Villa Vie Odyssey Puts a Very Appealing Spin on Cruises: The Ultimate Exploration Dream

And a residence at sea is definitely going to cost, though comparably not more than if you'd bought a condo or tickets for a cruise of whatever duration you want. The Villa Vie experience promises to combine these two in a single package, offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience regardless of which you choose.

It's ok if the name Villa Vie Residences doesn't ring a bell. The company is a relatively new presence on the scene, and with the increased attention residences-at-sea concepts have received in recent years, it'd be understandable if it had escaped your attention. The company promises to make up for that with the proverbial kind of offer you can't refuse.

As noted above, residences-at-sea concepts aren't new. They did pick up considerable traction in recent years, specifically after the 2020 international health crisis spurred what could only be described as a frenzy of wanderlust. But the idea for a gigantic vessel that circumnavigates the globe on a loop has been around for decades.

There's a reason it never materialized – or several valid reasons, to be more accurate. No vessel is made to stay out at sea for a number of years without dry docking for revisions, and the size of the proposed liners worked against the viability of most of these proposals. Villa Vie Residences seems to have found that fine line it can walk to avoid these while also avoiding falling in the same category as a regular cruise liner.

Villa Vie Odyssey, which will be the flagship residential vessel, will circumnavigate the globe over 3.5 years, but the itinerary is divided into several segments, which would presumably allow maintenance checks and repairs. Secondly, its dimensions are smaller than those of current cruise liners, which would grant it access to ports where these can't go and also allow for smoother operation.

The Villa Vie Residences experience isn't unlike what has been proposed before. It's a floating community with everything you'd need for leisure, work, and wellness. It has three types of villas and two ways of getting onboard, either through ownership or a rental scheme.

The idea is as deceivingly simple as it's proved impossible to put into practice: with less money than you'd need to buy a house or embark on a journey to see the world, you could hop onboard and allow yourself to be ferried to these destinations.

In the process, your every need would be covered by a team of professionals. And we mean EVERY need. The experience includes everything from restaurants, bars, pools, and lounges to a business center, a medical center, and spaces dedicated to fitness, wellness, and hobbies. You'd also get cleaning and laundry services, high-speed wi-fi internet, all-inclusive services with no hidden fees, and, in the case of villa ownership, the right to have friends and family onboard free of charge.

The experience is appealing to every professional and every age group, so you'd be entering an incredibly diverse community while pursuing whatever interests you have. Retirees, business-people, digital nomads, and just plain old regular travelers would all find something tailored to their needs onboard the Odyssey and eventually be able to call it a home.

The plan is for every 3.5-year cruise to include 147 countries, 425 destinations, and 100+ tropical islands. Odyssey offers 485 residential villas (Inside, Oceanview, and Balcony, with self-explanatory names) and prices starting at $99,999 for an Inside Villa and $299,999 for the Balcony option. Renters can choose any segment of the planned 3.5-year cruise and even a pay-as-you-go option with just a 10% deposit and as little as $90 per day.

The Odyssey is currently in London, undergoing the final touches and upgrades, and will set sail on its maiden journey on May 15, 2024 – kicking off the first segment of the itinerary, 87 days in northern Europe.

Skeptics might look at the recent, very resounding cases of similar projects that didn't have the expected outcome and wonder how this one might be any different. Well, for one, we only have this long to go until May 15, and we'll see then exactly how these promises translate in real life. Secondly, the man who was once involved in one such project and left when he realized it wasn't going to work is now at the helm of Villa Vie Residences.

The company was founded by Mikael Pettersson, who served as former managing director of Life at Sea Cruises and had originally outlined the concept. He left the position after expressing his belief that the operator wasn't going to be able to carry the project across the finish line – which turned out to be the case – and founded Villa Vie Residences. Every member of the new team boasts at least 15 years of experience in the naval and cruise industries.

And May 15 is just around the corner.