For less than it would cost to annually rent a studio apartment in New York City, you could make MV Gemini, a 537-foot luxury cruise ship, your new home. As reported by CNN, Life at Sea Cruises, the company that operates the ship, is offering a three-year, 130,000-mile journey starting at $30,000 per person per year. (For reference, the average studio rent in NYC is $3,280 per month, or about $39,000 per year.) Leaving from Istanbul on November 1 of this year, the three-year schedule includes stops at 375 ports and 175 countries, with visits to iconic architectural sites such as the Taj Mahal, the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Wall of China, and Machu Pichu. “The MV Gemini is designed to be the embodiment of living where you vacation,” Mike Petterson, managing director of Life at Sea Cruises, tells AD.
Built in 1992, the vessel will be outfitted with a full-service business center, in addition to traditional cruise amenities like restaurants and entertainment spaces, to make the voyage accessible to remote workers. According to a press release, the center will include meeting rooms, offices, a library, and a lounge, in addition to free Wi-Fi across the ship. Other onboard facilities include a hospital (which will be free to guests), a sundeck and swimming pool, auditorium, wellness center, gym, and salon.
“We’ve designed the ship and its amenities to be as action-packed and exciting as our travel itinerary—from onboard entertainment, performances, and lectures to our Enrichment Series and volunteer programs,” Petterson adds. “Not only will you embark on a bucket list three-year adventure, but you may also even pick up a new hobby or skill while aboard.” When passengers aren’t tanning, working, or exploring a port, there will be the opportunities to take classes, like dance or music, and attend various programming, like singles mixers for those traveling solo.
Though the amenities will be the same for all guests, pricing depends largely on the type of cabin they will call home for the next three years. Virtual Inside staterooms, which are 130 square feet, start at $29,000 per person per year, while Balcony Suites can cost as much as $109,999 per person per year. Participants must sign on for all three years; however, Life at Sea Cruises will allow two people or couples to share a cabin throughout the 36 months—together they’d book one room, and would alternate time onboard. And, don’t worry, you won’t be sidelined from your friends and family while away: According to the company, passengers can have guests visit them any time for free.
The price is all-inclusive and things like port fees and taxes, laundry, housekeeping, and drinks such as soda, juice, tea, coffee, and alcohol at dinner are just a few of the covered perks onboard the MV Gemini. Solo travelers will get a 15% discount on the price of a double room and a minimum down payment of $45,000 is required.
