Abby McKinlay is living rent-free aboard a cruise ship for the next six months. Picture: Supplied
Many people dream of cruising around the world and exploring new places.
But one woman has shared how she gets to live on one full-time and doesn’t pay a cent in rent.
Instead, Abby McKinlay is paid to live on board as a cruise ship singer and gets her own cabin.
In a clip on her @abbymmckinlay account, she gave a tour around her living space and surprised many viewers with how large it was.
Abby, 26, gets her own double bed and ensuite bathroom, with a kitchenette and dressing room area, The Sun reports.
She wrote on her video, which has racked up 23,000 views: “Home for the next six months – singing & travelling the world & putting my trust in the universe.”
People were amazed at her living quarters, with one saying: “You hit the cabin JACKPOT omg.”
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She has a sizeable living space. Picture: Supplied
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Another added: “Never seen such a good cruise cabin room omg.”
A third wrote: “This is the nicest cabin I’ve ever seen.”
Abby said she was loving her new life at sea so far, and it was better than she “ever imagined.”
She added: “I’m absolutely loving it, and follow along for more ship life.”
Abby explained how before boarding the cruise ship, she had flown from Glasgow to Tampa, Florida for rehearsals.
While she raved about “living her Below Deck dream”, she admitted life on board does have some drawbacks.
She candidly explained: “As much as I love working on board, you do actually have to sacrifice a lot, missing out on weddings, birthdays, sometimes funerals.
“And yes, sometimes you get time off for these, but sometimes you’re halfway across the world and it’s impossible to get back.”
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Abby will perform as a singer aboard the ship. Picture: Supplied
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She shared how she hoped her parents would be able to fly out and see her during her six-month contract.
While Abby lives aboard a cruise ship full-time thanks to work, many people across the world are taking up residency in residential cruise ships after selling their homes to hit the high seas.
As the cost of living continues to bite across Australia more and more people are turning away from the costly maintenance of homes and cars.
Cruise hopping and residential cruise ship living on a full-time basis is an industry on the rise, particularly thanks to retirees.
People are realising it can cost less to spend your time on all-expense-paid cruise ships than it does to pay mortgages, repair bills, utility and grocery bills and everything in between.
In fact, an analysis by cruisepassenger.com.au found Aussies could save up to $2500 per month by ditching land for cruise ship living.
The number crunch found the monthly costs of rent, food, and entertainment in Sydney were nearly double the cost of living at sea.
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Abby McKinlay is living rent-free aboard a cruise ship for the next six months. Picture: Supplied
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“For a benchmark, Finder lists the monthly cost of living in Australia as $1805 per person, without rent. Meanwhile, the median rent for a two-bedroom place near the Sydney CBD (Darlinghurst/Surry Hills) adds another $650 per week,” cruisepassenger.com.au said.
“Added together, this comes out at $6210 per month. And this works out to be around $74,500 a year for a couple, living in Sydney.
“Meanwhile, we found one option that puts the monthly cost of cruising per couple at just $3589. That’s about $2600 more affordable than living in Sydney.”
Cruising costs can be reduced even further by savvy travellers who book back-to-back cruises with the same company in order to access loyalty rewards.
Apart from a substantial reduction in living costs, a permanent cruise ship lifestyle allows Aussies to see the world at the same time as opposed to booking additional expensive holidays while maintaining the cost of a home on land.
People who are able to tie cruising with remote employment are able to unlock even more benefits of full-time life at sea.
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Abby McKinlay is living rent-free aboard a cruise ship for the next six months. Picture: Supplied
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