the way we wanted. She will be our home for probably at least 15 years on the ship,” Melody explained. This future plan does not involve a complete break with family, as several cabins on board Villa Vie will be reserved for residents’ loved ones.
2023-12-27 18:08:53
#sold #house #business #spend #lives #cruise
