The worst part of a cruise usually arrives on the last evening.
Suitcases in the hallway and that final breakfast feel a little less enjoyable when there’s a flight home waiting afterward.
For one Australian couple, though, there was a rather nice solution to all that.
Just book the next cruise and then another.
Eventually, Marty and Jess Ansen had lined up 51 consecutive cruises, turning something most people enjoy for a week or two into a whole way of living.
And while the ocean views certainly helped, there was a practical reason behind their decision, too.
It Started With a Very Familiar Feeling
Anyone who loves cruising will understand the temptation to stay a little longer.
There’s breakfast waiting without a trip to the supermarket. Someone takes care of the cabin. Evening entertainment is a short walk away, and getting to the next destination doesn’t involve dragging luggage through another airport.
It gets comfortable… very comfortable.
Marty and Jess, a retired couple from Brisbane, already knew that feeling well. Cruising had been part of their lives long before they decided to make such an extended stay at sea.
Then came the pandemic, and all those trips they couldn’t take.
When cruising returned, they were ready to go. On June 16, 2022, they boarded Coral Princess, beginning the run of voyages that would make the ship feel much more like home than a vacation.
Most passengers board with a return date firmly in mind. The Ansens kept giving themselves another departure to look forward to.
Staying Long Enough to Welcome the Captains
A ship changes quite a bit when someone stays aboard for months.
Passengers come and go. Crew members finish their contracts. Familiar faces disappear for a while, and new ones arrive.
Marty and Jess became the familiar faces who stayed.
Their time aboard stretched beyond the working rotations of some crew members, even captains. They joked about being the ones welcoming new captains onto the ship.
There’s something wonderfully funny about that. Most cruisers feel pleased when a bartender remembers their drink by day three.
This couple had been around long enough to watch the ship’s working community change around them.
And those relationships mattered. The crew became like family, giving their life aboard a warmth that went well beyond having meals prepared and a room cleaned.
A favorite ship often becomes a favorite because of the people on it. And if you stay long enough, and those small exchanges become part of the day.
How much could a retirement at sea cost?
The money is where their decision gets especially interesting.
The couple never shared their exact spending, but a rough estimated budget would be US$70,000 to US$100,000 a year for both of them, including fares, insurance, and extras.
That’s around US$3,000 to US$4,500 a month per person.
It sounds like a lot. But retirement accommodation can come with a sizable bill, too.
In Australia, the basic aged care fee alone was equivalent to roughly US$31,000 a year for two people, before accommodation charges and any means-tested care fees.
For a couple paying their full accommodation costs through daily payments, an illustrative nursing home budget could reach around US$87,000 a year before additional care fees.
That assumes accommodation priced at approximately US$350,000 per person, using the Australian fee arrangements from that period.
Against that example, spending around US$76,000 a year on cruises could leave roughly US$10,000 in savings.
So it’s easy to see the appeal: meals prepared, a freshly cleaned cabin, entertainment every evening, and the chance to keep seeing the world.
There Was Still a Morning Routine
Living on a cruise ship sounds like an invitation to abandon every routine.
Marty and Jess found their own rhythm, including playing table tennis together in the mornings. It gave them exercise, time together, and a good appetite afterward.
Jess also enjoyed the entertainment and dancing, particularly ballroom dancing.
Dinner, a show, some dancing, perhaps supper before heading back to the cabin. A fairly pleasant evening by almost anyone’s standards.
That’s an appealing part of a longer cruise: having time to settle in.
On a short trip, there can be a strange pressure to do everything. Catch every show. Try every restaurant. Get off at every port, even when a quiet morning aboard sounds much better.
With another sailing ahead, an ordinary day becomes easier to enjoy.
There will be another evening. Another port. Another chance to get a decent score at table tennis.
The Important Detail Behind the Dream
There’s one distinction that belongs in this story.
A cruise ship provides hospitality, while a nursing home provides ongoing care.
Having a cabin steward and restaurant staff makes daily life easier. It doesn’t replace help with bathing, dressing, medication, or other needs that can require trained carers.
So the Ansens’ experience is best understood as a retirement choice for a couple able to enjoy the lifestyle independently.
That doesn’t take away from the appeal. It simply explains why this can work beautifully for some people while being unsuitable for others.
There are practical questions, too. Insurance, medical expenses, trips home, and anything outside the fare still need a place in the budget.
Less exciting than choosing an itinerary, admittedly. But fairly important when the itinerary is becoming your life.
