American couple who've lived on a cruise ship full-time for over 500 days share how much it really costs with extensive breakdown
Published on Mar 03, 2026 at 9:14 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Mar 03, 2026 at 9:14 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
If you’ve ever wondered how much living on a luxury cruise ship for nearly two years would cost, this American couple has an extensive answer to that question.
Lanette and Johan run the Living Life on a Cruise YouTube channel, as well as other social media accounts, and they are currently embarking on what they say is a 15-year cabin guarantee on a residential cruise ship.
The two bought the cabin to live on it for 15 years, and they recently posted a video running through the costs of doing so.
It was an extensive breakdown, covering how much it would cost to live on the ship as of 2026.
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This is how much they paid for a cabin on the ship
The first cost, naturally, is the outright cost of the cabin itself.
Then there is the price you have to pay monthly in order to rent it.
That is when the costs already start to add up, and to buy the cabin, the American couple paid $130,000.
It’s about $4,000 a month for the two of them to rent the cruise ship’s cabin.
For a solo traveller, it would be $3,000 a month.
Add in the extras they have, and it is $5,100 a month for the two to rent.
These are the luxuries you get while living at sea
WiFi via Starlink and three meals a day are included in that price, as well as free beer and wine and laundry twice a week.
The couple is keen to stress they are not rich and work remotely to be able to afford what they do.
The couple also still pays for things such as streaming services, and they use US Mobile for cell service.
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Is living on a cruise ship cheaper than living in a regular home?
Of course, one of the big questions is whether or not this luxury life is cheaper than living in a regular home.
Previously, they were paying $6,500 a month to live at home in the United States.
The pair also lived in Maui, Hawaii, and that was costing them $8,000 a month.
So the $5,100 a month on the cruise ship does come out cheaper than both of their previous homes.
Some further costs are deducted too.
The American couple doesn’t pay for a car or repairs, property taxes, utility bills, or home repairs.
That can help bring the total down even more versus home costs.
What the couple showed is that you do not need to be super-rich to live quite an unusual luxury lifestyle.
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Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a heritage steam railway.
