Couple spends retirement on cruise ships - because it's cheaper than living on land

Created: 05/24/2022, 05:02

By: Franziska Kaindl

Life on the cruise ship is apparently cheaper for a retired couple than owning their own home.

(symbol image) © Imago

Spend your retirement on the high seas – a couple from Seattle are making this dream come true.

They calculated that a cruise life would be cheaper for them.

"This is how I want to spend my retirement," American Angelyn Burk decided, according to the

, when she did some numbers last year.

The former accountant has long dreamed of spending her old age on cruise ships.

She and her husband Richard had already been at sea ten times, the first voyage taking place in 1992.

When they reached for the calculator, the big surprise came:

.

The 53-year-old accountant retired at the end of last year – her husband followed in March.

And soon they want to spend most of their time cruising.

Retirement on a cruise: It's paying off for an American couple

"We figured we could live with what we saved

" Richard said, according to the

.

That's the equivalent of around 95 euros.

The couple spends more than $3,500 a month on their home in Seattle.

This includes expenses for the mortgage, internet, electricity, property taxes and insurance - not including costs for groceries, transport, entertainment and other expenses of daily living.

However, according to Angelyn, unexpected additional costs should not be expected on the cruise ship: “

." Her husband agrees, "Living on a cruise ship gives you your room, your meals, the built-in entertainment, and the ability to go to different places."

Last fall, the couple tested their retirement plan by taking a nine-day trip from Miami to the Bahamas, followed by a seven-day trip from Long Beach, California to the Mexican Riviera, and then a 21-day cruise from Fort Lauderdale through the Panama Canal Vancouver spent.

The next cruise is planned for July - and after that the couple travels almost continuously for nine months.

During their short stays in the country, they want to visit family and friends and stay in Airbnbs and hotels, most of which they

pay for with

The Burks can also offer

take advantage of them, through which they receive further discounts on their trips, as they reported to CNN.

Cruise retirement comes with a lot of hassle

Nevertheless, retirement on a cruise is associated with stress, according to Angelyn Burk: “We are actually constantly online and are looking for the cheapest prices from the cruise companies and which trips are on offer.” Nevertheless, the effort is worth it: “It is as if you were At home.

We have a great living room, a wonderful dining room, and you never have to service the hot tub yourself.” Her Seattle home is currently home to three of her five children, who help pay for the mortgage and other expenses.

The old home will soon be sold.