A WOMAN has revealed she is one of the first to book a three-year cruise around the world – and is selling everything she owns.
Meredith Shay, a former flight attendant, has booked a room on the new Life at Sea’s MV Gemini.
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The long journey will visit 135 countries while docking at 375 destinations, with passengers able to sign up for the entire three-year trip.
Meredith told the Guardian: “I’ve been living in rented accommodation for six months after I sold my home in southern Florida, and I have been steadily selling most of my things.
“Before I leave, I’ll sell my car and put a few treasured possessions in storage.
“When we set sail from Miami, it will be the beginning of a new life.”
Meredith, who retired in 1989, said she hates airports despite spending decades in them when she worked as a flight attendant, which is why she opted for a cruise instead.
She added: “Life onboard cruise ships offers an opportunity to see the world without the threat of flight cancellations and long queues.”
Not only that, but the long cruise means you get extra time to explore the destinations.
Many cruise ships with shorter itineraries only allow a day at each destination – something Life at Sea Cruises doesn’t need to do.
She explained: “Live-onboard cruises allow you to immerse yourself in the backstreets, and take time to get to know a place and see how people live, because they dock for days rather than hours.”
Guests who stay for the three-year trip are also given a “small pod” to pack their possessions in which is then taken to the rooms.
While she has seen half of the countries on the itinerary, Meredith said she was eager to see them again after many years as well as visit destinations like Namibia and Singapore for the first time.
The unique cruise is an affordable option for some, with prices from £26,600 a year for a cabin.
Meredith admitted she has gone for a fancier option with a seventh-floor cabin and balcony costing a whopping $562,000 (£452,293) over three years, working out to around £150k a year.
However, she said that she wants to spend all her money doing something she loves, and she will even see friends along the way who will join in some of the countries.
She admitted that while her friends were happy for her, they said “only she” would book a trip like this.
She added: “As I approach my vintage years, I certainly can’t take the money with me and I have no dependents, so why not spend it doing something I love – travelling and meeting new people?”
The MV Gemini will set sail from Istanbul in November with two further pickups taking place in Barcelona and Miami.
Meredith isn’t the only person to live on a cruise ship.
Austin Wells from San Diego paid $300,000 (£246,465) for a studio with a 12-year lease onboard the MV Narrative – a mega cruise ship with 500 private rooms and apartments.
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