Editor’s Note: Subscribe to Unlocking the World, CNN Travel’s weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations opening up, inspiration for future adventures, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, where to stay and other travel developments.
CNN
—
Have you ever dreamed of giving it all up, leaving it all behind and hitting the road to escape all your responsibilities?
Sounds good, doesn’t it? But it also sounds expensive. Or at least, they sounded expensive until now – because now a cruise line is launching a three-year, 130,000-mile, escape-everyday cruise for a relatively affordable $30,000 per person per year.
Life at Sea Cruises has opened bookings for its three-year voyage on MV Gemini, which departs Istanbul on November 1.
Yes, 1 November 2023 – so you have eight months to get your passport, vaccinations and telecommuting skills in order.
The company promises to mark 375 ports around the world, visiting 135 countries and all seven continents. The ship will travel more than 130,000 miles over three years, taking in iconic sights from Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue and India’s Taj Mahal, to Mexico’s Chichen Itza, the Pyramids of Giza, Machu Picchu and the Great Wall of China. Even on trips to 103 “tropical islands”. Of these 375 ports, 208 will be overnight, giving you extra time at your destination.
The company is a spin-off of Miray Cruises, which currently has the MV Gemini sailing in Turkey and Greece. The company has a 30-year history in the cruise industry. MV Gemini will be repaired for the voyage.
It has 400 cabins, with space for up to 1,074 passengers.
And due to the nature of the voyage, as well as traditional cruise ship amenities, restaurants and entertainment, Gemini will be equipped with remote working facilities. The company promises a full-scale business center with meeting rooms, 14 offices, a business library and a lounge, presumably for your mid-shift coffee breaks. Access is free.
There will also be a 24-hour hospital with free medical visits. The company is also floating the possibility of “additional tax benefits when working as an international resident on board”.
“Professionals need connectivity, the right amenities and functionality to get their work done,” Mikael Petterson, CEO of Life at Sea Cruises, said in a statement. “There is no other cruise line that offers this kind of flexibility to its customers.”
Cabins range from 13-square-foot “Virtual Inside” cabins—which start at $29,999 per person per year, topping out at $179,994 for the three-year trip for two people—to Balcony Suites, which are double the size and go up to $109,999 per atom. The cheapest open-air cabin costs $36,999 per person.
Passengers must sign up for all three years, although the company is launching a matchmaking program where passengers will be able to “share” a cabin with someone else, hopping in and out of the route. For example, two couples could purchase a cabin for the entire trip and then split the trip between them.
Single travelers get a 15% discount on double occupancy. A minimum deposit of $45,000 is required.
Beyond the business center, there will be plenty to keep you busy: a sun deck and pool, a health club, an auditorium and “plenty of dining options,” though full details have yet to be revealed. On-board instructors will be available to teach dance and music, and there will even be single mixers for those traveling alone. Want to shape up first? There will also be a gym and lounge on board.
Highlights include Christmas in Brazil and New Year in Argentina. The ship will cruise across South America (jumping south to Antarctica), island hop around the Caribbean and end up on both coasts of Central America, then up the west coast of North America, passing through Hawaii.
Stops in Asia include Japan (12 stops), South Korea (including Jeju Island) and China. It also takes in most of the classic Southeast Asian destinations, from Bali, Da Nang in Vietnam and the Cambodian coast to Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
It will cross Australia, New Zealand and the island through the South Pacific. Travel around India and Sri Lanka. Then visit the Maldives and Seychelles before crossing west to Africa, hitting the continent at Zanzibar and then down to Cape Town and the west coast of Africa – with quick dips west to islands such as St Helena, the Canary Islands and Madeira.
Also sails around the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
A word of warning: You’ll need not just a cruise ship but a time machine to visit some of the stops on the 13 Wonders of the World list, which includes places like the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Colossus of Rhodes, the temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the statue of Zeus at Olympia – all were destroyed in antiquity.
However, the cruise also includes free high-speed Wi-Fi, which should make up for any disappointment. Cruise ships will also be able to have their family and friends visit, free of charge. The long list of what’s included in the trip also includes alcohol at dinner plus soft drinks, juices, tea and coffee all day, laundry, port charges and cleaning service. All meals are also included.