Austin Wells, a 28-year old man from San Diego, has just bought a 12-year lease aboard the mega cruise ship MV Narrative in order to keep on travelling while still having a space to call home. And even though he paid 300,000 dollars for the flat, he will save about 500 dollars a month.
The housing crisis is real. Many young workers struggle to buy their first property, with real estate prices being high and loans being difficult to obtain. Many therefore see themselves obliged to either keep on living with their parents longer or rent a space instead of buying one. The situation being so complicated, more and more people are starting to look for alternative ways of living and Wells has definitely found an interesting option.
The 28-year old has bought a flat aboard the MV Narrative, a mega cruise ship made up of 500 private rooms and apartments which is being built in Croatia. It was imagined by Storylines bosses Alister Punton and Shannon Lee and should hit the water somewhere in 2025.
The space he’s splurged on measures 22 square meters, including a foldaway bed, pantry, desk and separate shower room. The price might not seem cheap but compared to the average 2,500 dollars he’d spend on a flat in his hometown, Wells will be saving almost 500 dollars a month while travelling the world.
“The thing that most excites me is I don’t have to upend my daily routine, in order to go see the world. My working hours will be shifted towards evenings, nights and very early mornings, but that does open up the ability for me to see a city midday to afternoon. This is probably the first time ever that there is even the ability to have a standard job and even consider working and living from a floating apartment complex”, Austin told CNBC.©
Wells will be sharing the cruise ship with other residents and tourists, as residents are free to rent out their space whenever they want to do so. As far as facilities go, the ship will count 20 restaurants, a champagne and whisky bar, a school, a library, a bank, a cinema and a swimming pool. Moreover, a gym and farmer’s market, medical services, 24-hour room service and private kitchens will be at the disposal of those living aboard.
