Man Lives Aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship for Most of the Year to Cut Living Costs

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A US-based IT professional has revealed that he now spends most of the year living onboard a cruise ship, claiming the lifestyle works out to be comparable in cost to paying rent and household bills on land.

Man who lives on Royal Caribbean ships

Ryan Gutridge, a cloud solutions engineer from Florida, says he spends around 300 days a year sailing aboard Royal Caribbean ships, primarily Freedom of the Seas, after realising the numbers made financial sense.

Gutridge, who had worked remotely since 2012, said the shift towards fully remote work during the pandemic gave him the confidence to test whether his job could be done reliably at sea.

Trial Cruises Turn Into Long-Term Lifestyle

In 2021, Gutridge booked two four-night cruises on Freedom of the Seas, both sailing in September, as a trial run to see if onboard WiFi and connectivity would support his workload.

He later told Insider that the short cruises were designed to test whether he could realistically “take my job with me on a short cruise” and still work effectively.

After crunching the numbers, Gutridge calculated that spending roughly 300 nights a year onboard worked out “almost neck-and-neck” with the cost of his rent back home. Once drinks, internet access and meals were factored in, the cruise lifestyle became increasingly appealing.

He set himself a base cruise budget of around $30,000, or approximately £22,000, per year. With his cruise fare covering WiFi, drinks and most meals, he found his day-to-day expenses were lower than when living on land.

“My drinks and internet are free,” Gutridge said.

Loyalty Perks Make Cruises Even Cheaper

By committing to one cruise line rather than switching between brands, Gutridge has also benefited from Royal Caribbean’s loyalty programme, which provides additional perks as guests move up the tiers.

The aerial shot captures Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas docked at the vibrant and picturesque CocoCay. The ship's deck is bustling with activities and amenities, while the crystal-clear Bahamian waters and the island's inviting beaches frame this idyllic cruise destination.

“If people are going to do something like what I do, I recommend trying different brands because they all offer something different,” he explained. “But once you commit to one, you should stick to it so you reach those loyalty levels.”

“I found that Royal Caribbean has, by far, the most valuable benefits to me – discounts, free internet, and free drinks.”

Beyond the financial benefits, Gutridge says the lifestyle offers obvious perks, including constant travel and access to entertainment, dining and destinations that would otherwise require separate holidays.

A Growing Trend Among Long-Term Cruisers

Gutridge is far from alone. A small but growing number of people have sold most of their possessions and opted to live onboard cruise ships for extended periods, sometimes moving from sailing to sailing throughout the year.

Those who have embraced the lifestyle often acknowledge a few downsides. Food can become repetitive over time, and building long-term friendships can be challenging when most fellow passengers are only onboard for a week or two.

Even so, many long-term cruisers agree on one thing: when accommodation, utilities, food and entertainment are combined, life at sea can be surprisingly competitive with the cost of living on dry land.

For Gutridge, the equation is simple. As long as he can work remotely and enjoy the journey, the ship has become his home.

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