A retired couple has disclosed how they’ve saved money by spending 18 months on a cruise instead of paying for a retirement home.
Marty and Jess Ansen from Australia have booked 51 back-to-back cruises, allowing them to enjoy a prolonged holiday while saving on rent, as reported by A Current Affair.
The couple mentioned they missed being on the water when the Covid-19 pandemic halted the cruising industry.
Since then, they have spent most of their time aboard a cruise ship, preferring it over life on land.
Marty and Jess shared with A Current Affair that they have been aboard the Coral Princess since June 2022.
Marty explained, “Eventually, I told my agent, ‘Look, whatever comes, book it,’ and that’s how it turned into such a long cruise.”
He continued, “We’re on board longer than anyone else. The passengers change over, but we stay on board.”
They have established a routine on the cruise ship, which includes a daily hour of table tennis. Jess added, “We do it together and have a lot of fun.”
With the buffet spreads on board, they don’t need to shop for food, as it is included in the cruise price. Additionally, housekeeping is also included, so many of their chores are taken care of.
Marty remarked, “We don’t know how to wash up anymore or make a bed because we haven’t done it for so long.” He joked that they “have to stay on board just to stay alive” as a result.
The couple is now so well-known on the ship that the crew surprised Jess when she celebrated her birthday last month.
Marty (pictured, left) mentioned that the couple has been on board for so long that “the passengers change over, but we stay on board.”
The couple says they have been aboard for so long that they welcome the captains onto the vessels, not the other way around.
Jess added that they “welcome the different captains” when they come aboard, as they have been on the ship for such a long time.
The ship’s hotel manager, Ren van Rooyen, has also been on board the Coral Princess for less time than Jess and Marty.
“We always joke that I go away and come back, and it’s like visiting family—my mum and dad again. They’re like my second mum and dad on board,” he said.
With eight months left on the Coral Princess, the couple is considering another round-the-world trip before disembarking. A few months after that, they plan to embark on a year-long cruise aboard the Crown Princess.
