New York is now so expensive that some couples find cheaper to live on CRUISE SHIPS
In Manhattan, a two-bed flat costs around £103 a night in rent and a luxury cruise costs £110 a day
SAMANTHA Martin, a publicist, wraps up her workday by sending one last e-mail, shutting her laptop — and heading up to the lido deck, where she’ll recharge by the pool as her co-workers finish up in their Midtown office.
The 46-year-old is one of many New Yorkers who are now of living and working on a cruise ship for weeks or months at a time.
People in their 20s, 30s and 40s have embraced the lifestyle as a way to see the world and take a break from NYC’s crushing cost of living.
Samantha said: “I run my own company, so I can check in with my office once or twice a day to put out fires - when I’m at sea, it’s similar to when I’m at the office. I call into a conference call, and a client won’t know I’m thousands of miles away.”
“I [used to] see so many people [on trips] on their laptops — and think, ‘How sad,’ but now I think it’s great.”
So far, she and her husband, Andre Neyrey — a restaurant consultant who is also able to work remotely much of the time — have taken 10 multi-week cruises and have a four-month, around-the-world voyage planned for the autumn.
Although a global trip carries a huge price tag (tickets for a 119-day cruise on MSC Cruises World Cruise start at £13,100 per person), for Samantha and Andre it's the same price as staying at home.
In Manhattan, the average cost of a two-bedroom rental is nearly $4,000 (£3,100) a month, or about $133 (£103) a night — and that’s before gym fees, food delivery and happy-hour meet-ups.
A luxury cruise costs $142 (£110) a day, with food and entertainment included.
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They aren't alone - John and Heather Widmer, both 35, have spent 84 days on ships in the past two years.
The married couple now consider themselves “digital nomads” as they travel nonstop and do not have a permanent address, working remotely with clients all over the country on market research strategies.
They’ve found that life on a cruise ship can be less expensive than even a hostel.
John said: “Last year, we cruised across the Atlantic for $159 (£123) each [total] for a 13-day trip that even included alcohol."
Enterprising New Yorkers — or at least those willing to bend the rules — can make money by renting out their city homes while on the high seas.
Actress Jennifer H., 31, sublet her East Village one-bedroom last summer when she cruised from Manhattan to Nova Scotia.
She said: “The cost of the cruise was about $65 (£50) a day for [me and my boyfriend], but we charged $200 (£155) a night for our apartment.”
Samantha and her husband, who own an Upper West Side townhouse, are in the process of renting out their pad for their future extended trip.
She said: “It’s going to save us money, and we’re going to see the world."
Even young families are in on the trend. The Facebook group, Home Schooling on a Cruiseship, has almost 200 members who swap tips for educating kids on sea voyages.
But for Samantha, the plan for her upcoming, around-the-world voyage is to check in with her office twice a day, then relax.
She said: “My favourite is when the ship docks somewhere I’ve already visited.
“One time, we were on a ship that docked in Rome and I’ve been there a million times, so everyone else gets out, and it’s just me and my husband on the ship - it’s the perfect antidote to New York life.”
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