- Angela and Stephen Theriac purchased a cabin on the upcoming residential cruise ship Villa Vie Odyssey.
- The ship plans to circumnavigate the world every 3½ years. Its launch has been delayed by three months.
2018 was a turning point for Angela Theriac.
In a span of six months, her mom and oldest brothers died, her husband faced a cardiac scare, and she underwent two surgeries.
Her mentality suddenly shifted: She would stop taking life for granted, grinding every day at work, and wondering if she'd ever have time to see the world.
"You know what?" Theriac, 53, a retired school teacher, recalled saying at the time to her husband. "Let's go for this big adventure and live life to the fullest."
That mission drove Theriac and her husband of almost 30 years, 53-year-old Stephen Theriac, to purchase a cabin in March on a never-ending cruise, Villa Vie Odyssey. They bought the cabin just one week after learning about it in a YouTube video.
"Sometimes, you just got to be adventurous and do it," Stephen, a retired deputy sheriff, told BI.
Mikael Petterson, founder and CEO of Villa Vie, told BI in an email on Monday that Villa Vie Odyssey would embark "any day now." The 509-cabin residential cruise ship plans to circumnavigate the world every 3½ years, sailing to 147 countries and 425 destinations along the way.
Petterson declined to provide a specific sail date, saying the ship is still waiting for "the green light from DNV. It's impossible to say which day exactly." DNV is a certification and risk assessment firm.
Villa Vie Odyssey promises amenities like three restaurants, five bars and lounges, a pool, and a golf simulator.
The ship's comprehensive itinerary is a dream for retirees like Angela and Stephen, who say cruising is a "big passion." Destinations include Australia; South America; Walvis Bay, Namibia, and Singapore.
Before moving to Nicaragua in 2011, the couple spent most of their lives in Florida and frequently took advantage of their proximity to some of the busiest cruise ports in the US.
They estimate they've boarded 50 cruises over the last 25 years, with the longest lasting 39 days.
"I really enjoy seeing new places, learning of new cultures, trying different food, and drinking different microbrews," Stephen said. "It's a great lifestyle."
The couple told BI that they paid for the smallest, least expensive cabin on the never-ending cruise, in part, with funds from an inheritance from Angela's mother.
(The couple said they signed a non-disclosure agreement and could not tell BI how much they paid for their accommodation. However, the cheapest dual occupancy interior cabins start at about $100,000 with an additional $3,500 monthly fee.)
The Theriacs said they have already been to popular cruise destinations like the Caribbean and Mediterranean. Now, they're excited to go further — New Zealand for Stephen and tropical destinations like Bali, Indonesia, and Fiji for Angela, a self-proclaimed "water girl."
They said they have plans to rent their home in Nicaragua to a close friend.
The Odyssey cabin features twin beds and a vanity
The couple has started decorating their floating condo with pillows, artwork, and "personal touches emphasizing storage," Angela said. "Our room is our bedroom, and the ship is our home."
But there's a caveat — while they can spend their days aboard the ship, they're not yet allowed to stay overnight.
The never-ending cruise was initially scheduled to set sail in May from Belfast, Ireland, following Villa Vie's acquisition of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines' more than 30-year-old Braemar vessel, now renamed Villa Vie Odyssey. However, Villa Vie has said issues like the aging ship's rudder stocks and recertification have since delayed its departure by three months.
Like many other would-be Villa Vie residents, the Theriacs flew to Belfast for the initial springtime departure date. Since then, the couple said they've been staying at hotels — including some a flight away in Liverpool, UK, where they say the nightly cost is cheaper — and spending time on other cruises.
Petterson said Florida-based Villa Vie has also been providing residents with shuttles to and from the ship, food, drinks, excursions, and lodging, or a daily per diem for those who "choose to do their own thing."
But the couple has been patient and understanding of the delays — because, according to Stephen, "it's a now-or-never kind of thing."
"We're still in pretty good health and financially fine," Stephen said, reflecting on the sight of "80-year-olds getting off Princess ships in walkers." "I don't want to be that old and try to see the world. I want to do it now while I can still enjoy it."
Villa Vie would be the first ship of its kind in 22 years
Villa Vie isn't the only startup that has faced difficulties while trying to launch a never-ending voyage.
The residential cruise industry has been plagued by issues since the inauguration of The World, the only ship of this kind, in 2002.
Since then, startups trying to launch floating condominiums have popped up as quickly as they've sunk — from Miray Cruises' Life at Sea Cruises, which shut down two weeks before its embarkation in November 2023, to Storylines, which has delayed its departure by seven years to 2026.
Miray's former CEO, Kendra Holmes, recently launched GlobeCruises, a concept similar to Life at Sea's three-year cruise, scheduled to sail in April 2025.
As of now, GlobeCruises and Villa Vie are the only options vying to join The World in its extended voyage around the globe.
Are you sailing on a residential cruise ship like Villa Vie, or do you have a tip? Contact the reporter at bchang@businessinsider.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @brittanymchang.