First timers often gravitate towards short sailings. Not Kanen and Bodin – self-described “all-or-nothing people” – whose inaugural trip lasted more than two weeks.
“Most people said we’d get sick of being on the ship after three, four or five days,” Bodin recalled. “It’s been 16 days and we didn’t want to leave.”
But as much as they enjoyed the experience, it was the last time they ever vacationed at sea. Cruises were not the couple’s greatest passion — they preferred to travel the world.
That is until this spring, when Kannen and Bodin, both 54, uprooted their lives in Maui, Hawaii, to move to a new residential cruise ship called the Villa Vie Odyssey.
Lanet Kanen and Johan Bodin met eight years ago in Maui, Hawaii. Lanette Kanen
The 509-cabin ship is ready to set sail after a three-month sailing delay. He plans to circumnavigate the world every 3 1/2 years, sailing to 147 countries and 425 destinations along the way. Ports cover Europe, Asia, Australia, South and North America and Africa.
On board, residents will have access to amenities similar to traditional cruise liners, such as restaurants, bars and lounges, a swimming pool and a golf simulator.
Mikael Petersen, the founder and CEO of Villa Vie Residences, told Business Insider in an Aug. 19 email that the Villa Vie Odyssey will sail from Belfast, Ireland “any day now.” He said it was “impossible to say exactly which day” as the ship was still waiting for a “green light from DNV”. (DNV is a certification and risk assessment firm for the marine industry.)
Villa Vie acquired the Odyssey, formerly Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ Braemar ship, in December. Lanette Kanen
Villa Vie’s promise of a floating hotel and slower travel lured Kanen and Bodin. They both wanted to see the world without having to travel by plane and train, unpacking and repacking at each destination.
So, in September 2023, the couple sent Villa Vie a $10,000 deposit to keep the cabin on a future houseboat.
She is especially excited to see Asia, while he is looking forward to the beaches of the South Pacific Islands.
“Why live in Maui when I can travel the world,” Kannen told BI. “We’re old enough to just want experiences now.”
The couple sold their Maui business
Bodin told BI that before Villa Vie, the couple had never considered leaving Maui. Lanette Kanen
The couple said they sold their Maui rental car business — a fleet of 31 vehicles listed on Turo — to buy their “enclosed view” cabin on the Odyssey. (They declined to disclose pricing, but windowless interior cabins are currently listed for $100,000, while ocean-view cabins are $50,000 more.)
They also have to pay $3,500 in monthly fees. But Kanen, who plans to operate her auto glass company remotely from the ship, said her income will cover those extra costs.
Their cabin is small and a lifeboat obstructs her view, “but we will use it as our bedroom and the rest of the ship as our living room,” Kannen told BI. She said life on Maui is “much more expensive” than the Odyssey. “We travel on a budget. It’s very affordable for both of us.”
The trip of a lifetime was originally scheduled to set sail in May following Villa Vie’s acquisition of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ more than 30-year-old Braemar, now renamed Villa Vie Odyssey. However, the startup said issues such as the ship’s aging rudder and re-certification delayed its departure by three months.
Like other prospective Villa Vie cruisers, the couple left the US in May to make the ship’s initial date. Since then they have remained in Europe awaiting her departure.
Residents can spend their days on the Odyssey, but are not yet allowed to spend the night. Peterson told BI that the company provides residents with shuttles to and from the ship, food, drinks, excursions and overnight accommodation – or daily per diems for those who “choose to go it alone”.
“We went almost every day for two weeks and spent a whole day there until they kicked us out,” Kannen told BI. She went to the business center to work while Bodin recorded videos for their YouTube channel and edited them in the observatory lounge.
Kanen and Bodin were able to survey the ship while they waited for its departure. Lanette Kanen
They say the food was good — especially the barbecue — and they had access to an outdoor bar.
“We understand there are hiccups,” Bodin told BI. “We are being pampered a little to make us happy. They are almost over served. I don’t need to be pampered all the time.”
Meanwhile, they have traveled to Italy, Croatia, Slovenia and Sweden. The couple said Villa Vie also sent them on various excursions, including a trip to the Canary Islands and a cruise to the Norwegian fjords.
“We are not suffering,” Bodin said.
The industry is turbulent
Villa Vie Odyssey is currently docked in Belfast, Ireland. Angela and Steven Theriac
Kannen and Bodin have seen firsthand how volatile the residential cruise industry can be.
Before committing to Odyssey, Canen and Bodin looked at Storylines, which planned to build their own residential cruise ship, the MV Narrative. But his $1 million-plus apartments were out of the couple’s budget. Nine former employees, consultants and investors told BI in 2023 that they began to doubt Storyline’s ship would ever be built.
Bodin said the World, the only residential ship in operation since 2002, was also too expensive. Only a few of his cabins resell annually for between $2 million and $15 million, and buyers need a net worth of $10 million to be considered.
The pool deck for residents of The World. The world
In March 2023, the couple booked a cabin on Life at Sea Cruises’ three-year round-the-world voyage, which was due to set sail in November 2023. But they later requested a refund of their deposit.
Two weeks before the scheduled departure, Life at Sea canceled its voyage after being unable to secure sufficient funding to purchase a vessel. The company declared bankruptcy in July of this year.
Peterson was the managing director of Life at Sea. He left a few months before the trip was canceled. Its former CEO, Kendra Holmes, recently launched a new three-year cruise venture that she hopes will set sail in April 2025.
Life at Sea Cruises canceled its three-year voyage two weeks before it set sail in November 2023. Life on sea cruises
In May 2023, a few weeks after receiving a refund from Life at Sea, the couple booked a cabin on another residential cruise startup, Victoria Cruises Line. But a month later, they decided to ask for a refund (which, by the way, they said they were still waiting for) when they learned about Villa Vie.
Despite setbacks with other vessels, Canen and Bodin said they have full confidence in Petterson and Villa Vie.
“Some people may think we are naive, but Villa Vie has our support 100%,” Bodin said. “We would be remiss if we didn’t take this opportunity and take advantage of it.”
Do you sail on a residential cruise ship like Villa Vie or have any advice? Contact the reporter at bchang@businessinsider.com or to X @brittanymchang.