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Couple Who Gave Up Their Hawaii Home Reveal What They Spend To Live On A Cruise Ship Full-Time

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The couple say living on the ship now costs them about half of what they used to spend in Maui
Asking “shall we just live here forever?” to your partner while on vacation is something many people joke about. However, one couple actually made that idea a reality after deciding to give up their home in Hawaii and move onto a cruise ship full time.For most people, the reason they cannot stay on vacation forever is simple. They have responsibilities waiting for them, such as jobs, rent, mortgages, and daily expenses that pull them back to their normal routine.

But for Lanette Canen and her husband Johan Bodin, both 56, things turned out differently. After stepping away from work, they realized there was a way to turn travel into their everyday lifestyle, and it ended up being far more affordable than they expected.

In early 2023, the couple made a major life change. They left behind their home in Hawaii and moved into a cabin aboard the Ville Vie Odyssey, a residential cruise ship operated by Villa Vie Residences.

Lanette and Johan have already been to over 50 countriesSupplied
Explaining how they came to this decision, Lanette shared: “We usually say, we’re not retired—we’re rewired. Instead of waiting for ‘someday’, we decided to do this now—while we’re still healthy and able to really enjoy it.”“We ended up purchasing a cabin on the ship, which lets us live onboard full time and travel continuously without constantly packing and unpacking.”

One of the biggest surprises for them was the cost. After settling into their new lifestyle, they realized they were spending about half of what they used to spend while living in Maui, which made the decision even more worthwhile.

When it comes to the upfront costs, the couple explained that cabins on the ship typically start at around $130,000 as a one-time purchase.According to Villa Vie Residences, this price usually applies to an inside ‘Villa’ cabin. There are also other options available, including the ‘Porthole Villa’, the ‘Balcony Villa’, and the ‘Villa Suite’, which is the most expensive option and starts at around $439,999.

By paying this amount, buyers secure cabin rights, allowing them to treat the Odyssey as their permanent home and live on board long term.

Once they are settled on the ship, Lanette explained that their ongoing monthly costs come to about $4,000. This amount covers their day-to-day living and gives them access to a wide range of onboard services.

The Odyssey ship offers housekeeping, laundry, a gym and entertainmentSupplied
Lanette said: “That includes food, beer and wine at lunch and dinner, housekeeping twice a week, laundry service, gym, fitness classes, entertainment, WiFi, and gratuities,” she explained.On the other hand, there are many expenses they no longer have to worry about. Living at sea has removed several typical costs from their budget, as Lanette pointed out: “We no longer have things like car payments, insurance, gas, home maintenance, HOA fees, groceries, or even traditional vacations—it’s all kind of rolled into one lifestyle now.”

In just a year and a half of this lifestyle, the couple have already visited more than 50 countries and over 170 ports. Even with all that travel behind them, they say they are only getting started and plan to continue exploring.

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