For many retirees, the later chapters of life often revolve around quiet routines, familiar surroundings, and careful budgeting.

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But for one adventurous couple, retirement has taken a far more unusual turn — one that involves oceans, dance floors, buffets, and a cruise itinerary that seems almost endless.

Marty and Jess Ansen, great-grandparents from Australia, have chosen to spend their retirement years sailing the world after discovering that living on cruise ships could actually cost less than moving into a traditional retirement home.

Rather than settling into a nursing facility, the couple booked an extraordinary 51 back-to-back cruises, effectively transforming a luxury cruise ship into their full-time home.

Their floating lifestyle began in June 2022 when they boarded the Coral Princess, a 2,000-passenger cruise ship.

What began as a bold decision quickly turned into a long-term plan.

The Ansens remained aboard for around three years in total, spending roughly 795 days sailing between destinations.

Speaking about how the marathon itinerary came together, Marty explained that the plan was surprisingly simple. He told his travel agent to book “whatever comes” — and that’s how they ended up with 51 consecutive cruises.

The couple embraced every aspect of cruise life. Their days are filled with activities, entertainment, and socialising, all while travelling to destinations around the world. Dancing, buffet dinners, and making new friends became the norm.

Jess highlighted to A Current Affair just how much there is to do on board.

“Where else can you go? You go for dinner, you go to a show, you go dancing. Through the day, you have all these activities,” she said.

The couple’s daily routine began with an hour of ping pong to get the blood flowing before they settled onto their balcony with a couple of beers to enjoy the passing ocean views.

“The wheels change over but we stay on board,” Marty remarked.

Jess added: “We welcome the different captains on board.”

Their long-term presence hasn’t gone unnoticed among the crew either.

Ren van Rooyen, the hotel manager aboard the Coral Princess, says the couple have become something of an institution on the ship.

“We always make a joke that I go away and I come back and it’s like coming to see my family – my mom and dad again – they’re like my second mom and dad on board,” Van Rooyen said.

With their story spreading among travellers, the pair have even developed a kind of celebrity status among fellow passengers.

According to Van Rooyen, newcomers boarding the ship for shorter trips frequently ask to meet them after hearing about the retirees who have effectively turned the cruise into their permanent home.

The couple’s love for cruising didn’t suddenly appear during retirement either.

They had already spent decades enjoying cruise holidays before deciding to take the concept much further. But it was only after comparing the costs with traditional retirement living that they realised the idea could actually make financial sense.

In a joint statement shared through Princess Cruises, via PEOPLE, the pair explained why the cruise lifestyle proved so appealing.

The couple said: “The cruise lifestyle is very efficient. You don’t have to worry about paying for rent or a mortgage, getting groceries or doing your laundry. We’re not young people, cruising is much cheaper than going to a nursing home and means we can continue to travel the world.”

Beyond the financial advantages, the lifestyle also removes many of the everyday chores that come with life on land.

They had their cabin cleaned daily by housekeeping staff, meals prepared for them, and entertainment was always within walking distance.

Marty joked that after so long living this way, some basic household skills have faded.

“[We] don’t know how to make a bed because we haven’t done it for so long. So now we have to stay on board just to stay alive,” he joked.

For the Ansens, retirement has effectively become a never-ending holiday — one filled with ocean views, nightly entertainment, and an ever-changing list of destinations.

Featured image credit: YouTube/The Today Show/A Current Affair (screenshots)