Couple Opts for 51 Back-to-Back Cruise Vacations, Because It’s 'Much Cheaper' Than a Nursing Home

They have been living on ships for almost 500 days now

Would you rather live out your golden years in a stuffy retirement home, or on a cruise ship? One couple opted for the latter.

Marty and Jess Ansen, a married couple from Australia, embarked on back-to-back Princess Cruises in June 2022, with a 795-day trip ahead of them. As long as they don’t further extend their existing sabbatical, according to a press release from Carnival Corporation, they will likely deboard in August 2024.

Prior to setting off on the cruise last June, the couple had taken more than 31 cruises, amounting to almost 1,200 days at sea. And ultimately, they decided to keep it going because of living costs, the service, and the cruise ships' relaxing environment.

“The cruise lifestyle is very efficient," the Ansens tell PEOPLE in a joint statement, via Princess Cruises. "You don’t have to worry about paying for rent or a mortgage, getting groceries or doing your laundry.

"We’re not young people," they add. "Cruising is much cheaper than going to a nursing home and means we can continue to travel the world.”

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Even though each day is different, with new destinations and new activities on schedule, the couple has a routine.

"We have a daily program of things that happen on the ship which changes, but some things are constant — like our daily habit of playing table tennis," the couple also tells PEOPLE.

And while the Ansens are great grandparents, they consider the Princess Cruise staff — and other cruise passengers — to be like family.

"We welcome the different captains on board," Jess stated via Australian news outlet A Current Affair. She was recently treated to a surprise birthday party by the cruise line's staff, as well.

"We're on board longer than anybody else. The wheels change over but we stay on board," Marty added.

Earlier this year, another major cruise line decided to market an adventure similar to the Ansens' lifestyle. On March 1, guests could book a world cruise through Life at Sea Cruises, via Miray International’s MV Gemini ship. In only a month, it's going to set sail on a three-year voyage hitting seven continents, 135 countries, and 375 ports.

Related: This 16-Day Luxury Cruise Follows the Next Total Solar Eclipse

Costs start at $29,999 a year and go up to $109,000 per year, depending on what kind of rooms and services you’re looking for.

The ship will embark on its three-year voyage on Nov. 1. It will start in Istanbul, Turkey, and stop in Barcelona, Spain, as well as Miami, Florida.

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Read the original article on People.