This Cruise Line’s New Month-to-Month Plan Lets You Try Life at Sea Before You Buy

This cruise line just made living at sea more accessible, and it could change the way you think about travel.

Instead of locking into a long contract or buying a cabin outright, there’s now a way to try ship life on your own terms. The new programme offers flexible stays, a surprising price point, and even a path to something much bigger.

About the Ship

The month-to-month programme takes place aboard Villa Vie Odyssey, a 32-year-old ship with a storied past, having previously sailed under Cunard, Norwegian, and Fred. Olsen before being transformed into a residential vessel.

Today, she houses around 650 residents and is partway through a continuous three-and-a-half-year world voyage, visiting more than 140 countries.

Even while circumnavigating the globe, Villa Vie continues to innovate. The latest addition — a floating sea platform where guests can relax and swim while the ship is anchored – is set to debut in late 2025.

The new Month-to-Month at Sea programme offers the freedom to rent a stateroom for as long as you like, with no long-term contract. Each month comes with a $500 credit towards purchasing a permanent villa, turning your rent into an investment if you decide to make ship life permanent.

This flexible option bridges the gap between a short trial cruise and a multi-year lease, letting you experience life at sea before making a bigger commitment.

Pricing Details

Prices for the month-to-month programme start at $2,999 per person, per month for an inside cabin, based on double occupancy.

• Oceanview cabins: from $3,499 (£2,825) per person, per month
• Balcony villas (ownership): from $329,000, with monthly fees starting at $3,999

For travellers considering full ownership, an inside villa starts at $129,999 per person, with monthly fees from $1,999.

Who It’s For

Villa Vie is pitching the new month-to-month programme to anyone curious about trying life at sea, but not quite ready to commit to buying a cabin or signing a multi-year lease.

This option is perfect for:

• Digital Nomads & Remote Workers
  Work from a stateroom with ocean views, high-speed internet, and new destinations every few days. Your “commute” is just a stroll to the onboard café.
• Semi-Retirees & Empty Nesters
  Experience the cruise ship lifestyle without uprooting your life permanently. Test the waters before committing to buying a villa and selling your home.
• Gap Year Travellers & Career Breakers
  Spend a few months travelling the world without having to plan every detail — meals, accommodation, and entertainment are all included.
• Those Considering Downsizing
  Try out minimalist living at sea before deciding if it’s right for you long-term.
• People Curious About Full-Time Cruising
  Not sure if you’d enjoy living on a ship year-round? This is a low-risk way to find out.

Pathway to Ownership

One of the biggest draws of the Month-to-Month programme is that your rent can become an investment in a permanent home at sea.

For every month you sail, $500 is credited towards the purchase of your villa. Over time, those credits add up, making it easier to transition from renter to owner if you fall in love with the lifestyle.

Ownership starts at $129,999 per person for an inside villa, with monthly fees from $1,999. Balcony villas begin at $329,000, with monthly fees from $3,999.

Whether you rent or buy, you’ll get:

• All meals included – from casual buffets to elegant dining
• Entertainment and enrichment – theatre shows, lectures, activities
• Weekly housekeeping – no chores while you travel the globe
• Medical services and fitness facilities – for peace of mind and wellbeing
• High-speed internet – so you can stay connected as you sail

This rent-to-own model bridges the gap between a short trial sailing and a multi-year commitment, giving you a chance to build equity while you explore the world.

Other Villa Vie Options

Villa Vie Residences has been steadily building a menu of ways to live at sea since launching in 2023. The month-to-month plan is just the latest addition, sitting between short trial stays and long-term leases.

Other options include:

• 7-Day Trial Sailings – Perfect for newcomers to get a taste of ship life before making a bigger decision.
• Tour La Vie (1–4 Year Rentals) – Longer leases for those ready to commit but not buy.
• Endless Horizons (For Retirees) – A one-time purchase option with no monthly fees.
• Golden Passport – Launched in August 2025, this age-based pricing offers the lowest rates for travellers over 90.

This growing mix of programmes means there’s now an option for everyone, from curious first-timers to committed full-time cruisers.

Stories of People Living at Sea

Villa Vie’s new programme isn’t the only example of people turning cruise ships into their homes. We’ve featured several incredible stories of travellers who have made the leap to life at sea:

• This Man Ditched Rent for a Floating Apartment – And It’s Cheaper Than You’d Think – Find out how one man swapped his apartment for a cabin and still saves money.
• Couple Who Sold Everything to Live on a Cruise Ship Reveal How It Transformed Their Lives – A look at how a radical decision completely changed one couple’s retirement.
• Couple Swap Bills and 9–5 Life for Cruise Ship Living — And Say They’re Saving Money Doing It – How they made the numbers work and why they say it’s worth every penny.
• Woman Moves Onto a Cruise Ship and Plans to Live There for 15 Years – Sharon’s long-term plan to spend over a decade at sea.
• He ‘Kidnapped’ Her From Work and Took Her on a Cruise – Then Came the Real Surprise – This is a beautiful story of a couple who met on the Villa Vie.

These real-life experiences show just how many different ways there are to make the dream of living at sea a reality — whether for a few months, a few years, or forever.

Wrap-Up

Villa Vie’s new month-to-month programme could be a game-changer for anyone who’s ever dreamed of swapping land life for the open sea, without signing up for years in advance.

It offers flexibility, a chance to build equity towards ownership, and the freedom to experience global travel while someone else takes care of the cooking, cleaning, and planning.

Would you try living on a cruise ship month-to-month? Or would you take the plunge and buy your own cabin?

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