Woman Who Gave Up Everything to Live Permanently on Cruise Ships Reveals the Things She 'Hates' About Life Onboard

Lenel is not your average cruiser. After selling her house, car, and nearly all her belongings, she made the bold decision to live full-time on cruise ships – solo.

A smiling woman wearing glasses and a blue patterned blouse stands outdoors beside a row of parked cars, with modern buildings and a tree-lined path in the background. The scene is bright and sunny, suggesting a casual, cheerful moment.

She manages it all on just $2,000 a month, sailing from port to port and documenting her journey from what she calls “poverty to paradise.” But while the lifestyle might sound like a dream, it’s not all endless buffets and ocean views.

In fact, there are parts of cruise life that seriously test her patience. In her latest video, Lenel reveals 10 things she absolutely hates about living on cruise ships full-time.

1. Tender Boats Are a Total Headache

The image shows a serene coastal scene with two tenders—small boats used to ferry passengers to and from a cruise ship—sailing across clear turquoise waters towards a rocky shoreline. In the background, a large white cruise ship is anchored in the calm sea under a cloudless blue sky, waiting for passengers to return from their shore excursion. The tenders are painted orange and white, contrasting with the natural colors of the sea and rocks. The scene evokes the tranquility of a perfect day at sea.

While most ports allow passengers to walk straight off the ship, some require a transfer via tender boat—a smaller vessel that ferries guests to shore. For Lenel, this process is one of the most aggravating parts of cruise life.

Not only are the lines long and often chaotic, but fellow passengers can be impatient and unprepared, making the experience feel more like a battle than a beach day. In some cases, she’s even skipped getting off the ship altogether just to avoid the hassle.

2. Time Zone Whiplash

Cruising across multiple regions means the ship’s clock often changes, sometimes without much warning. For Lenel, waking up and not knowing what time it actually is has become a recurring frustration.

Whether sailing the Caribbean or crossing the Atlantic, she’s often caught between what her body feels and what the ship’s schedule demands. And if you’ve got an early port excursion? Good luck figuring out if you’re late or just sleep-deprived.

3. The Laundry Struggle Is Real

Cruise ship passenger folding their clothes after being laundried

You’d think living on a cruise ship would mean never worrying about chores—but laundry is another story. Lenel gets free laundry on Carnival thanks to her loyalty perks, but even then, the results can be underwhelming.

Stains linger, clothes sometimes come back less than fresh, and on cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, it can be pricey. When all else fails, she resorts to washing clothes by hand or waiting until she’s briefly back on land—where, she notes, a $2 wash in Vietnam cleaned her clothes better than the onboard service ever could.

4. No Car, No Freedom

Sunny day at Miami Port with a Carnival cruise ship docked behind Terminal 10, and taxis waiting near a lush green tree, ready to pick up passengers.

One of the trade-offs of full-time cruise life? No personal transport. When Lenel is on land between cruises, getting around isn’t as simple as hopping in a car. She has to rely on buses, Ubers, or her own two feet.

As someone who once loved the independence of driving, she finds this frustrating, especially in unfamiliar cities with language barriers. A recent mishap in Barcelona saw her getting yelled at by a bus driver in Spanish after trying to exit through the wrong door.

5. Simple Errands Become All-Day Events

A female pharmacist in a white coat writes on a clipboard while assisting a smiling woman at the pharmacy counter. Shelves filled with medicine, health products, and skincare items are visible in the background.

Running to the shops or picking up a prescription? On land, that’s a quick task. But when you live on cruise ships full-time, errands can turn into full-blown logistical missions.

Lenel often has to plan her errands between cruises, navigating unfamiliar cities by shuttle and bus, all while figuring out local schedules and store locations. What would be a 30-minute chore at home can easily eat up an entire day, especially when you have to reverse the whole journey just to get back to the ship.

6. Crowds, Crowds, Everywhere

A group of five young adults enjoying a lively conversation in a bubbling hot tub on the deck of a cruise ship. The background shows other passengers in casual attire, enjoying the sunny weather and ocean views, adding to the vibrant, social atmosphere of the cruise.

Want to relax by the pool, hit the gym, or catch a movie? So does everyone else. Lenel says the spaces she most wants to enjoy are always packed, usually right when she wants to use them.
Even onboard movie nights can feel chaotic, with chatter, seat-hopping, and people walking in front of the screen. While she can often catch another showing, it’s still frustrating when your quiet moment turns into a crowd-control exercise.

7. Alone Time Is Hard to Find

Lynelle from the 'Poverty to Paradise' YouTube channel sitting alone in a cozy dining area by a large window overlooking the ocean. She wears a white top and appears thoughtful, with a water bottle and phone on the table, emphasizing the theme of solo cruising on a budget. — Credit: Poverty to Paradise YouTube Channel

Despite cruising solo, Lenel says true alone time is rare. Outside of her cabin, she’s constantly surrounded by people, whether it’s in elevators, lounges, or just trying to grab a meal.

Even quiet areas fill up fast, and although she sometimes asks cabin stewards not to knock, there’s no guarantee of peace. Back when she owned a house, solitude was easy to come by on a cruise ship; it’s a luxury.

8. Falling in Love With a Place – Then Having to Leave

Old street in San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy

One of the joys of cruising is discovering beautiful new destinations. But for Lenel, it can also be bittersweet. When she stumbles upon a place she adores, she’s often limited to just a few short hours before the ship sets sail again.

There’s no option to linger, no chance to explore deeper. Places like Alicante, Spain stole her heart, but saying goodbye so soon always leaves her wanting more.

9. When the Ship Rocks, Your Whole World Rocks

A monochromatic scene captures the Caribbean's stormy season, with rough waves foregrounding a coastline peppered with palm trees, all under the shroud of an overcast sky. The image conveys a sense of solitude and the might of natural forces during the turbulent tropical weather.

Lenel has never been seasick, but that doesn’t mean rough seas don’t affect her. When the ship starts to sway, there’s no escaping it. You can’t just move to a different room or step outside for fresh air like you would at home.

She calls it the “motion of the ocean,” and during storms, it’s everywhere. You’ll know it’s bad when the crew starts putting out seasickness bags by the elevators, just in case.

10. Endless Rules and Red Tape

Cruise life might seem carefree, but Lenel says it comes with a never-ending list of rules. From restrictions on what food and drinks you can bring aboard to mandatory paperwork and customs checks at every turn, it all adds up.

Even something as simple as wanting bottled water becomes a headache, as most cruise lines only allow cartons or cans. And unlike flying, where layovers can be seamless, each new cruise often means going through the full boarding process all over again.

11. The Constant Upselling

Think cruising is all-inclusive? Think again. Lenel says one of the most frustrating parts of ship life is the endless stream of upsells, from drinks and Wi-Fi to excursions, specialty dining, and even bottled water.

For seasoned cruisers like her, it’s easier to navigate. But for first-timers, the costs can quickly spiral. That “$2000 all-in” cruise? It can easily double if you’re not careful, and leave you wondering how you racked up such a massive bill.

So, Why Does She Still Do It?

With all these frustrations, you might wonder why keep cruising full-time? For Lenel, the answer is simple: the good far outweighs the bad.

Despite the tender boats, time zone chaos, and surprise charges, she gets to live in what she calls “paradise” on a budget of just $2,000 a month. Her life is filled with new destinations, new people, and a sense of freedom she never found on land. And if you’re curious about the best parts of full-time cruising, Lenel has plenty of videos showing exactly why she’s not giving up ship life anytime soon.