A couple left their home to move onto a residential cruise ship — see inside their cabin on Villa Vie Odyssey

20.08.2024 - 17:23 / insider.com / Mikael Petterson

2018 was a turning point for Angela Theriac.

In a span of six months, her mom and oldest brothers died, her husband faced a cardiac scare, and she underwent two surgeries.

Her mentality suddenly shifted: She would stop taking life for granted, grinding every day at work, and wondering if she'd ever have time to see the world.

"You know what?" Theriac, 53, a retired school teacher, recalled saying at the time to her husband. "Let's go for this big adventure and live life to the fullest."

That mission drove Theriac and her husband of almost 30 years, 53-year-old Stephen Theriac, to purchase a cabin in March on a never-ending cruise, Villa Vie Odyssey. They bought the cabin just one week after learning about it in a YouTube video.

"Sometimes, you just got to be adventurous and do it," Stephen, a retired deputy sheriff, told BI.

Mikael Petterson, founder and CEO of Villa Vie, told BI in an email on Monday that Villa Vie Odyssey would embark "any day now." The 509-cabin residential cruise ship plans to circumnavigate the world every 3½ years, sailing to 147 countries and 425 destinations along the way.

Petterson declined to provide a specific sail date, saying the ship is still waiting for "the green light from DNV. It's impossible to say which day exactly." DNV is a certification and risk assessment firm.

Villa Vie Odyssey promises amenities like three restaurants, five bars and lounges, a pool, and a golf simulator.

The ship's comprehensive itinerary is a dream for retirees like Angela and Stephen, who say cruising is a "big passion." Destinations include Australia; South America; Walvis Bay, Namibia, and Singapore.

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Before moving to Nicaragua in 2011, the couple spent most of their lives in Florida and frequently took advantage of their proximity to some of the busiest cruise ports in the US.

They estimate they've boarded 50 cruises over the last 25 years, with the longest lasting 39 days.

"I really enjoy seeing new places, learning of new cultures, trying different food, and drinking different microbrews," Stephen said. "It's a great lifestyle."

The couple told BI that they paid for the smallest, least expensive cabin on the never-ending cruise, in part, with funds from an inheritance from Angela's mother.

(The couple said they signed a non-disclosure agreement and could not tell BI how much they paid for their accommodation. However, the cheapest dual occupancy interior cabins start at about $100,000 with an additional $3,500 monthly fee.)

The Theriacs said they have already been to popular cruise destinations like the Caribbean and Mediterranean. Now, they're excited to go further — New Zealand for Stephen and tropical destinations like Bali, Indonesia, and Fiji for Angela, a