This couple went on one cruise together. Now, they're moving onto a never-ending residential cruise ship.

24.08.2024 - 13:14 / insider.com / Mikael Petterson

In June 2022, Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin went on their first cruise together.

First-timers often gravitate toward short sailings. Not Canen and Bodin — self-described "all-or-nothing kind of people" — whose inaugural voyage was more than two weeks long.

"Most people said we'd be tired of being on the ship in three, four, or five days," Bodin recalled. "16 days came up, and we didn't want to leave."

But as much as they enjoyed the experience, it was the last time they went on a vacation at sea. Cruising wasn't the couple's biggest passion — they preferred traveling the world.

That is, until this spring, when Canen and Bodin, both 54, uprooted their lives in Maui, Hawaii, to move onto a new residential cruise ship called Villa Vie Odyssey.

The 509-cabin vessel is readying to set sail after a three-month delay to its departure. It plans to circumnavigate the world every 3 ½ years, sailing to 147 countries and 425 destinations along the way. Ports span Europe, Asia, Australia, South and North America, and Africa.

On board, residents would have access to amenities similar to those on traditional cruise liners, such as restaurants, bars and lounges, a pool, and a golf simulator.

Mikael Petterson, the founder and CEO of Villa Vie Residences, told Business Insider in an email on August 19 that Villa Vie Odyssey would embark from Belfast, Ireland "any day now." He said it's "impossible to say which day exactly" as the ship is still waiting for "the green light from DNV." (DNV is a certification and risk assessment firm for the maritime industry.)

Villa Vie's promise of a floating hotel and a slower pace of travel lured Canen and Bodin. They both wanted to see the world without having to journey by plane and train, unpacking and repacking at every destination.

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So, in September 2023, the couple sent Villa Vie a $10,000 depositto reserve a cabin on a future floating home.

She's particularly excited to see Asia, while he's looking forward to the beaches of the South Pacific Islands.

"Why would I live in Maui when I could travel the world," Canen told BI. "We're old enough where we just want experiences now."

The couple said they sold their car rental business in Maui — a fleet of 31 vehicles listed on Turo — to buy their "obstructed view" cabin on Odyssey. (They declined to disclose the price, but windowless inside cabins are currently listed at $100,000, while those with ocean views are $50,000 more.)

They also have to pay $3,500 in monthly fees. But Canen, who plans to run her auto glass company remotely from the ship, said her income would cover this additional expense.

Their cabin is small, and a lifeboat obstructs its view, "but we're going to use it as our bedroom and the rest of the