Villa Vie has been offering residential cruising for $120 a day – now they’ve got a new ship

• Residential cruise line Ville Vie Residences has announced that it will be adding a second ship to its fleet.
• The new ship, Legacy, will start sailing from early 2029.
• The ship will have larger residences and expanded amenities onboard, but will also cost about 30% more than Odyssey, Villa Vie’s only current fleet member.

Ville Vie Residences, a company who offers affordable residential cruising, has just announced that it will be adding another ship to its fleet, Villa Vie Legacy. This will offer a whole new set of cruisers the chance to live at sea, sailing around the world as they enjoy their retirement, work remotely or enjoy a very extended holiday.

While there have been bumps in the road, Villa Vie’s success has been quite extraordinary. Many companies have promised residential year-round cruising at an affordable rate, but until now, Villa Vie has been the only to make it happen.

While their first ship, Ville Vie Odyssey, faced some long delays in getting out to sea, it has now been sailing for about two years and is 85 per cent sold.

It’s not that residential cruising doesn’t exist, it’s that Villa Vie has brought it to life at a much cheaper price point than its ever previously existed.

For example, on Odyssey, you can own a cabin for five years by paying US$59,999 (AUD$85,800) up front, and then as low as US$3299 (AUD$4721) in per-person fixed monthly fees.

Over a five-year period, this works out to about AUD$120 per day per person. The only other active and successful operator is The World cruise line, with apartments costing in the millions plus sizeable yearly fees as well.

The other alternative that we see many cruisers do is simply sailing back-to-back on larger cruise lines like Royal Caribbean or Carnival Cruise Line. This offers the advantage of much more flexibility, not having to pay large up front costs and sailing with a reputable cruise line that you already know you enjoy.

However, it also means having to pack and unpack every few days, sailing to the same destinations again and again, not having friends and a community onboard and more. Being able to offer these differences was the thinking behind more affordable residential cruising.

Of the various cruise lines that popped up promising to offer an affordable life at sea, only Ville Vie has been able to bring it to fruition so far, and the purchasing of a second ship appears to suggest that they’re confident in being able to continue to provide this experience.

What should be expected on Legacy, the new ship?

Mike Petterson, Founder of Villa Vie Residences, says: “When we launched Odyssey, we set out to prove that residential cruising wasn’t just possible—it was sustainable.

“Two years later, with Odyssey more than 85 per cent sold, we’ve reached an exciting milestone. Legacy is the natural evolution of everything we’ve learned from our residents and operations around the world.”

The new ship will feature:

• Residences approximately 50 per cent larger than comparable staterooms on Odyssey.
• Expanded dining areas, public spaces, wellness facilities and more.
• Prices about 30 per cent higher, to reflect the enhanced facilities and offerings.

Petterson added: “Our objective isn’t simply to build another ship. It’s to build a fleet that gives residents more choice while rewarding those who believed in this vision early. Legacy is the first step in that future.”