Man bought apartment on cruise ship as it's cheaper than home and he can travel world
A brazen San Diego man has ditched the bluster of city living for the vibrant days and nights on a cruise ship, after buying an apartment aboard the vessel.
Austin Wells, 28, made the enviable decision to live on a cruise that boasts 20 dining restaurant and bar options, a micro brewery, 10,000 book library, movie theater, three pools, gym, art studio and even an on-board doctor.
Now with all these perks, you would assume it would be more costly than living in a city apartment, but his costs might surprise you.
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After committing to working remotely at Meta, Wells is expected to see countries around the world for around three and a half years.
A sample itinerary says the cruise, which is expected to take off in 2025, is set to visit Rome, Naples, Venice, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece and Turkey.
Luckily for the 28-year-old, his role in the technology company's augmented and virtual reality division is fully remote, meaning he has the flexibility for constant travel without midweek meetings in the office.
Wells' studio apartment onboard the MV Narrative, a residential luxury cruise ship, costs him $300,000 (£246,465) for a 12-year lease.
Now for many of us working post-pandemic, finding the perfect work-life balance has become more important than ever, and Wells seems to have it all planned out.
"My working hours will be shifted towards evenings, nights and very early mornings,” he told CNBC.
“But that does open up the ability for me to … maybe see a city midday to afternoon and then start my workday around 6pm or 7pm.
"This is probably the first time ever that there is even the ability to have a standard job and even consider working and living from a floating apartment complex."
And if Wells gets a bit sea sick and misses family and friends, there's even the option of renting out his flat if he wants to take a trip back home or he can invite friends or family aboard for a month too.
Fear not, because if you quite like the sound of ditching your overpriced city flat and setting sail too, it still looks like there are some apartments left onboard the ship.
Most leases are for 24 years or around 60 - the life of the vessel - although Wells was able to get his for 12 years as he got in there early. Wells also got in there with a solid price, other flats start at around $1 million (£700,000), reaching as high as a whopping $8 million (£6.3 million).
There's also a three months per year 'fractional ownership' option and better yet, you can go all inclusive for an extra fee - $2,100 (£1,600) per person. No cooking or cleaning for several months? Yes please.
Gerrard Kaonga