Woman who sold all belongings to live on cruise ship permanently exposed 'dark side' of life onboard
It's starting to feel like holiday season for a lot of us but some folks are lucky enough to spend their whole lives travelling.
Although some folks might use the bank of mum and dad to have a few years abroad, or simply just have enough money that they don't need to worry about work, an increasing trend seems to be that people who love cruise ships are deciding to live there full-time.
While it might seem like a lot to sell your house and all your belongings, it's something that is growing in popularity right now, particularly with the often extortionate prices of rent, bills and groceries, which you simply don't have to worry about when on board a cruise ship.
One woman who did exactly that is Lynelle, who saved up enough money to retire at 53, leaving a toxic marriage and job behind to go and live at sea, with all the benefits that a cruise ship can bring.
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She's previously revealed exactly how much it costs for her each month, with things looking remarkably cheap compared to London rent at times, but it isn't all breezy.
Living on a ship can come with some downsides, even away from the potential 'sea legs' that you might end up suffering when you try and walk on land, and for Lynelle, there is certainly a 'dark side' to full-time cruise ship living.
She pointed out that the lack of space in your own quarters can sometimes take some getting used to, with the cramped surroundings and thin walls also meaning that you're likely to hear some 'disturbing' things.
"Take your current bedroom, cut it in half, now squeeze a queen-sized bed, a couple of nightstands and everything you need to live into that half of a bedroom, that's what your cabin is going to look like," she said of smaller space.
Lynelle said she once got 'insomnia' from all the noise, but she was able to 'push past' it in the end. She explained that she was an 'introvert' and spent quite a bit of time in her cabin, hence why all the noise was a bit of a problem.
If you like keeping yourself to yourself, then there might be some problems on board the ship as 'you cannot escape' from interacting with your fellow passengers who have nobody else to talk to.
It would also likely be a problem when you do eventually make some friends on board, as they will almost certainly leave the ship at some point, so it can be quite isolating unless you're extremely social.
"Depending on your personality I think some people would get lonely on a cruise ship or they would be really sad the people they met and connected with are going home to their families and their lives," she added.
So, as long as you're an extrovert who doesn't mind making new friends every week, and you don't mind living in a smaller space, perhaps cruise ship living is the way to go. Just make sure to not accidentally leave an upside down pineapple on your door.
James Moorhouse