What It Really Costs to Live Full-Time on a Cruise Ship

Key Moments
Editorial Summary
Lynette and Johan provide a detailed breakdown of the financial requirements for living full-time on a cruise ship. They explain that while they purchased their cabin early to lock in a lower rate, current cabin prices start at approximately 130,000. Monthly maintenance fees for a couple are around 4,000, while solo travelers pay roughly 3,000. The creators outline several inclusions such as three meals a day, Wi-Fi via Starlink, gym access, and laundry services. Beyond these base costs, they account for additional monthly expenses including streaming services, mobile phone plans, travel insurance, and excursions. They estimate their total monthly expenditure to be approximately 5,150, which includes personal extras like salon visits and occasional cocktails. The couple notes that this lifestyle eliminates traditional costs like car payments, gas, and property taxes. They conclude that living on a ship is more cost-effective than their previous life in Maui and compares their spending favorably to the average US household monthly expenditure. They emphasize that while the ship is not a financial investment, it represents a significant investment in lifestyle and global experiences.
Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.
Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.
Creator's Key Takeaways
Our base cabin runs about $4,000 per month for BOTH of us.
With extras, we’re closer to about $5,100 total.
We're spending way less than what we did in Maui and what the US national average is.
We're really happy with our decision to live on a ship.
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Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.
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