At the age of 75, Sharon Lane is making a fresh start. The retired teacher from the US state of California has an apartment and an orderly life. But she is also passionate about traveling and experiencing adventures – which is why Lane gives up a lot of what has previously made up her everyday life.
As she told CNN, she wants to live on a cruise ship for three years. Lane is among the people taking advantage of an unusual offer from the Turkish company Life at Sea Cruises. You can rent a boat on the MV Gemini cruise ship for three years – at a price of 28,000 euros per year. In total, almost 90,000 euros per person come together. The attractive thing about the offer: Three years on a cruise. The catch: three years on a cruise, because the deal is only valid for the entire duration.
Sharon Lane was immediately excited when she heard about the offer from a friend. She had her ticket that same evening, she told CNN. Opinions are divided on cruises as a form of vacation and travel – Lane swears by it. Her favorite days are at sea, “when we’re just plowing through the ocean.” This should be their everyday life in the future. The 75-year-old has already started selling large parts of her belongings and has already given notice of her apartment on land.
Instead, she will move into a 39 square meter cabin without windows on the ship. There is no daylight, there is only a screen on which the guests can see the outside via video transmission. “That’s enough for me,” Lane assured CNN. The ship leaves in November, and there are also a few other guests on board who have also booked the trip for the entire three years. Among other things, guests are provided with cleaning, laundry, drinks, internet, gym and pool, as well as various events on board – and of course the opportunity to travel to different continents over a period of three years. According to Life at Sea Cruises, 375 ports in 135 countries are to be called at, and passengers can visit illustrious places such as the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China or Machu Picchu.
For those who cannot simply give up their professional life for three years, the company also offers offices and workstations for video conferences on the cruise ship. And the organizers seem to have thought of everything else too: there is a hospital on board, as well as a prison and a morgue.
Quellen: CNN / Life at Sea Cruises
