People Are Selling Their Homes to Board This 'Cruise That Never Ends' — and It Might Cost Less Than Your Monthly Rent Life at Sea's MV Lara ship will set sail from Istanbul on November 6.
By Amanda Breen
Key Takeaways
- Life at Sea is offering a "cruise that never ends" in three-year stints beginning November 6.
- The price per person per month starts under $4,000 — well below rent in certain areas of the U.S.
Cruise lovers who want to see the world from a ship on somewhat of a budget — indefinitely — now have the chance.
Life at Sea, which bills itself as the only "affordable" option for long-term cruising, will launch a three-year voyage aboard its MV Lara ship in November and give passengers the option to extend for additional three-year stints, CNN reported.
Related: This Remote Worker Spends 300 Nights a Year on a Cruise Ship
Initially, the MV Lara was scheduled to end its journey at the three-year mark, but Kendra Holmes, CEO of Life at Sea parent company Miray Cruises, told the outlet that the idea for "the cruise that never ends" came when enthusiastic potential customers couldn't make the original departure date.
"Once the ship was announced in May there were a lot of people who wanted to come, but November was too soon to sell their homes, make plans and pack up their lives," Holmes said.
The cruise will set sail from Istanbul on November 6 and plans to visit seven continents, 140 countries and 382 ports over the next three years, per the company's site. According to Holmes, Life at Sea will continue to add new locations as well.
Current pricing, which covers everything including on-board healthcare, begins at $38,518 per year per person, working out to $3,500-$4,000 per month (single passengers pay an extra 85% for sole occupancy).
Holmes told CNN "the average earner" or "person who just retired from the average job" could afford the never-ending cruise lifestyle — and that checks out, depending on where you live.
Related: I Live on a Cruise Ship. Here's What It's Like Living on a Boat.
In some areas of the country, the monthly fees per person are significantly less expensive than rental prices. The average Manhattan rent just hit $5,588 a month, CNBC reported.
