Villa Vie - a floating retirement community
Some people are already living full time on regular cruise lines—stringing together back-to-back sailings and figuring it out as they go. But those ships aren’t built for long-term living. It works, but it’s not exactly smooth, and is challenging to build community when your neighbors change every few days.
Villa Vie Cruises is trying to offer a better option. Their ship, the Villa Vie Odyssey, launched in 2024 with a 3.5-year global itinerary that hits over 400 ports across nearly 150 countries. It’s designed specifically for people who want to live onboard—not just vacation.
You can either buy a cabin or rent one. If you buy, you’re guaranteed 15 years of sailing. That means you own the rights to your cabin for a full 15-year span. The upfront price for an interior unit starts around $139,000, with balcony units running $300,000 or more. On top of that, you pay monthly fees—typically between $2,500 and $4,000—that cover meals, housekeeping, Wi-Fi, drinks, and other essentials.
Renting skips the upfront cost, but you’ll pay more each month. Current rental rates start around $5,000 for interior cabins and go up depending on location and size. You still get food and basic services included.
One thing that sets Villa Vie apart is that you can actually furnish your cabin yourself. You’re not living in a hotel room, you’re setting up your own space. And yes, cats are allowed. For a lot of people, that’s the detail that shifts this from interesting idea to actual possibility.
Like any lifestyle, it’s not all sunsets and endless buffets. There’s no hospital onboard, so you’ll need solid international health insurance. You’re also committing to a tight-knit social environment, and there have been some early complaints about communication, shifting plans, and operational bumps. Buying a cabin is a lifestyle purchase—not a financial investment. It’s a depreciating asset, and resale value isn’t guaranteed. You’re buying the experience, not building equity. .
But for people who value freedom, stability, community, and waking up in a new place without having to move furniture, Villa Vie offers something that hasn’t really existed until now: a floating neighborhood.
