Woman Moves Onto a Cruise Ship and Plans to Live There for 15 Years

When most people hit retirement age, they start thinking about downsizing to a quiet apartment or maybe moving closer to family. Sharon Lane had other plans. The 77-year-old Californian didn’t just downsize, she sold everything she owned and moved into a cabin on a cruise ship she plans to call home for the next 15 years.

And no, this isn’t some luxury holiday with an end date. For Sharon, this is life now. No trash to put out, no grocery lists, no mowing the lawn, just the open ocean, room service, and a never-ending itinerary of exotic ports.

The Big Leap: Why She Did It

Sharon’s dream of living at sea wasn’t some whimsical retirement fantasy, it was something she’d quietly been planning for years. But like many grand plans, the road wasn’t smooth. She originally signed up for a three-year cruise with a company called Life at Sea, only to watch the whole thing fall apart before the ship ever left port.

By then, she’d already sold her belongings and given up her rental home. Stuck in limbo, she moved into a retirement village, but it never felt right. “I wasn’t settled. Because it wasn’t the life I wanted,” she said. That all changed when she spotted a headline about Villa Vie Odyssey. Her reaction? “Holy cow.” She called up the cruise line and handed over her money the same day.

Life Onboard – Comfort, Convenience, and Community

Forget hoovering the carpet or doing the weekly shop, Sharon’s new life is refreshingly low-maintenance. Her inside cabin might be windowless, but she’s not there to sit indoors. With meals, drinks, Wi-Fi, housekeeping, laundry, and even medical visits all included in the monthly fee, she says it’s “much less expensive than living in Southern California.”

Sharon Lane, an elderly woman with short white hair and glasses, stands in front of a moving truck labeled "Two Men and a Truck" with the Villa Vie Residences cruise ship in the background. The image highlights her decision to sell all her belongings to live full-time on the cruise ship. — Instagram/Elizabethatsea

She’s swapped council tax and utility bills for 24/7 room service and ocean views. Entertainment is part of the package too. Most evenings feature performances like singing duets, pianists, or professional dancers in the lounge. And it’s not just passive watching, residents are invited to host their own events, share stories, or give talks at the ship’s weekly “speakers’ corner,” which has become a lively community hub.

“Residents present every week,” Petterson told CNN. “We have a very diverse community, including a Nobel Peace Prize winner, a White House chief of staff, an astronaut, and many scientists and doctors onboard that share their knowledge and experiences.”

Guest entertainers are also brought on board at different ports of call, keeping the experience fresh. From local musicians in Lisbon to dancers in Buenos Aires, the ship makes an effort to reflect the cultures it visits. As for chores? “I don’t have to do my laundry anymore. I don’t have to do grocery shopping,” Sharon says with a smile. “That alone is worth it.”

The Villa Vie Odyssey

The Villa Vie Odyssey isn’t some brand-new mega-ship, it’s a thoughtfully refurbished vessel that’s been sailing the seas for over 30 years. After a rocky start, including a four-month delay in Belfast due to missing paperwork, the ship finally set sail in late 2024 with big plans to circle the globe for the next 15 years.

Things didn’t exactly go to plan at first. Ports like the Galápagos, the Falklands, and even Antarctica were missed due to red tape and wild weather. But the team has learned quickly. They’re already building better tender systems and rescheduling missed destinations with longer stays and backup plans. As CEO Mikael Petterson puts it, “We’re doing something new, and we’re learning a tremendous amount.”

The Price of Paradise

Living on a cruise ship for 15 years might sound like a millionaire’s dream, but it’s not as out of reach as you’d think, at least not compared to high-cost cities like Los Angeles or New York. Cabin prices start at $129,000 for an inside cabin, which gives you ownership for the entire 15-year duration of the cruise.

On top of that, there are monthly fees:

$2,000 per person for double occupancy
$3,000 per person if you’re going solo

Prefer a view? Outside cabins start at $169,000, with monthly costs rising by $500 per person.

Those fees include food, drinks (including alcohol with dinner), Wi-Fi, weekly housekeeping, bi-weekly laundry, and basic medical visits.

It’s not pocket change, but it’s a lot cheaper than a luxury retirement home, and the view is unbeatable. And if you ever change your mind, you can sell your cabin. Some residents even rent theirs out when they’re off the ship. Landlords are out, “sealords” are in.

Sharon Lane, an older woman with short white hair and glasses, smiles while sitting on the deck of a cruise ship. She's wearing a light blue and white striped shirt, with the ship's railing and windows behind her under a clear blue sky. — Instagram/Elizabethatsea)

What Makes It Worth It

For Sharon, it’s not just about the ports of call or the perks, it’s the feeling of finally living life on her own terms. Her cabin is just for sleeping; the deck is where she really lives. “Being on a ship deck, that’s my happy place,” she says. “Whenever the weather is good, I will be on that deck. And when the weather isn’t quite good, I’ll bundle up and be on that deck.”

There’s a simplicity to ship life that she craved after years of routines and responsibilities. No house to clean, no errands to run, just fresh sea air, good company, and the thrill of waking up somewhere new.

What Happens After 15 Years?

Fifteen years is a long time at sea, but Sharon isn’t worried about what comes next. “There’s no end,” she says. “Sure, in 15 years, but in 15 years, I’ll be ready for a home. Or maybe, at the end, I’ll go on their next ship.”

She’s not making retirement plans, she’s living them. For now, the ocean is home, and the horizon is her future. Whatever comes after, she’ll figure it out when she gets there. One sunset, one sea breeze, one port at a time.

A New Kind of Retirement

Sharon’s story taps into something bigger, a quiet revolution in how we think about growing older. Instead of settling down, she set sail. No care homes, no garden sheds, just global adventures, new friendships, and dinner with a view every night.

Living on a cruise ship full-time might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for Sharon, it’s freedom. She swapped familiarity for the open sea, routine for discovery, and hasn’t looked back. As she puts it, “I’m finally able to do what I’ve wanted to do for years.”

Sharon also blogs about her experience; you can read about it here.