Retired Couple Books 51 Back-To-Back Cruises

Retired Couple Books 51 Back-To-Back Cruises Because It’s Cheaper Than a Retirement Home

By Regina Sienra on October 4, 2023

Have you ever taken a vacation and had so much fun that you wished it could go on forever? For Marty and Jess Ansen, a retired Australian couple, they enjoyed being at sea so much that they have booked 51 back-to-back cruises. And while this is a product of their 40-year-long love for sea travel, it is also informed by another factor—the couple realized that living on cruises is less costly than staying in a retirement home. So far, they've spent close to 500 days sailing around the world.

“Cruising is what we do. Once COVID-19 came, we couldn’t cruise, so we booked as many as we could once it started again,” the husband explained in an interview with Australia's Today. “Eventually I said to my agent, ‘Look, whatever comes, book it,’ and that’s how it got to be such a long cruise.”

Once COVID restrictions were lifted, the couple began their adventure aboard the Coral Princess in June 2022, which recently docked in Sydney to restock the ship before making its way to Hawaii. Once that trip is over, they'll board another cruise, the Crown Princess, to sail around the world once again.

Since all their needs are taken care of aboard the cruise, the couple makes a compelling case for never getting off. “You have all your meals prepared, you don’t have to cook, you go to a show every evening and go dancing after the show, then you go for supper and head back to your cabin.”

While some would dread the idea of being stuck on a ship for extended periods of time, the couple avoids getting cabin fever by only returning to their quarters at night, and doing separate activities throughout the day. While Marty goes to the deck to play sports, Jess likes spending her time with quizzes and bingo.

The happy couple seems to have nailed down cruise life, and even feel at peace with being away from their families. “They’re all busy,” Ansen shares. But they do have occasional reunions when they visit a port near where a relative lives. Ultimately, their life at sea is all about making the most out of every day. Jess says, “We’re in a place in our lives where we just want to enjoy it.”