"No Need to Do Laundry or Prepare Meals for 15 Years"... American Woman Spends Her Later Years on a Cruise

Long-term Cabin Costs About 129,000 Dollars
Monthly Living Expenses Total 2,760 Dollars

An American woman in her 70s who is spending her later years on a cruise ship has become a topic of discussion. She purchased a cruise cabin designed for 15 years of long-term residence and is currently traveling the world. On June 26 (local time), CNN highlighted the life of Sharon Lane, a 77-year-old from California, who bought a cabin on the cruise ship Villa Vie Odyssey at the end of last year using her lifelong savings and is now sailing the seas.

Sharon Lane spending the later years of her life on a cruise.

The Odyssey is a long-distance cruise ship remodeled from a 30-year-old vessel and currently operates approximately 450 cabins. About 55% of the current passengers are traveling alone, with most coming from the United States and Canada. The Odyssey set sail at the end of September last year, and the price for a cabin with a limited view starts at $129,000 (about 176 million KRW). For monthly living expenses, a double cabin requires an additional $2,000 (about 2.71 million KRW) per person, while a single cabin requires $3,000 (about 4.06 million KRW) per person. Cabins with an outside view start at $169,000.

The fees include three meals a day, alcoholic beverages at dinner, Wi-Fi, medical care, 24-hour room service, cabin cleaning, and biweekly laundry service. Lane said, "I can finally do what I have always wanted to do," adding, "I no longer have to do laundry or go grocery shopping. Living on board is much cheaper than living in my California home." The Odyssey typically docks at each port for several days, and passengers can enjoy shore excursions for an additional fee.

The Odyssey is a long-distance cruise ship remodeled from a 30-year-old vessel, currently operating approximately 450 cabins. Villa Vie Residences The Odyssey

The cabin where Lane stays is located at the front of the ship, allowing her to feel the movement of the sea vividly. She said she only uses her cabin for sleeping and added, "I am happiest when I am on the ship's deck. Whether the weather is good or bad, I am always on the deck. I can talk with people, read a book, or enjoy the sea breeze." Lane also remarked, "The people here are those who originally loved to travel. It is more comfortable being with people who share similar interests." Lane, who said she wanted a simple life, added, "After 15 years, I could find a house, but for the next 15 years, I want to live at sea and pursue the life I have dreamed of."

Meanwhile, as interest in retirement living expenses has been rising in South Korea, it has been found that the cost of living for retirees has increased by more than 1.58 times over the past decade. According to a survey by the National Pension Research Institute at the end of last year, the appropriate monthly living expenses for a couple in 2021 (based on the 9th National Retirement Security Panel Survey) was 2.77 million KRW. This is an increase of more than 1 million KRW compared to 1.746 million KRW in 2009. The minimum monthly living expenses for a couple was found to be 1.987 million KRW. The National Pension Research Institute has been conducting the National Retirement Security Panel Survey every two years since 2005 to understand the retirement preparation and living conditions of middle-aged and older adults.