Now You Can Live On An All-Inclusive Cruise Ship For Just $83 A Day, states a Forbes news source.
Life at Sea Cruises
A former flight attendant, Meredith Shay has lived in many places: Sedona, Arizona; the island of Kauai in Hawaii; Venice, California, Palm Springs and Maine. “Wanderlust is a high priority,” she says. “The love of travel, exploring places, people and architecture is what drives me.”
So when she heard about Life at Sea Cruises—a new cruise company that is launching a three-year, around-the-world cruise starting at just $83 per person per night (or around $30,000 a year)—she decided to seize the opportunity.
“As a flight attendant, I have seen many places (Mongolia, Jordon, Bhutan, Nepal), but to be on a ship, to experience islands and faraway places—not easy-to-get-to destinations—fills my soul,” says Shay.
The world’s first—and only—three-year world cruise will set sail in November 2023 from Istanbul on the MV Gemini, which has 400 cabins and space for up to 1,074 passengers. The journey will cover more than 130,000 miles across 135 countries and seven continents.
Residents will enjoy all-inclusive dining and cocktails
Prices start at $29,999 per year, with payment options starting at $2,499 per month, including food, amenities and more. Cabins range in size from 130 square feet for an interior stateroom with virtual views to an ocean-view 260-square-feet suite with a balcony (starting at $6,699 per month). For single travelers, there’s a 15% discount on the double occupancy rate.
Residents will enjoy all-inclusive dining and cocktails at dinner. A number of other things are included in the rate, such as high-speed WiFi, laundry, port fees and housekeeping. Along the way, there will also be volunteer opportunities and enrichment classes.
Amenities onboard the ship include a state-of-the-art wellness center, a swimming pool and on-call medical care. For remote workers, the company is developing a first-of-its-kind business center with multiple meeting rooms, 14 offices, a lounge and a library.
The ship will hit every continent and visit destinations like Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Hawaii and Bali. Each stop on the MV Gemini itinerary plans for multiple days in port, allowing travelers the opportunity for exploration at their own pace. Stops will allow travelers to explore iconic spots such as Machu Picchu and the Great Wall of China.
While residents must be at least 16, passengers can invite guests of any age. “Friends and family can come for up to a month at a time free of charge,” says Mikael Petterson, managing director of Life at Sea Cruises. “We also have friends and family cabins available on a limited basis.”
Petterson says the company decided to create this new concept based on a demand in the marketplace. “World cruising has been the largest cruise segment in the last 10 years and Covid really restructured the way people work out of the office,” says Petterson. “We put these phenomena together to create Life at Sea Cruises.”
Bookings opened on March 1, 2023
Bookings opened on March 1, 2023, and according to Petterson, the ship is almost 50% full.
Two other passengers who have signed on are Sandy and Jed Hall, a pair of digital nomads and travel content creators who currently live in Raleigh, North Carolina. For two years during the pandemic, the couple lived in a van and traveled around the U.S. “Jed has always dreamed of living on a houseboat, but this is the closest that I’ll get—and I don’t have to drive the boat, since there’s someone else who will do it for me,” says Sandy Hall.
The couple is taking a starting-rate cabin. “We see it as a place to stay at night, so we don’t need anything fancy. We’d rather spend our money in the countries and out doing things,” says Sandy Hall, who says that the price is right. “Apartments in Raleigh cost a minimum $1,500 a night. With this cruise, you also get the transportation, the food, some activities and a place to stay for a relatively inexpensive price.”
The Halls also found the itineraries appealing, from small islands to bucket-list locations like the Amazon River and Antarctica. “If you love to travel, it’s a hard siren’s call to resist,” says Jed Hall.
Did you subscribe to our newsletter?
It’s free! Click here to subscribe!
Source: Forbes
