Ever wanted to give it all up, leave everything behind, and travel the world without having to answer to anyone?
Doesn’t it sound good? That also sounds pricey, though. Or, at least, it did until today, when a cruise line announced the beginning of a three-year, 130,000-mile, escape-your-daily-life voyage for a comparatively reasonable $30,000 per person per year.
For its three-year journey on the MV Gemini, which departs from Istanbul on November 1, Life at Sea Cruises has started reservations.
Indeed, November 1, 2023. You have eight months to prepare your travel documents, immunizations, and remote working capabilities.
The firm promises to visit all seven continents and 135 countries while stopping at 375 ports across the world. During the course of three years, the ship will travel more than 130,000 miles, stopping at famous locations including the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal in India, Chichen Itza in Mexico, the Giza Pyramids, and Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. Even travel to 103 “tropical islands” is scheduled.
There will be 208 overnight stops out of the 375 ports, providing you more time to explore the place. The business is a division of Miray Cruises, whose MV Gemini is now making voyages across Turkey and Greece. In the cruise business, the corporation has been around for 30 years. The MV Gemini will get a refurbishment before the trip. There is space for 1,074 passengers in its 400 cabins.
Also, the Gemini will be outfitted with remote working facilities due to the nature of the voyage and in addition to the usual amenities, restaurants, and entertainment found on cruise ships. A full-service business center with meeting rooms, 14 offices, a business library, and a lounge is promised by the corporation. This lounge is likely for your mid-shift coffee breaks. It’s free to access.
Moreover, a 24-hour hospital offering free doctor visits will be available. Further tax advantages “while working as an international resident aboard the ship” are another potential raised by the corporation. “Professionals require connectivity, the proper amenities and the functionality to accomplish their work,” Mikael Petterson, Life at Sea Cruises’s managing director, said in a statement. No other cruise line provides their passengers with this level of flexibility.
There are a variety of cabins available, ranging in size from 13 square foot “Virtual Inside” staterooms that start at $29,999 per person each year and cost $179,994 for a three-year voyage for two people to Balcony Suites that are twice as big and cost up to $109,999 per person. The cheapest outdoor cabin has a per-person cost of $36,999.
The company is developing a matchmaking program that would allow passengers to “share” a stateroom with another person while dipping in and out of the itinerary, but passengers must sign up for all three years. Two couples, for instance, may split the cost of a single cabin over the course of the entire journey.
15% off the double occupancy rate is given to single passengers. $45,000 is the needed minimum down payment. There will be plenty to keep you occupied in addition to the business center, including “several dining options,” a sundeck and swimming pool, a health center, an auditorium, and more.
However, the specifics have not yet been made public. There will be dance and music lessons available onboard, as well as singles mixers for solo travelers. Do you wish to initially get in shape? There will also be a spa and gym on board. New Year’s in Argentina and Christmas in Brazil are highlights.
The ship will do a complete loop of South America (hopping south to Antarctica), island-hop through the Caribbean, see both coasts of Central America, and then travel along the west coast of North America before making the journey to Hawaii.
Asia stops include China, South Korea, Japan (12 stops), and Jeju Island. The majority of the traditional Southeast Asian tourist attractions are also included, including Bali, Da Nang in Vietnam, and the coast of Cambodia, as well as Bangkok, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur.
It will circle Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific islands before crossing to Africa at Zanzibar and looping up the continent’s west coast with brief detours to islands like St. Helena, the Canaries, and Madeira. It will also travel around India and Sri Lanka and visit the Maldives and Seychelles along the way.
Also, it navigates the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
One word of caution, though: To visit some of the locations on its “13 wonders of the world” list, which include sites like the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and the statue of Zeus at Olympia—all of which were destroyed in antiquity—you’d need more than just a cruise ship.
But to make up for any disappointment, the trip also offers cost-free high-speed Wi-Fi. Also, visitors from family and friends can stay on board for no additional cost. Together with a long list of other things, the trip’s extensive inclusions list also includes housekeeping, laundry, port fees, soft drinks, juice, and coffee and tea all day. Moreover, all meals are provided.
