Cruising into her golden years.
A California retiree sailed into the following stage of her life when she traded in her home in a retirement community for the open seas, where she’ll reside for the following decade.
Sharon Lane, a former highschool foreign language teacher, purchased an interior villa aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey, the world’s first perpetual cruise, since she claimed it was cheaper to live at sea than remain within the Golden State.
“Not only was it reasonably priced to me, it will actually cost me less money to live here like this, have everyone taking good care of me as a substitute of me taking good care of everybody,” Lane told NBC Los Angeles.
The 77-year-old has made it her life goal to continue to exist a cruise ship and she or he snagged her spot on the ship, moving onboard on June 16.
“All of the chores you do in life? Done!” said Lane. “When you put your to-do list on a chunk of paper and also you cross off anything that wasn’t a fun activity, then you definately find yourself with the life we have now now.”
Villa Vie is marketed because the “only reasonably priced residential cruising option offering this lifestyle.”
The ship’s design allows the vessel to travel across oceans and navigate inland waterways and rivers, based on the Villa Vie website.
Odyssey is scheduled to sail on a three-and-a-half-year cycle, visiting 425 destinations in 147 countries.
The ship launched in October 2024, but Lane didn’t board until June.
She has sailed to Vancouver, as much as Alaska, with plans to embark on a transpacific voyage to Japan and Taiwan in the approaching weeks, based on Lane.
An inside villa, much like Lane’s, costs a one-time fee of $129,999 or roughly $2,999 a month for a solo traveler.
Amenities aboard the ship include entertainment lounges, clubs, a library, a fitness center and a spa.
Residents have access to Wi-Fi, bars, a pickleball court and a pool.
Lane spent her life savings on the long-term tour and plans to stay onboard for the ship’s entire 15-year journey.
“I’m finally in a position to do what I’ve desired to do for years,” she told CNN Travel. “I purchase the cabin, I live within the cabin, and that’s it. After which there’s no end.”
The ship had planned to set sail in May 2024, but problems with the rudders and gearbox forced a delay on the initial embarkation.
Passengers who had already purchased rooms onboard were forced to continue to exist the docked ship in Belfast, Northern Ireland until October.
The delays meant some passengers have spent months living on the docked cruise ship — with no sail date in sight.
Odyssey set sail on Oct. 1, 2024, but returned to port hours later because final paperwork hadn’t been accomplished.
The eight-deck ship can hold 650 passengers.
Cruising into her golden years.
A California retiree sailed into the following stage of her life when she traded in her home in a retirement community for the open seas, where she’ll reside for the following decade.
Sharon Lane, a former highschool foreign language teacher, purchased an interior villa aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey, the world’s first perpetual cruise, since she claimed it was cheaper to live at sea than remain within the Golden State.
“Not only was it reasonably priced to me, it will actually cost me less money to live here like this, have everyone taking good care of me as a substitute of me taking good care of everybody,” Lane told NBC Los Angeles.
The 77-year-old has made it her life goal to continue to exist a cruise ship and she or he snagged her spot on the ship, moving onboard on June 16.
“All of the chores you do in life? Done!” said Lane. “When you put your to-do list on a chunk of paper and also you cross off anything that wasn’t a fun activity, then you definately find yourself with the life we have now now.”
Villa Vie is marketed because the “only reasonably priced residential cruising option offering this lifestyle.”
The ship’s design allows the vessel to travel across oceans and navigate inland waterways and rivers, based on the Villa Vie website.
Odyssey is scheduled to sail on a three-and-a-half-year cycle, visiting 425 destinations in 147 countries.
The ship launched in October 2024, but Lane didn’t board until June.
She has sailed to Vancouver, as much as Alaska, with plans to embark on a transpacific voyage to Japan and Taiwan in the approaching weeks, based on Lane.
An inside villa, much like Lane’s, costs a one-time fee of $129,999 or roughly $2,999 a month for a solo traveler.
Amenities aboard the ship include entertainment lounges, clubs, a library, a fitness center and a spa.
Residents have access to Wi-Fi, bars, a pickleball court and a pool.
Lane spent her life savings on the long-term tour and plans to stay onboard for the ship’s entire 15-year journey.
“I’m finally in a position to do what I’ve desired to do for years,” she told CNN Travel. “I purchase the cabin, I live within the cabin, and that’s it. After which there’s no end.”
The ship had planned to set sail in May 2024, but problems with the rudders and gearbox forced a delay on the initial embarkation.
Passengers who had already purchased rooms onboard were forced to continue to exist the docked ship in Belfast, Northern Ireland until October.
The delays meant some passengers have spent months living on the docked cruise ship — with no sail date in sight.
Odyssey set sail on Oct. 1, 2024, but returned to port hours later because final paperwork hadn’t been accomplished.
The eight-deck ship can hold 650 passengers.
