When you consider all the different places and ways around the world you can visit, far too few people think about “permanently” living on a cruise ship. While most people just want warmer weather, moving to a cruise ship can help them find warmer weather and the opportunity to see the world.
This is precisely the case with one Redditor who posted in r/financialindependence who took a leap of faith and decided to live full-time on a cruise ship. Instead of renting a high-price apartment in Boston, this Redditor is living the dream and getting closer to his FIRE goals much earlier than expected.
If I thought for any moment that I could convince my wife to live full-time on a cruise ship, I would do it, so I’m just going to live vicariously through this Redditor for now.
Living the Dream
Our Redditor lived in Boston in a one-bedroom apartment and paid a whopping $3,500 per month. When he added in groceries, utilities, gym memberships, and entertainment, his cost of living was approximately $4,500 per month. Unfortunately, this amount was too much for him as he wanted to “aggressively” save for FIRE.
After coming across an article about living full-time on a cruise ship, he took a leap of faith and tested the waters for a month at a cost of around $2,000 for a month-long cruise. Of course, this cruise fare includes all meals, daily and nightly entertainment, and any standard utilities like air and even basic Wi-Fi.
Unsurprisingly, this one-month cruise was a success, and he only spent an additional $500 between gratuities and drinks over the 30-day period. Compared to his $4,500 monthly spend in Boston, he saved around $2,000 per month with no stress around grocery shopping.
Total Savings
When you break everything down, he saved approximately $24,000 over 12 months just by living aboard a cruise ship. He undoubtedly put money toward his FIRE goals, and he also feels like he’s on a nonstop vacation while still working remotely.
Wonderful Destinations
Along with the amenities the Redditor found on board, including giving up Netflix for live entertainment, he also has incredible destinations. So far, he’s been to Mexico, Jamaica, and the Bahamas without concern over paying for flights or hotels.
Yes, he’s probably been to each of these destinations a dozen times, but he doesn’t have to get off the ship, and if he does, there’s probably something new to see every time. If this were me, I’d find a favorite restaurant or coffee shop that I could visit a few times a month just to get off the ship and stretch my legs without spending a fortune.
No Chores
Beyond not having to go grocery shopping, he doesn’t have to worry about cleaning up his apartment anymore as he receives at least one daily cleaning. I’m confident there is a place to do laundry onboard. Otherwise, it might be something he could do when he visits one of the local destinations.
This is a permanent vacation, and while you aren’t entirely absolved of looking after yourself, it has to be a massive weight off your shoulders.
Is This For Everyone?
If you’re wondering if this is for you, the first and most important answer is, can you work remotely? If you can’t, this is a quick and easy conversation and something you should consider when you retire. However, if you can work remotely and don’t always need the most reliable Wi-Fi signal for an endless stream of video calls, this could be the best move you can make.
There is little question that you would save money as well, as your overall expenses would undoubtedly go down. Yes, you might be giving up a ton of space for a small(er) cabin, but the hope is that you aren’t spending all of your time in a cabin.
The bottom line is that you can try a similar experiment and take a cruise for a month, whether a month-long trip or back-to-back-to-back sailings. Either way, allow yourself to try this out and see if you are okay balancing all the pros and cons of living on the high seas all month.
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