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77-year-old retired teacher moves onto a cruise ship because it's cheaper than a traditional home

Here's what it costs to live a life at sea.

cruise ships, cruise living, retirement, living on a cruise ship, cost of living

A retired teacher says it's cheaper to live on a cruise ship than at home.

Photo credit: Canva, Robert Trull from Pexels
Ryan Reed
By Ryan ReedSep 04, 2025
Ryan Reed
Ryan Reed is a contributing writer for GOOD residing in Knoxville, Tennessee. He has contributed to Rolling Stone, Relix, Revolver, SPIN and The New York Times.
See Full Bio

If you’ve ever found yourself on a cruise, luxuriating around the buffet for your fourth ice cream of the day, your bathing suit still dripping-wet from the hot tub, you’ve probably wondered to yourself, "Is it possible to live this life year-round? Could I make that math work?" Well, depending on your financial situation and cost of living, it might be a viable option. Take, for instance, a 77-year-old woman from Orange County, California, who recently pursued the ocean life by moving onto a cruise ship—reportedly her planned home for the next 15 years.

After her lease expired at a popular retirement community in Laguna Woods, Sharon Lane, a retired foreign language teacher, purchased a cabin onboard the Villa Vie Odyssey. “Not only was it affordable to me, [but] it would actually cost me less money to live here like this, have everyone taking care of me instead of me taking care of everybody," she told NBC Los Angeles. The decision reportedly took her about 10 minutes, and she relocated on June 16, 2025.

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As a residential cruise ship, the Villa Vie has a unique business model, with customers able to purchase entire cabins. (According to the company’s website, "[o]wnership is guaranteed by VVRI for a minimum of 15 years (4+ circumnavigations); however, your ownership is valid for the operational life of the ship.") While Lane reportedly didn’t disclose what she paid, "Inside Villas" start at $129,999. (Different spaces cost more—from the "Porthole Villa," priced at $149,999, up through a "Villa Suite," which costs $439,999.) Residents also pay monthly fees (for the "Inside Villas," it’s $1,999 per person for a double and $2,999 per person for a solo) that cover meals, bi-weekly laundry, housekeeping, gyms and fitness classes, Wi-Fi, access to ship activities, and even beer and wine.

They also offer the typical onboard entertainment, including live music and pickle-ball, plus paid upgrades like room service. According to the Villa Vie site, "complimentary medical visits include standard visits necessary if the Resident is feeling unwell or has been injured," while "routine care or necessary ongoing medical visits beyond the standard visits" results in an additional charge.

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For someone who wants to simplify their life, it’s a tantalizing option—and Lane was eager to make the lifestyle change. “All the chores you do in life? Done!” she told NBC Los Angeles. “If you put your to-do list on a piece of paper and you cross off anything that wasn’t a fun activity, then you end up with the life we have now." Of course, your interest in cruise-ship life might depend on where you currently live. Yahoo!'s Moneywise, citing the digital rental marketplace Zumper, noted that an average one-bedroom apartment in Laguna Woods costs $2,500—not far from the monthly cabin fee. Of course, as you discover looking through the rent market trends, the reality is quite different in California ($2,202/month for a one-bedroom, per Apartments.com) as opposed to, say, Oklahoma ($911/month).

There have been numerous stories in recent years about people living part- or full-time on cruise ships—including one focused on a retired couple from Ontario, Canada. Tori Carter and Kirk Rickman sold their home and put that money, along with their rental property income, toward their new adventure. In the span of two-plus years, starting in December 2022, they took 29 trips over 12 cruise lines, at an average length of one month. They even documented their experience through a YouTube channel.

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