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There’s been press about people moving full time to a cruise ship (The World Residences at Sea) during Covid.

Tips For Travellers asks how well this really works.

There are two ways to do this. One is to take many different boats during the year. The other is to buy a full-time residence.

The cheaper option is to hop between the cheapest cruise lines. In his video, he finds several people using several different methods.

Mario sticks to the cheap Caribbean cruises for 80% of the year and does not spending extra for port fees, excursions, drinks/food packages, etc. He targets about $200/day for cabin costs. With extras, Mario lives very frugally for a full year on the cruise ships on about $72,000-$100,000/year. Mama Lee also does this at about $175,000 for her more upscale life. Beatrice Meuler lived in an interior cabin on the QE2 for about $80,000. These match his investigation of a 9 month Royal Caribbean cruise that would cost about $112,000 for a balcony cabin with drinks, wifi, laundry, and a few excursions – but requires to be paid PER PERSON for a double occupancy.

Permanent residence on a single boat costs much more. Cabins on The World residences cost millions to buy, and annual fees often run around $113,000 (studio) to $1M (3 bedroom)/year depending on size of residence you buy. Storylines has studios start at $350,000 with $55,000/year maintenance costs – up to millions for the penthouses (along with up to a million a year in maintenance fees!)

Even if the costs work for you, there’s still other considerations.

1. Crew and ships are not set up for aging customers. They expect passengers to be in shape/able-bodied. They aren’t set up like a retirement care facility if you’re not able bodied. This is not a retirement community.
2. Medical facilities are not set up for dealing with serious or ongoing medical conditions. There is NO dental care. No medicine/pharmacy – that must all be done at ports. Getting medical coverage that covers all the places you are going is expensive.
3. You still need to claim and have a home country/residency for banking, retirement accounts, taxes, etc.
4. Surprisingly, loneliness and boredom are quite common. Many long-time residents stop going into the port cities because they’ve been there so many times. The same entertainment shows are done day after day – often for years. The constant changing passengers and so few people living long-term on ships means building any longer-term/meaningful relationships is very hard.
5. You’ll still need to leave the ships and stay mobile. Ships go into drydock, covid shut cruising down for YEARS, and other situations mean you have to leave the ship for short and extended periods of time.
6. Unless you buy a residence, you have to be booking dozens of cruises per year and working out all the details/fees. Economic conditions can change quickly (like COVID) and completely ruin plans/budgets.

First class has seen some pretty big improvements the last few years, but that’s small peanuts these days.

The new A380’s offer suites – but even those with their full-sized recliners, full bed, in a private room doesn’t really touch what’s available.

Etihad Airways started offering something they’re calling The Residence on some of their highest end flights. Private airport entrances with concierge service, a private 3 room suite on the plane with living room, double bedroom, and full bathroom with shower. Add private large screen tv’s, cognac and turndown services along with private high end meals and you have a recipe for luxury. The price? $20,000 per ticket (vs $5000 for first class).

2023 Update: Unfortunately, it seems like The Residence were largely discontinued when Etihad retired most of their A380’s during covid. Nonstop Dan shows why they ran into problems selling them. Not because there weren’t customers, but because it turns out people that can afford that kind of luxury usually find it is barely any better deal than just renting a whole private jet. The price for a one-way private jet from Abu Dhabi to London also costs about $40,000 – or about the same as 2 Residence tickets. So if you’re flying with at least one other person, the private jet lets you take many more friends/business partners, have much more flexibility in schedules, and avoid big airports all together.

Bonus points for mentioning Abu Dhabi is a huge hub because it is located in a spot that makes most of the world’s population just 6 hours away – from China to Europe.

Oh – you think you’re cool because you stayed at a luxury hotel in Dubai or comped to a suite in Vegas?

For the ultra rich, there are experiences that are far beyond the pale like David Copperfield’s Musha Cay. Renting for $50,000/night, you get the whole island. Multiple luxury residential buildings for up to 12 with high end catered food, their own mystery game to play, movies on the beach, and even custom fireworks show.

Or maybe try out Richard Branson’s Necker Island for a little over $107,500 a night (up to 40 guests), or $128,000/night for up to 48 guests. The buildings and island was almost completely destroyed in 2017 by hurricane Irma, but seems to have re-opened in 2022.

I find it interesting that even billionaires need to AirBnB their properties.

If renting a billionaire’s island is too pedestrian, perhaps just buy your own island.

Flight prices aren’t as cheap as they used to be anymore. In fact, if you’re about to fly your family and friends of 5-7 people somewhere, you might consider picking up a private jet. It might actually be in the same ballpark for price.

How much? Charter companies like XO specialize in these sorts of chartered trips. If you have flexibility, they sometimes even offer discounts and special deals for one-way trips to get their planes back/to the next pickup.

Here’s a list of recent prices

Ariodante of France has been offering a Murder Mystery train ride on the fabulous and famous Blue Train. While traveling from Paris to the French Riviera, you will try to solve a murder mystery – but do so while dressed in authentic period clothes and environment.

Unfortunately, by 2022, it looks like the train ride has been converted to into a cruise. Maybe it will come back as a train experience in 2023? Here was a 2019 review of the train version.

The entire experience for 2 comprises a 4-day trip to Paris to create your 1920s wardrobe and the entire 4-day cruise on the Mediterranean in a regular cabin. Included in your package: 6 nights in a luxury hotel (suite), your wardrobe for the game, as well as all your meals and bespoke cocktails during the cruise.

The murder mystery was written by an award-winning author and inspired by Agatha Christie. In this new murder mystery, you will never really know when the mystery starts, who is real, or how each of your fellow travelers is involved. All you’ll know is time is of the essence because anyone on board could be the next victim or … the murderer(s).

​The adventure begins months before the cruise starts when you will receive your invitation with the date and place of departure. Then, after an incredible 4-day-long Costumes Experience in Paris to create your whole 1920s wardrobe for the cruise, your adventure will start a few months later, in September or October 2023… or is it 1923?​

Travel back in time a hundred years back to enjoy an extraordinary private visit to one of Italy’s most famous ancient archaeological sites, taste the 1920s-inspired creations of 3 different famous 3 Michelin-starred chefs, dance during a Charleston party on board the steamship and so much more. But be aware that this idyllic and lavish cruise hides many untold secrets and covert riddles as nothing is what it seems.

The price tag? An eye watering £350,000 for 2.

If that’s a little steep, maybe try the Blue Train inspired rooftop restaurant at Bloomingdale’s in New York.