A retired couple have given up their house, their business and their life on land to live full-time on-board a cruise ship that will travel the world for 15 years.
Lanette and Johan Canen, both 55, began their epic adventure mid-2024 aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey ship.
The ship is a residential vessel that will stop at 425 ports in 147 countries in the next three years but the rent they pay locks in a room for 15 years.
Lanette and Johan thought the kind of lifestyle they now lead was only for millionaires and were stunned to find they could join the Odyssey for less than their living costs in Hawaii, where they had resided for 10 years.
The couple’s voyage is an all-inclusive stay which includes food, drinks, WiFi and a cleaner—all for just $3,500 a month.
Not a bad price considering what land-dwellers pay for rent or mortgages, groceries, car registration/tolls/petrol, electricity, water and everything else in-between.
“We had a rented cars business which we sold to be able to afford our cabin,” Johan told the Daily Mail.
“People think we’re ultra rich for being able to do this, but it’s cheaper than our rent and living costs in Hawaii. This is for normal people.”
Johan and Lanette are not alone in their huge lifestyle change, with many retirees opting to forego the maintenance of a home for the thrill of the sea.
Many people see it as a cheaper option that allows them to tick a number of items off their bucket lists.
Lanette and Johan have visited more than 25 countries just eight months into their 15-year journey and enjoy the time their ship spends in each place.
The Odyssey spends multiple days at each port unlike traditional cruise ships which get in and out within a day.
“We don’t have an exit strategy, we’re both 55, we don’t need things anymore. We just want adventures and experiences. We went from owning 31 cars to none,” Johan said.
“It feels so good to have no responsibilities—we have our laundry done and get our sheets changed twice a week.
“This is the future, especially with working from home.”
Many people considering full-time cruising as an option for them struggle with the idea of leaving family behind but that isn’t an issue on the Odyssey—friends and family can visit for up to 28 days with their own room and it’s free.
“The service is outstanding, we feel like royalty—they even bow to us. There’s no regrets whatsoever, I love this lifestyle,” Lanette said.
“With rent going up all over the world, this is going to be the new way of living.”
Johan and Lanette document their cruise lifestyle on their YouTube channel: Living Life On A Cruise.
They have almost 30,000 subscribers and millions of views from people interested in pursuing the full-time cruise life themselves.
