As someone who lives in the heart of Los Angeles, California, I naturally perked up when I saw a YouTube video comparing the cost of living in LA with the cost of living on a ship – especially since I know first hand what my rent payments look like each month, and they aren’t cheap!
The video in question was posted on YouTube by Jeenie (@Jeenie.Weenie), where the content creator has 11.8 million subscribers. She also has an additional 11 million followers on TikTok and 1.9 million followers on Instagram.
The influencer rose to fame by posting videos about her experiences as a flight attendant, so she certainly knows a thing or two about travel. And as she was recently onboard MSC Cruises’ MSC Grandiosa for a week-long voyage, she couldn’t help but think about how far her money traveled at sea.
She ultimately found that it cost around $9,200 per month for a family of three (like hers) to live in Los Angeles, while she calculated the cost of spreading her family across two balcony deluxe staterooms at $28,470 for a month based on what she spent for her 7-day voyage.
As an LA native, I personally think the total for a month in Los Angeles could be on the low side, especially for bigger families and more prestigious areas, while her monthly cruise ship estimate is high.
For example, she calculated the cost with paying for two staterooms. If she even cut that down to one cruise cabin, the total would already decrease significantly.
But one thing Jeenie and I can agree on is that sailing on an all-inclusive cruise line certainly comes with its perks – and it’s nice not having to pay extra for food and entertainment unless you want to splurge on specialty dining for an important occasion or some of the premium entertainment options.
She also pointed out luxuries like having a swimming pool and water slides in your “backyard” that is maintained without any effort on the part of the cruisers’.
“I’m also pretty sure that 99.9999999% of LA homes do not have their own water slides like this in their backyard, so I mean a water park in your backyard, that’s a cool perk,” Jeenie said.
As a mom to a young son, she also loved having access to the kids’ clubs onboard – where her son could be supervised at no extra charge when she was busy.
“That was one huge. You guys all know how much daycare costs,” the YouTuber exclaimed.
However, she was a bit surprised by the price of the laundry services, with the packages to wash a single T-shirt starting at around $6 – and MSC doesn’t currently offer a cheaper self service laundry option.
As a content creator, she also wasn’t thrilled by the cost of the internet – and felt the speed wasn’t fast enough to accommodate her posting needs as a well-known influencer.
“Even with the premium package, which I bought, I still can’t upload or download things like videos. It’s been a nightmare. So, I’ll actually have to wait until we dock and use data…I feel like I’m paying twice right now,” Jeenie added.
You can watch Jeenie’s YouTube video – and see her price breakdown for yourself – below:
How Easy is it to Live on a Cruise Ship?
There are many people who do live on cruise ships and find it more affordable than their lives on land – but Jeenie’s young family of three isn’t the typical demographic.
Most of the people who choose a life on the high seas are either single guests who can work remotely from anywhere or retirees.
Some cruise lines have even made Wi-Fi changes to better serve remote professionals and encourage more to adopt this lifestyle. For example, Virgin Voyages recently introduced its new “Work from Sea” premium internet package.
For both younger and older residents, living at sea does come with many perks, such as all-inclusive dining options, waking up almost every day to a new destination, essentially unlimited entertainment options onboard, and a medical center that can address at least basic needs.
That said, the medical center may not be equipped to handle all conditions and visits often come with a heftier price tag than on land due to differences in how the facilities must be kept fully stocked and staffed at all times.
Read Also: Living on a Cruise Ship: What You Need to Know
Cruise fans looking to live on a cruise ship full-time will also need to decide if they would like to book back-to-back cruises or invest in a home on a residential cruise ship.
One famous back-to-back cruiser, who just completed his 1,000th sailing with Royal Caribbean, is “Super Mario” Salcedo.
The financial planner has lived full-time on cruise ships for over 20 years by strategically booking back-to-back sailings, and estimates that he spends around $101,000 a year doing so – although it’s possible to live onboard for as little as $28,000 per year (before extras).
Salcedo’s total also comes in below Jeenie’s estimated cost of living in Los Angeles. With her educated guess set at $9,200 a month, the yearly cost to live in LA would be $110,400.
Other cruise lines, such as Villa Via Residences, allows their guests to own their cabins outright for 15 years. The cruise line operates a continuous world cruise onboard Villa Vie Odyssey, while finally set sail in October 2024 after months of delays.
Meanwhile, a Scottish firm called Clydebuilt has unveiled new designs for Dark Island – which is a high-end residential ship expected to launch in 2028 and remain in service for at least 50 years.
While Villa Vie Residences’ cabins can be purchased for $129,999 and up, the suites on Clydebuilt’s luxury vessel will range from $8,000,000 to $110,000,000.
