PUBLISHED ONOctober 05, 2023 8:00 AMByMelissa Teo Does the idea of being in a nursing home during your retirement years bore you?
Well, it seems like this elderly Australian couple have cracked the code and found an affordable yet fun alternative — going on back-to-back cruises.
51 of these, to be exact.
Yes, Marty and Jess Ansen have been at sea for one and a half years, having been at it since June 16, 2022, Australian news programme A Current Affair reported in a YouTube video on Sept 26.
In fact, they've been onboard the cruise ship, the Coral Princess, for so long that the crew have become like family.
"We welcome the different captains onboard," Jess said with a chuckle.
The Hotel General Manager of the cruise, Ren Van Rooyen, is another member of the crew that has been onboard the Coral Princess for less time than the couple.
"We always make a joke that I go away and I come back and it's like coming to see my family and my mum and dad again. They're like my second mum and dad onboard," Ren said with a smile.
"Everyone knows them around the ship and they're basically celebrities onboard, even the guests know about them."
The couple from Brisbane didn't only just discover their love for cruising recently and prior to the Covid-19 period, they had previously gone on multiple cruises.
So, since the pandemic is over, they're treating this as an opportunity to "[catch] up on the cruises [they've] missed".
"This was the perfect answer, really. Go cruising, see the world and meet these people, make lifelong friends, and it's a wonderful life," Marty quipped.
After doing the math, the couple realised that staying on a cruise ship is cheaper than checking themselves into a retirement home.
For some context, a 14-day New Zealand cruise that sails from Brisbane starts from AU$1,489 (S$1,299) for a basic room per pax.
According to Aged Care Online, basic nursing home accommodations in Australia can range between AU$50 to AU$200 per day while high-level care or specialised services can exceed AU$250 per day.
Additional services and amenities can also range from AU$10 to AU$100 per day depending on the facility and services provided.
While onboard the ship, all their meals are included and taken care of, their room is cleaned daily and there are multiple activities to keep them occupied all day long.
However, the bad thing about this arrangement is that the couple have been spoilt a little too much.
"Now, we don't know how to wash up anymore, we don't know how to make a bed because we haven't done it for so long. So now we've got to stay onboard just to stay alive," Marty said with a laugh.
It isn't a lonely time onboard either and over the past few months, the couple have made friends with other fellow cruisers.
The downside of this is that they eventually have to part ways because not everyone has booked a series of back-to-back cruises.
To stay in touch with their loved ones left behind on land, the Ansens try to arrange meet ups when they dock at the cities their families reside in.
When asked if they miss their families, Jess bluntly said: "No. They're busy."
"You know, I talk to them, I email them, they email us, they're busy people, and we're at the stage of our lives where we just want to enjoy ourselves."
"I would do this for the rest of my life," Marty added.
As of now, the Ansens still have another eight more months onboard the Coral Princess and after which, they'll be boarding the Crown Princess for another year. So it doesn't seem like they'll be back on land for a very long time.
melissateo@asiaone.com