77-year-old Sharon Lane is a passenger on the VillaVieOdyssey, a 600-foot (183 m) luxury cruise ship where cabins are purchased for a long period rather than for individual trips. Sharon plans to spend the next 15 years on the voyage and has sold her house for the purpose.
The route will visit around 425 destinations in 147 countries, covering almost 75% of all countries in the world. The cost of a cabin for the entire 15-year period starts at USD 129,000, with monthly fees starting at USD 2,000 per person. This covers accommodation on board, soft drinks, alcohol at dinner, Wi-Fi, medical care, weekly housekeeping and bi-weekly laundry.
Lane bought the cabin for 15 years, using all her savings. The price, she says, is "a bargain": a cruise on the only similar ship, TheWorld, costs from USD 2.5 million. In contrast, VillaVieOdyssey offers free access to entertainment - live performances, dance shows, interactive events.
The passenger cabin is mostly compact and windowless - the ship can technically accommodate up to 924 people, but in reality, no more than 500 are on board at a time.
"The deck is my happy place," Lane says. During port calls, the ship stops in ports for about two days, and destinations include North America, Japan, the Philippines, the South Pacific, Australia, Asia and the Mediterranean. There, residents of the ship are given excursions.
To afford the trip, Lane sold her house and everything in it. She admits that she may not return from the trip.
"We'll tell in 15 years, but maybe I'll move on to the next ship," she says.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the Villa Vie Residences cruise company offered a four-year cruise for those who want to "take a break from politics" while Donald Trump is President of the United States.
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