An American couple who packed up to live full-time on a cruise ship have opened up about how cabin life has impacted them, including any side effects they’ve experienced so far.
Johan Bodin and Lanette Canen have embarked on what would be a 15-year journey on board Ville Vie Odyssey: a residential cruise ship operated by Villa Vie Residences.
Travellers who purchase a cabin onboard will have the opportunity to visit 425 destinations and 147 countries every 3.5 years.
So, if you have wild dreams of exploring the world in a bubble of luxury, you may want to step into Bodin and Canen’s shoes sooner, rather than later.
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The passengers, who previously told WGN News in May 2025 that they ‘loved’ their new lifestyle, recently spoke to UNILAD about the trials and tribulations they’ve faced since swapping Maui for the open sea.
According to the duo, both 56, it’s extremely difficult to stay on track when it comes to healthy eating.
With three restaurants onboard, including a buffet-style experience, as well as multiple bars, lounges, and a dedicated culinary centre, we can understand how sticking to a balanced diet could be a little bit tricky.
“Portion control is probably the biggest [side effect]—it’s easy to overdo it when food is always available. But there are also a lot of healthy options,” Bodin and Canen admitted.
“We actually feel more active than we did at home because we’re walking a lot and exploring in every port. Overall, we’ve maintained our weight and feel good.”
The twosome, who paid a handsome $130,000 up front for a residential cabin, say they fork out around $4,000 each month to stay onboard.
This eye-watering sum pays for food, beer and wine at lunch and dinner, housekeeping and laundry services, gym, fitness classes, entertainment, WiFi, and gratuities, they confirmed.
It’s reported that the $4,000 is ‘about half’ of what the YouTubers were spending on homeownership.
“We no longer have things like car payments, insurance, gas, home maintenance, HOA fees, groceries, or even traditional vacations—it’s all kind of rolled into one lifestyle now.”
When asked what some of the biggest misconceptions are about living full-time on the Ville Vie Odyssey, Bodin and Canen said it’s money and freedom.
“A lot of people think we’re stuck on the ship or that you have to be rich to do this.
“Others assume it’s crowded and chaotic like a typical cruise. In reality, it’s much quieter, more spacious, and feels more like a small community than a vacation cruise.”
However, it isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, with the pair having admitted the ‘hardest part’ about permanently cruising is ‘being away from family and friends’.
“That said, we’ve made an effort to reconnect along the way—like flying back to surprise our granddaughter for her first birthday.”
They added that anyone who was considering packing up and living full-time on a floating vessel should ‘just do it’.
They candidly claimed that life was ‘too short’ to have regrets.
“And if you’re not sure, try it first—but don’t wait too long. We’ve learned that time and experiences matter more than things.”
Topics: Travel, News, Cruise ship
Ella Scott