Who are Marty and Jess Ansen? Retired couple go viral for cruising around the world than paying for retirement home

Marty and Jess Ansen, a retired couple, have spent 500 days cruising around the world and have booked 51 back-to-back cruises so far. After living a life of lockdown due to the Covid-19 crisis, they took off on their first cruise on June 16, 2022.

The couple have been on board the Princess Cruises’ 2,000-passenger Coral Princess for more days than most of the crew, including the captains. They are planning to stay onboard the ship for at least until they pass the two-year mark, as per The New York Post.

Marty and Jess Ansen talked about their life in an interview with A Current Affair, revealing that they would rather live on a cruise as it was "cheaper than a retirement home" or their rent.

---

The daily life of Marty and Jess Ansen as they cruise around the world

Marty and Jess Ansen have spent over 500 days aboard the Coral Princess cruise ship, where they are expected to stay for eight more months. The couple joined the Princess Cruises passengers on June 16, 2022. Marty talked about the start of the journey and expressed to A Current Affair:

"Eventually, I said to my [travel] agent: ‘Look, whatever comes, just book it."

The couple have claimed that it was cheaper to cruise the world than pay for a retirement home, as per The New York Post.

They have a maid to clean their room and the food comes pre-paid from their tickets. The cruise has afforded Marty and Jess Ansen a carefree lifestyle of days filled with prepared meals, a cleaning service, ping-pong, dance lessons, and more. Marty quipped about the facilities, saying:

"We don't know how to wash up anymore, we don't know how to make a bed, because we haven't done it for so long, so now we have to stay on board just to stay alive."

Jess Ansen talked about the activities offered on the cruise, saying:

"Where else can you go where you go for dinner, you go to a show, you go dancing? Through the day, you have all these activities."

She said she particularly enjoyed the ballroom and hula dancing, and Marty revealed that he liked making “lifelong friends.” The couple also said they spent an hour a day playing table tennis with each other, as per The Sun. Jess Ansen added:

"We do it together and we have a lot of fun."

The pair have stayed aboard the ship longer than most of the crew, including hotel manager, Ren van Rooyen, who joked about his bond with Marty and Jess Ansen:

"We always make a joke that I go away and I come back and it's like coming to see my family - my mum and dad again. They're like my second mum and dad on board."

The other crew members are also well acquainted with the couple, and Marty and Jess even welcome the new captains when they come aboard. The staff recently surprised Jess and celebrated her Birthday last month, according to The Mirror.

---

Other people who have also opted for the cruise lifestyle

In 2021, Ryan Gutridge started living on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship just after the COVID-19 pandemic, as per The Sun. He realized that he could work remotely from the seas.

Antonia Cole, a woman who has spent her life on a cruise ship full-time told the media outlet that she started this journey after leaving home at 19. She does not spend any money on rent and has worked aboard cruise ships for two years and expressed that she is living her “dream life.”

Austin Wells, from San Diego, bought a studio flat on the new MV Narrative, the first one to do so. It is a mega cruise ship with 500 private rooms and apartments.

In recent years, more and more people have adopted the cruise lifestyle.