When Marty and Jess Ansen crossed a cruise ship’s threshold in June 2022, they weren’t dreaming of a single voyage, but a chartered retirement at sea.
Now, having booked 51 straight cruises, the great-grandparent couple themselves have actually spent nearly 500 days on the high seas, almost exclusively on the Coral Princess, claiming it’s cheaper for them than a retirement home.
And if your eyebrow does not rise for their story, the growing trend behind it must.
From Lockdown to Lifelong Cruise
Locked down and stir-crazy from two COVID years of lockdown, the Ansens had no plan for a permanent engagement at sea. “Finally, I told my agent, ‘Look, whatever comes, just book it,'” Marty chuckled.
That naive suggestion spawned a lasting adventure.
Fast forward: over a year in, they’ve been on board the Coral Princess more than many of the crew, including captains. To them, it made perfect sense.
They had always cruised and had, for years, indulged in short cruises and had no intentions of doing anything different. “It’s our lifestyle,” proclaimed Jess in plain summation of what’s become their everyday existence.
Cruise Ship Living: An Emergent Retirement Plan
Marty and Jess are not alone in availing themselves of this alternative route. According to CBS News, one retiree, Jo Johnston, resides almost full-time on the water.
Going on six to eight cruises annually, each 80 days or more in length, and packs his meal, lodging, air transportation, and entertainment for a rough $100,000 a year.
That’s not money on the hoof, but against the cost of traditional U.S. senior living?
- Assisted living averages $42,000 per year or over $3,400 per month.
- Independent senior living runs about $2,750 per month, or nearly $33,000 per year.
- For comparison, a cruise costs $286 a day, or roughly $104,000 a year.
So, cruises are pricier than just basic independent living, but they may not be as pricey as upscale assisted care; it just depends on where you are and what you desire in a lifestyle.
Meanwhile, cruises such as Villa Vie’s “Golden Passport” are pushing the bounds of freedom-at-sea to a different dimension, in exchange for a single payment starting at $99,999 for senior travelers and up to $399,999 for adults in the 55- to 60-year-old age bracket.
The Appeal: It’s More Than A Floating Hotel
For the Ansens and many others, cruising isn’t simply a question of price; it’s a way of life.
Jess summed it up best:
“Where else can you go where you go for dinner, you go to a show, you go dancing?”
And Marty joked:
“Now, we don’t have to wash up anymore, or put the bed away… we’ve forgotten how to make a bed…”
Better yet, cruises keep the calendar busy. From educational lectures and bar games to movie viewings under the stars, something is constantly happening. Retirees who fear boredom in a traditional senior living community enjoy the constant activity.
A Day in the Life of the Ansens
While other retirees are bingoing or gardening, the Ansens are sipping cocktails on deck, taking a dance lesson, or visiting with international friends.
Jess particularly likes the ballroom lessons, and Marty is a bit of a social butterfly, linking up with other cruisers as well as with ship employees.
Every day starts with walks up and down the ship’s promenade, followed by easy breakfasts looking out to the sea. Afternoons are a succession of games, bingo, or poolside reclining. Evening is dinner, dancing, and entertainment.
Shipboard life’s pace, anything but somber, has introduced a sense of routine and diversions, a blend that both maintain, making them young in spirit.
Everybody Does It and Some Want More
Long-time denizens of the seas who preceded the Ansens are also becoming famous. Lee “Mama Lee” Wachtstetter sold her house and car, and by 2005 lived practically full-time on Holland America, then transferred to Crystal Serenity.
As of 2015, her cruising expense was in the neighborhood of $164,000 annually.
Retirement-at-sea is also changing
Villa Vie’s horizonless packages, providing lifetime all-inclusive waterfront living for around £263,536, are being sold as “retirement dreams on the water.”
Stories’ MV Narrative is developed as a “blue zone” on the high seas, a wellness, health, and longevity-oriented space, but the residences on board go for $1 million–$8 million.
More futuristic still? The conceptualized “Serenity” ship, customized for guests who are 80 and older, with assisted-living-type suites, city gardens, and drone pads. It’s not coming soon, but it reflects where the cruise industry envisions things going.
These projects envision a future in which retirement communities won’t simply be gated villages in Florida or Arizona but might be high-end cruisers sailing around the world.
What Keeps the Ansens Swaying?
Aboard the Coral Princess, every day is programmed: eating, dancing, mingling, new companions, or you can simply lounge and have somebody do your laundry. Marty told us they aim to remain on board for two years or longer.
Considering how well they’ve adapted to the sea life, who can fault them? For many, the cruise ship replaces a retirement village; for others, a floating paradise. It’s not for everyone, of course, with health, logistics, and cost considerations, but for Marty and Jess, it’s home.
A very damn good home. As the couple embarks on their two-year adventure, they’ve become sort of small celebrities among travelers and sailors. Their tale ends up being recited in dining rooms and saloons, motivating people to lead a life not so usual.
And in a world where the price of retirement continues to rise, their unusual decision may not be so outlandish after all.
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