Last month, 77-year-old Sharon Lane moved out of her retirement village in Orange County, California, to embark on her dream adventure: A 15-year trip around the world.
Lane invested in her own cabin on Villa Vie’s Odyssey, which bills itself as the first perpetual world cruise, with many of its passengers booking a “permanent home” on board.
Odyssey launched in October and is set to visit 147 countries and 425 destinations over a three-and-a-half-year cycle. The ship offers long-term living options, allowing residents to either purchase cabins outright for its entire lifespan of 15 years or opt for a pay-as-you-go plan.
Cabin prices begin at $129,000 for an interior cabin with a 15-year lease. Monthly fees are $2,000 per person for double occupancy or $3,000 for singles. For outside cabins, prices start at $169,000, with monthly fees increasing by $500 per person.
Lane joind Odyssey in June, spending her life savings on an interior cabin that would be hers for the ship’s lifetime. Over the years, the cruise will continually circle the globe, stopping at destinations like Japan and New Zealand.
“I’m finally able to do what I’ve wanted to do for years,” she told CNN Travel. “I buy the cabin, I live in the cabin, and that’s it. And then there’s no end.”
Odyssey saw a few issues before it took off in October. It set sail four months later than planned after a string of last-minute repairs. During that delay, passengers were stuck in Belfast, Ireland, leaving dozens of ports unvisited and countries unexplored.
However, Lane felt confident that the ship “worked out the kinks” when she joined the trip mid-June. “I don’t want complications in my life, you know, I’m at a point in my life where I want simplicity,” she explained.
Despite the steep cost, Lane believes she’s getting great value, as her payments cover meals, drinks, alcohol with dinner, Wi-Fi, and medical visits. Her package also includes room service, weekly housekeeping, and bi-weekly laundry service.
“I don’t have to do my laundry anymore. I don’t have to do grocery shopping,” she explained. “Living on the ship is much less expensive than living in Southern California.”
Lane’s 15-year trip is just getting started, and while she has the option to sell or rent her cabin down the line, she doesn’t plan on shortening her trip.
“There’s no end,” she explained. “Sure, in 15 years… but in 15 years, I’ll be ready for a home… Or maybe, at the end, I’ll go on their next ship… I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”
Villa Vie Residences bought Odyssey, the 31-year-old ship, in 2023, with the ship arriving at Queen’s Island in Belfast to be outfitted in April 2024. The 542ft-long cruise ship was built in 1993 in Valencia, Spain, consisting of eight decks, 485 cabins, and can carry up to 650 residents.
The ship was extensively refurbished at a historic dry dock in the Northern Irish capital, owned by Harland and Wolff, a maritime engineering company that produced the ill-fated Titanic. It was also transformed to include a pub, cocktail bar, business center, and a pool on the top deck. A fitness center, medical room, dining hall, and spa are also onboard the all-inclusive cruise for residents to use.
Other amenities for passengers, according to Villa Vie’s website, include a pickleball court, different shows and performances, wellness classes, and social events, from elegant dinners to casual meet-ups.