I am spending my retirement at sea: What life is like living permanently on board a cruise ship

Sharon Lane, 77, moved aboard Villa Vie Residences’ ‘Odyssey’ cruise ship permanently in June to spend life out in the ocean - (Sharon Lane)

At the age of 64, Sharon Lane retired from her job as a high school language teacher. After spending nearly all her life in Los Angeles, she decided that it was time for a change. While many retirees consider downsizing or moving somewhere sunnier, Sharon instead sought out a life at sea.

After a decade of searching for the right cruise ship, Sharon – now 77 years old – made her dream a reality when she purchased a cabin and set sail in June this year on the Odyssey, a Villa Vie Residences cruise that provides a permanent residence-at-sea programme as it circumnavigates the globe.