US couple sold all their possessions to live on cruise ships full-time, find it cheaper than living on land

In 2019, Jeff Knapp stepped onto a cruise ship and decided he would much rather be at sea than on land.

By 2024, he met his wife, Debb, who had also given up life on land to live on a cruise full-time.

Together, the couple "chose a life of total freedom", selling all their possessions including their houses and cars to live out of 12 suitcases at sea.

"We have lived on ships full-time for over two years and plan to stay on the sea forever," the pair stated on their website.

The nausea never came

In a piece on The Guardian, Jeff wrote that until he turned 47, he had thought cruises were "stupid".

He had suffered from nausea on previous ferry trips.

However, in 2019, a friend gave Jeff a Caribbean cruise ticket for just a few hundred dollars as he could not make the trip himself.

Despite his history of nausea, Jeff took his friend up on the offer and stocked up on travel sickness remedies for the trip.

To his surprise, the sea sickness never came.

He was so relaxed that he even missed the "sail away" party that passengers usually gather for to celebrate the start of the voyage.

Jeff found his love for cruise life then. He wrote in The Guardian:

"Despite being in open water, I wasn’t feeling sick: I smiled in relief. That was the moment I fell in love with cruise life. It wasn’t just the calming effect of being surrounded by water.

I have severe OCD and it helps to do the same things every day. A cruise is perfect for this; I was able to eat the same meals at the same table with the same waiting staff, and every activity was scheduled and predictable."

By 2024, he had been on 20 cruises.

A relationship blossoms

Jeff eventually found romance on a 2024 Caribbean cruise when he found himself sitting next to Debb.

The pair had many things in common — both were 52 and divorced, and between the two, had six children and five grandchildren.

More importantly, they both loved cruising.

By the time they met, Debb had been on more than 150 cruises and had already sold everything "except what she could fit into three cases" to live full-time on cruise ships.

"She loved the freedom, and the chance to explore the world," Jeff wrote.

When he returned to New Jersey, U.S., he promptly sold his house and most of his belongings, and bought a diamond ring.

Got married on a boat

With a proposal on the horizon, Jeff booked himself on the same 50 cruises Debb had planned.

The couple found that with their savings, as well as loyalty discounts and the rising cost of living, their life at sea was cheaper than life on land.

Their families did not think their unconventional lifestyles were strange.

When it came time to pop the question, Jeff proposed to Debb on the dance floor of a cruise ship.

Months later, they had their legal ceremony on a beach in Miami, and a formal wedding on a cruise ship, officiated by the captain of the ship.

Life onboard a cruise ship

Addressing some frequently asked questions, he said that they have not put on weight due to eating less processed food and walking a lot on the ships.

Despite sharing a tiny 23 sqm cabin, Jeff stated that they have learnt to handle arguments well.

He added:

"Contagious illnesses, such as the hantavirus, don’t worry us at all. We stay well informed and are aware that these stories are often sensationalised — from what we understand, it could have just as easily spread in any other congested environment on land."

"At 54, I’m living my dream. Soon we’ll be heading to Europe, Mexico and Bermuda, and I can’t wait. I hope our life on the water goes on for ever," Jeff wrote.

According to their website, the couple confirmed that they are booked on cruise ships until April 2028.