Woman And Her Husband Live On A Cruise Ship—It’s Actually Cheaper Than Some People’s Rent: ‘We’ve Cracked The Code’

American renters and home buyers are facing a housing affordability crisis right now.

In its 2026 housing report, Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies says renter cost burdens hit a record high. In 2024, 22.7 million renter households spent more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities, and 12.1 million spent more than half their income on housing. That’s basically half of all renters.

A handful of people are getting really creative, specifically by skipping rent and living full-time on a cruise ship instead.

One woman named Libby documents this unusual life via her TikTok account @libby.rome. In a recent TikTok, which has gotten over 281,100 views and over 400 comments, she explains the basics of what this means financially.

How Much Does It Cost To Live On Cruise Ships?

“Living on cruise ships sounds expensive, but my husband and I actually do it for $33 per person per day,” Libby says.

She then shows a screenshot as proof of that figure.

“That’s $2,000 a month or $24,000 a year for both of us to live full-time on cruise ships,” she explains.

For context, that monthly number is less than the average rent in several U.S. states, and that is before you even add utilities, groceries, or other normal living costs.

But in Libby’s case, she says that amount covers “room and board and all the luxury and services included.”

“Plus getting to travel around effortlessly,” she adds.

In the caption, Libby says this is the question she gets all the time.

“Everyone wants to know what it really costs for my husband and me to live on cruise ships full-time,” she writes. “Well… we’ve cracked the code!”

According to Libby, she and her husband live on Princess cruise ships, travel around Europe, and do it all for $33 per person per day.

How Are They Able To Afford It?

In a YouTube video, Libby breaks down the three main factors that allow her to live on cruise ships full-time.

The first is remote work and early retirement.

“Until recently, I worked full-time as an IT consultant from my cabin stateroom or from anywhere on the cruise ship,” Libby says. “It was actually really surreal to work while watching the ocean go by.”

Then, in April 2026, she says she ended her corporate career.

“I feel free. I feel happy and excited,” she says. “And I feel like I’m finally able to focus on things that I really want to do.”

The second factor is cruise affordability.

According to Libby, cruises can be cheaper than people assume, especially when looking at the daily cost for two people. She says repositioning cruises, one-way cruises, constant sales, and last-minute deals can all help bring the cost down.

She gives one example from Royal Caribbean: a 15-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Barcelona, Spain, for $795.

Libby also says cruise lines often send better offers after you’ve already taken a cruise and logged into your account.

“So when you compare that to hotels and meals and entertainment on land, cruising can actually be one of the most effective ways to travel financially,” she says.

Then she brings up the casino strategy.

Libby says she and her husband used some casino play “to my financial advantage.” According to her, cruise casinos offer complimentary rooms because they expect guests to gamble again once they are back on board.

“But my husband and I have figured out how to leverage that same offer for back-to-back cruises all year long,” she says.

Libby says that with an initial $2,000 investment at “smart play” in the casino, and “no additional cash,” they earned hundreds of free nights and managed to cruise nearly year-round for the past three years.

“It’s definitely not a strategy that everyone would be comfortable with,” she says. “But for me, it’s been incredibly lucrative.”

The third reason is minimalism.

“Minimalism is the foundation of our lifestyle,” Libby says. “We have few possessions, but lots of experiences instead.”

Are Others Also Doing This?

It’s obviously not super common, but Libby and her husband are not the only ones living this way.

A couple in their 50s, Jeff and Debb, also live on cruise ships full-time. The Guardian reported that the couple sold their homes and most of their belongings and now live on the water. They also share their cruise lifestyle on TikTok.

A man speaking to Business Insider also said he lives and works remotely from a cruise ship around 300 days a year. He said his fare budget was $30,000 for one year, which was very similar to what he would have paid for rent and other living expenses on land.

There are also guides online showing people how to pull off a version of this life. Cruise living can involve back-to-back bookings, flexible travel dates, repositioning cruises, loyalty programs, and being very realistic about extra costs.

What Do Viewers Think About This?

In the comments, viewers had a lot of questions. Some thought the lifestyle made sense. Others thought the math was questionable

“Economy so bad people are living on cruise ships,” one commenter noted.

“How is that possible?” another asked. “I can’t even find a 10-day trip for that price.”

Someone else accurately thought casino perks had to be part of the story.

“Having been a big-time cruiser, you have to be getting a lot of free cruises or something from the casino because an average cruise for a week can be maybe 1500,” they wrote. “I’m off for living on cruise ships, but this is a little distorted.”

Another viewer said the lifestyle still requires a very specific financial setup.

“Either you work remotely or your millionaires because because nobody has 24,000 per year to spare and spend cruising around even if you have savings the savings are eventually going to run out,” they wrote.

But one commenter thought the price sounded like a deal.

“Who is thinking $2k / month is expensive?!” they wrote. “Rent is that. Minimum. All food is included. Entertainment. Included. No utilities. Maid service included. Even if you pay for WiFi, it’s a steal.”

BroBible has reached out to Libby via email for comment.