Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Charles McQuillan
Topics: Travel, World News, Cruise ship, Life
Lucy Devine
Topics: Travel, World News, Cruise ship, Life
A woman who is living out her retirement on board a cruise ship has revealed the biggest negative to life at sea.
Sharon Lane, 77, from Los Angeles, recently decided to set sail on the Odyssey Villa Vie Residences cruise, which offers a permanent residency as it sails around the world.
The program offers a permanent home onboard the ship, providing the chance to see the world and enjoy all-inclusive living.
The ship's 'golden passport' option allows people to secure a villa with a one off payment, which is more affordable with age.
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For example, prices start at $299,999 for those aged between 55-59, which drops to $189,999 for those aged between 75-79.
There's all the usual features of your standard cruise ship, including around-the-clock meals, entertainment, medical treatment, laundry and maintenance teams on hand.
"Imagine waking up each morning to a new view. One day it’s the emerald peaks of Tahiti, another day the timeless streets of Lisbon," Ville Vie explain.
"On board Villa Vie Odyssey, your home moves with you, carrying you across 425 destinations and 147 countries every 3.5 years, without ever packing a suitcase."
Sharon, who had spent decades living in LA, decided to make the move when the lease on her condo had finished.
With Odyssey about to dock in California, Sharon boarded the ship with her belongings, after paying a one-off fee for her cabin.
“I figured if I could live on a ship, I could still travel, but wouldn’t have to do airports or planes,” Sharon told The Independent.
"When I decided to [look into] it 10 years earlier, the prices were double what I was paying. I couldn't pay that, but this programme is for the average income person," she added.
“I’ve been taking care of things, making lists, doing the planning, doing the shopping, fixing things my whole life and basically, I’m done.
"I don’t want to cook anymore. I don’t want to clean the house. I don’t want to do it.”
Of course, life at sea certainly has its drawbacks, with Sharon explaining that she misses being able to visit her favourite restaurant or pop into the kitchen for a snack.
“You can’t go to the kitchen and pull something out there and stick it in the microwave. It’s good news because you don’t have to [cook], which is really cool. But the bad news is I can’t have popcorn every day if I want it," she said.
However, being able to visit Europe, the Caribbean, South America, Canada, Japan and soon, South Africa, has certainly outweighed any negatives for Sharon.