A startup wants travelers to live on a cruise ship for 3 years. See what the $181,790 global voyage promises.

22.08.2024 - 21:52 / insider.com

A startup is inviting travelers to live on a cruise ship for three years as it sails around the world.

GlobeCruises says its 1,095-day voyage will depart Barcelona on April 12, 2025. From there, it would visit 413 ports in 171 countries before concluding in Southampton, England, on April 13, 2028.

Along the way, travelers could experience the night markets of Taiwan, the beaches of Brazil, the wildlife of Tanzania, and the landmarks of Spain.

The startup's COO, Robert Dixon, told Business Insider that the voyage was designed to chase warm weather. But according to its itinerary, destinations will stretch as far south as chilly Antarctica and as far north as Longyearbyen, Norway.

Dixon said the cruise would also dock overnight at 355 of the 413 ports — in some cases for as long as seven nights, like in Singapore — giving guests more time to explore the destinations.

Inside cabins start at about $181,790 per person, while the more luxurious suites cost $624,150 per person. The cheapest option costs about $166 per person and day.

Demand has been growing in recent years for extended cruises, but their duration is typically several months, not years. Oceania's 2024 six-month world cruise sold out within 30 minutes of reservations opening in 2022, the premium cruise line said at the time. Cruise lines like Regent Seven Seas and Silversea operate annual around-the-world sailings, most of which are capped at four to six months.

GlobeCruises says its vessel will have amenities like a gym, a movie theater, a nightclub, and rentable offices. To pass the time, guests could take a dip in the pool, crack open a new book in the library, or relax in the spa.

Kendra Holmes, GlobeCruises' CEO, said she envisions at least two pools and restaurants and "as many bars and lounges" as possible, but no casino — which isa popular feature of some cruises.

The company also promises a scuba diving certification program and homeschooling opportunities for its youngest guests.The ship would host entertainers and chefs local to the port stops, as well.

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GlobeCruises' plans are similar to those of now-defunct Life at Sea Cruises. The latter canceled its planned three-year voyage in November 2023, two weeks before its departure, after failing to secure enough funding to purchase a ship.

Dixon and Holmes previously worked with Life at Sea. Holmes served as CEO of its parent company, Miray Cruises, until her departure about a week before the company canceled its global voyage.

Dixon told BI that he helped develop the concept for Life at Sea and later brought it to Miray. He said he left the team in late October 2023, a couple of weeks after Miray said it couldn't acquire a vessel.

In January, 78 would-be Life at Sea