A man named Ryan Gutridge has shared his experience of living on a cruise ship for about 300 days each year, and surprisingly, he has found it to be more economical than renting a land-based apartment.
Ryan Gutridge, who works remotely in the field of IT as a cloud-solution engineer, first embarked on his sea-faring lifestyle in 2021. Realizing that he could perform his job tasks while aboard a cruise ship, he saw the potential for this to be a financially feasible way of life.
In an interview with Insider, Gutridge explained that he transitioned to remote work in 2012 and took the plunge into cruise living by booking two four-night cruises on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas in the summer of 2021. He thoroughly enjoyed these trips in September of that year.
India is exploring alternative of Chabahar port
From that point on, Gutridge embraced the cruise lifestyle, spending nearly every week of the year on a cruise ship, with just a few exceptions for holidays. But before fully committing to this way of life, he did some calculations to determine if it would make financial sense.
Upon careful consideration, Gutridge discovered that the cost of living on a cruise ship for about 300 nights a year was nearly equivalent to his expenses for his apartment and related services. When he factored in the savings he’d achieve on bills, as well as the added perks like complimentary drinks and internet access, the choice became clear for him.
To manage his finances, Gutridge created a spreadsheet to track all his expenses and established an annual budget. For the current year, his budget for the cruise fares is around $30,000. After conducting thorough research, he chose Royal Caribbean as his preferred cruise line due to the valuable benefits they offered, such as discounts, free internet, and complimentary drinks.
European union accreditation for ship recycling at Alang is on agenda of India Government
Gutridge’s advice to those considering a similar lifestyle is to explore various cruise brands to find the one that suits their preferences, and then commit to one brand to accumulate loyalty rewards.
Gutridge is on the verge of achieving Royal Caribbean’s highest loyalty level, known as ‘Pinnacle’, which requires two years of consistent cruising. Additionally, he has developed a vibrant social life while on board. He can socialize with others during his lunch breaks and evenings after completing his work meetings. He’s formed lasting connections with fellow cruisers and even met people who have returned to cruise with him multiple times.
For Gutridge, this lifestyle shift has been transformative. It has alleviated the isolation he felt while working from home and has made him more sociable and connected, even without kids or pets.
