How much this couple paid for all-inclusive cruise for 15yrs
Australians are cruise fanatics, with an estimated 1.3 million people boarding a liner this year.
The average duration of a domestic cruise is eight days, which would be enough for most people.
However, American couple Johan Bodin and Lanette Canen are just a few months in to a planned 15-year voyage aboard the Ville Vie Odyssey, a ship that offers guests the ability to purchase a room and explore the world for years at a time.
According to realestate.com.au, during the next three years the couple will stop at 425 ports in 147 countries on board the ship spending multiple days in some ports allowing a greater amount of time to explore the exotic locations.
The ship boasts a flatter hull meaning it can navigate inland water ways and rivers as well as reach locations that larger vessels cannot.
For this couple the attraction lies in being able to see the world at a fraction of the cost at a time in their lives when they are no longer satisfied by things but want more experiences.
'People think we're rich but we're not. It makes financial sense and we're at the right age to do this. We're curious people,' Mr Bodin told WGN News.
'We love our new lifestyle. It's just fantastic we couldn't have wished for anything else.'
The couple paid $155,000 for the cabin and spend an additional $5400 per month for meals and other on-board amenities.
Documenting their adventures on their YouTube channel: Living Life On A Cruise, they are just shy of 30,000 followers.
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9 News
5 hours ago
- 9 News
The latest travel advice for Australia's favourite travel destinations
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Australians are heading overseas for a holiday in record numbers. From tranquil beach destinations like Bali to the countryside of New Zealand, buzzing US cities to the culture of Vietnam, Aussies can't wait to get away. But whether travelling for pleasure or to see family, it's essential to heed official advice We've collated the latest alerts from the Australian Government's Smartraveller site for the most popular destinations Aussies are heading to, according to the latest ABS data. New Zealand is the most popular destination for Aussies, the latest numbers show. A short flight away, the nation is famous for its exhilarating adventure activities including skiing. Experts give it the green light, saying to "exercise normal safety precautions". New Zealand is the most popular destination for Aussies the latest numbers show. 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There is also an ongoing risk of terror attacks, demonstrations can also be hazardous, and petty crime is an issue. A warning over the safety of some ferries is also listed. If you're heading to take in the culture food and shopping Japan is famous for, there are few warnings in place. That's unless you plan to go to the restricted areas near the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, in which cause you should Reconsider your need to travel However, the nation does get earthquakes and tsunamis, Smartraveller says. Sign up for local alerts , the government says. Plus the security situation, including with North Korea, could worsen, experts say. If you're heading to take in the culture food and shopping Japan is famous for, there are few warnings in place. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Drink spiking and petty theft is also possible. Advice was updated on March 14, 2025. Updated advice was issued for Aussies going to the the United States of America on May 6, 2025. 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Be aware of motorbikes approaching as you walk.," Smartraveller advises. Official advice for China , which is famous for ancient sites like the Great Wall of China, advises a "high degree of caution". "As previously advised, authorities have detained foreigners on the grounds of 'endangering national security'" Smartraveller says. "Australians may be at risk of arbitrary detention or harsh enforcement of local laws, including broadly defined National Security Laws." Official advice for China advises a "high degree of caution". (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Scams and petty crime are common. Aussies should avoid protests- including taking photos and videos. You can only travel to Tibet as part of an organised tour, it notes. The advice was updated on 11 April 2025. The island nation is a popular stopover and holiday destination. Aussies should exercise normal precautions , Smartraveller says. Do be aware of the advice, which was updated on 22 April 2025. 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Sydney Morning Herald
6 hours ago
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An outdoor influencer rallied against higher camping fees. 23,000 people responded
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The Age
6 hours ago
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An outdoor influencer rallied against higher camping fees. 23,000 people responded
Crook said Parks Victoria had been starved of funding for years, including a $95 million cut last year, and the free booking system imposed a burden on rangers. 'They'd have to monitor the campsites more than they were, and then sometimes it was turning into fisticuffs, when people didn't turn up, but people still camped in their spots,' Crook said. 'There were a lot of issues, a lot of dumped rubbish, fires left alone, and the potential for bush fires. It looked good on paper, but in action with a park service that's so degraded and not looked after by the state, it was always going to fall in a heap.' NSW has 360 campsites in national parks, as well as free camping in state forests managed by Forestry Corporation of NSW. In NSW, the online backlash has centred on whether the fees for national parks are too high. While the proposal would introduce a free tier for a bare patch of earth, a basic campsite with a pit toilet would be $22 a night in high season, while sites with the most facilities – including a hot shower – would be $89 a night. Atkinson, an outdoor creator whose video posts on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube have garnered millions of views, has been campaigning against the price rises. Now that submissions have closed, he has switched to pushing an online petition. Atkinson acknowledged that ghost bookings are a big issue – a video he posted in July last year showed a campground in Kosciuszko National Park that was booked out, yet had four out of five sites empty – but said making camping unaffordable was not the way to fix it. He recently posted a video about how the price to pitch a tent at Woody Head campground in Bundjalung National Park was more expensive than renting a three-bedroom house in the nearby town. Atkinson said only about 30 per cent of campgrounds had a booking system before the COVID-19 pandemic, while most were free and first come, first served. NPWS expanded the booking system to cover every campsite as a pandemic measure, though keeping prices for the formerly free locations low. Like in Victoria, the ease of online reservations increased 'ghost bookings'. 'They didn't have a ghost booking problem before COVID happened,' Atkinson said. 'The only way to make a booking system work is to make it expensive – but, if you do that, you block out anyone below middle income, and young people are just going to be completely discouraged, so that is a very poor solution.' He said it would be better for the basic campsites to be free, without a booking system – a proposal NPWS argues would encourage people to physically block out campsites by erecting tents early. Atkinson said the practical hurdles kept this problem in check, and added that NPWS should expand campsite capacity to meet demand anyway. Former NPWS park ranger Louisa Andersen, who posts content online as 'Ranger Louie' and is now based in Western Australia, said she had concerns about the prices. 'How are people meant to care about the environment and parks and natural places if they can't afford to experience it?' Andersen said. 'Rangers don't get discounts either … and I just can't wrap my head around or justify paying that much.' Sergey Kolotsey of Baulkham Hills made a submission proposing to solve the ghost booking problem without raising fees by asking people to pay a deposit that would be refunded if they checked in using a QR code at the campsite. Loading The NSW National Parks Association submission recommended merging the lower pricing tiers, since the costs of managing a wholly unserviced site, sites with pit toilets, and sites with pit toilets and a table were all minimal. The non-government organisation expressed surprise that there was no benchmarking of best practice across the nation, since many bushwalkers and campers travel from state to state. 'Queensland and South Australia have simplified their fee structure and remain competitive with regional caravan parks,' the submission says.
