US woman who's lived on a cruise ship for over a year shares the honest reality of what 'nobody warned her' about
Published on Jul 29, 2026 at 7:58 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Jul 29, 2026 at 7:58 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
This American woman has lived on a cruise ship for over a year, and she’s revealing the honest truth about her life out at sea.
Laura, host of the YouTube channel Living On Cruise Control, is living on the Majestic Princess cruise ship.
Despite the purported glamour that comes with a cruise lifestyle, there are some downsides.
On her channel, Laura has been candid about the reality of her life at sea that ‘nobody warned her’ about – and some of it is pretty revealing.
More people are opting to live life out at sea
In recent years, more Americans are opening up about their decision to leave land behind and take up residence on a cruise ship.
One woman has gone into the cost benefits of her lifestyle, breaking down her monthly bills.
Another couple also got candid about how expensive life was at sea compared to living on land.
That seems to be the overriding question from the public, right?
‘How on Earth can you afford to live on a cruise ship?’
It certainly does give off the air of living the high life.
And all of this could soon pale in comparison to the $16 billion floating city that has been proposed.
But there’s another side to cruise ship living that isn’t talked about as much.
The reality of living on a cruise ship
On her YouTube channel Living On Cruise Control, Laura leaves no stone unturned in documenting her cruising life.
In a video uploaded in May, she shared some secrets about cruise ship residency that nobody warned her about.
Surprise One: Time Stops Making Sense
As you might imagine, some disorientation comes along with being on a boat all day.
A lack of structured schedules and routine can leave you feeling a bit discombobulated.
Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.
“Everything just kind of blurs together into this beautiful, slightly chaotic collage,” Laura said.
“And then I realized I wasn’t losing my grip. I was letting go on purpose.”
Surprise Two: Cruise Ship friendships are very strong
When you’re living out at sea, the people you’re sharing a vessel with are of extreme importance.
Laura said that friendships can develop at an extraordinarily fast pace.
“On a ship, you meet someone at breakfast. By dinner, you know their entire life story,” she said.
“And then they leave. It’s beautiful and it’s a little heartbreaking at the same time.”
This leaves her having to restart her social circle as new people board the ship.
Despite the temporary nature of many people’s time on the boat, she maintains contact through social channels.
Surprise Three: Creature comforts are everything
When on a moving boat going from place to place, it helps to feel grounded in some way.
For Laura, she relies on small habits to keep things consistent.
Whether that’s visiting similar coffee shops or ordering the same drink at each port, she does something to maintain a sense of familiarity.
“The sameness I create inside—that’s not a weakness. That’s how I sustain it,” she explained.
“You can’t live at full intensity every single day without burning out.”
Surprise Four: Views on money and value can change on a cruise ship
Her views on money and value have shifted since she decided to live on board a cruise ship.
Since core essentials like food, housing and transportation are all covered, this leaves her with more power over her spending.
“When I spend money, it’s a deliberate choice every single time,” she said.
Surprise Five: It can be quite lonely living on a cruise ship
The downside of living on a cruise ship is that it can get lonely sometimes.
“It would be dishonest of me to sit here on this beautiful balcony in France and tell you that every single day of this life is golden and glowing and perfect,” Laura said.
There are moments where she wishes somebody could be with her to experience a view, or where she feels like she’s missing out on life at home.
What has surprised her is how she’s learned to deal with these feelings of loneliness.
“I think that the surprise isn’t that loneliness exists in this life,” she explained.
“The surprise is that I’ve learned to sit with it instead of running from it.
“That’s new for me.”
Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
