New York is now so expensive that some couples find cheaper to live on CRUISE SHIPS

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.

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.