Day 26 was another wonderful day at-sea on the Norwegian Encore. We made reservations to dine at the special French restaurant, Le Bistro. Walking there, we passed the pool.
Dinner began with champagne.
We then splurged on a paid bottle of Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon, which set us back around $100.
The escargot on this ship is really good.
Mushroom soup and endive salad to start,
The Endive Salad is the best we'll have in our whole trip.
Rack of lamb.
An assortment of desserts. In a typical expensive French restaurant, this meal would have cost us at least $400, but we only paid for the wine,
Then on to the Social Club for the Abba Band playing ABBA.
Followed by karaoke in The Cavern Club.
Back to our room, where we saw the 2015 The Martian, with Matt Damon. Rotten Tomatoes score of 91/91. Walked 2455 steps today
Lunch on Day 27,
- The average cruise ship passenger pays around $213/day, or $77,745/year. There are cheaper options and a lot of more expensive ones.
- In comparison, a stay at a typical assisted living facility (which would be a rental), would be $48,000/year, although $60,000 is about what it costs in Hawaii. I pay $72,000/year, for which I get 3 meals/day, all kinds of snacks, an apartment which is weekly cleaned, bed re-sheeted and towels changed, and a dozen or so in-house activities/day.
- Read this Senior Living at Sea article.
- LLiving full time on a luxury ship is a dream for many, with endless travelling, few worries and constant pampering. After more than a few hiccups, the first affordable residential vessel, Villa Vie Odyssey, left Belfast this month to begin its maiden three-and-a-half-year world cruise. But it’s not the only company trying to enter this lucrative sector – here are some of the ventures that have succeeded, failed, or have yet to launch…
Is it cheaper than living on dry land?
Depending on your circumstances, yes. Costs on residential ships are advertised at starting from £70 a day – and that includes heating, food and entertainment. Passengers Melody and John Hennessee on Villa Vie Odyssey say: “Living at sea costs nearly half of what we used to spend on land. We have one monthly payment – we do not have a mortgage, house insurance, car payments, utility or food bills.”
What if I get ill?
The ships carry a doctor and nurses though, of course, any major surgery or treatment would have to be done on land. Passengers must have insurance to cover treatment on shore plus medical emergencies such as being airlifted from the ship.
What about dental treatment?
Dentists will make occasional visits to the ships.
Do I pay tax?
Ships such as The World are floating tax havens for permanent cruisers because passengers only stay in the national waters of individual countries for a day or two.
Can I receive mail?
Villa Vie provides passengers with a US address where mail can be forwarded – it is then sent on to meet the ship at its next port every four weeks. Storylines will offer a service where you can agree to have your letters opened, scanned and sent to your email.
Is Wi-Fi reliable?
Most ships now use the Starlink system which provides good coverage across the world – though some users say even that can be affected by bad weather.
Can friends and family visit?
Villa Vie allows passengers to invite guests on board for just $33 (£25) a day each. If there’s no space in your cabin, they can sleep in spare rooms on the lower decks. Or, if you’re away, they can stay in your cabin for free.
Is there a luggage limit?
Bring what you like, as long as you can fit it in your cabin. Some ships have common storage areas on lower decks for cases and other spare belongings.
- The World.
- The original residential ship first sailing in 2002...but for multi-millionaires only.
- 20 different nationalities reside.
- Continues to travel the world, and docks in 100 ports/year, stopping for 2-5 days.
- Usually between 200 and 300 residents.
- Residences cost between $2.5 million and $15 million, but there are quarterly maintenance fees of around 10% the purchase price annually
- 6 continents/year.
- Ship uses a resident voting system to determine where it goes.
- The 2026 itinerary will include stops in Antarctica, French Polynesia and Easter Island.
- Villa Vie Odyssey
- Formerly the Norwegian Dynasty, first floated in 1993, the Villa Vie Odyssey is on a 3.5 year world cruise.
- Refitted in Belfast in April, the ship finally left on 2October2024 to Brest, France.
- Read the story of residents. What a nightmare.
- Will visit 425 ports in the first circumnavigation.
- 85% sold.
- Details are sketchy.
- Life At Sea: Subsidiary of Turkish company Miray Cruises was supposed to set sail in 2023, but went bankrupt.
- Storylines (right) plans for delivery in 2027. Got delayed because it is being constructed in Croatia, and there is that war in Ukraine.
- 20 restaurants and bars,
- 530 residences up to $10 million each.
- Will have a dog park. The World bars pets.
- Victoria Cruises Line.
- Re-outfitted a 1996 Holland America ship.
- 1350 guests with 580 crew.
- Adults only.
- 10 decks, four restaurants, two pools, basketball court.
- Residents determine where and for how long.
- No cabin purchases.
- Least expensive room, inside cabin with no windows, is $8000/month/couple for a 6-month lease, which can be extended. Longer periods can result in a 40% monthly rent discount. 226 square foot stateroom. There is also a $30,000 initial deposit.
- Most expensive Pinnacle Suite with a veranda costs $35,000/month for two, plus an $80,000 deposit. King-size bed plus sofa bed. 1279 square foot suite.
- The Victoria Majestic was supposed to have left Port Everglades on 26July2025...BUT DID NOT...I think. Company says it will sail when an 80% occupancy rate is reached.
- Will have a marina deck for the more seaworthy adventurists.
- Will cruise the world, taking 27 months.
- This is is an experiment. If it works, watch for others,
- Blue World Voyages.
- Another future option.
- For the sports minded.
- Wellness priority.
- 30 residences selling from $2.6 million to $5.8 million.
- Will also have 160 passenger suites double the size of other cruise lines.
- Njord.
- A private super yacht. Ice-strengthened.
- 117 residences.
- Can fly in on a helicopter and dive in two submarines.
- Will do oceanographic research.
- Will use bio-methanol fuel with no carbon footprint,
- Hopes to sail next year,
- Dark Island.
- 101-suites starting at $10 million for sailing in 2026.
- Featuring Scottish dishes,
- Somnio,
- Meaning dream.
- Some time in the future, 39 apartments, starting at $18 million.
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