Florida-based cruise company Villa Vie Residences has launched its Tour La Vie program, offering Americans the chance to embark on extended cruises lasting up to four years, visiting over 140 countries while taking a break from domestic political tensions.
The Tour La Vie trip provides several options aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey, including a one-year “Escape from Reality” cruise, a two-year “Mid-Term Selection,” a three-year “Everywhere but Home,” and the four-year “Skip Forward” voyage.
“We developed this marketing campaign knowing that political climates can leave many feeling unsettled,” CEO Mikael Petterson told Newsweek. “We wanted to offer people who feel the need for a change of scenery a way to explore the world.”
Prices start at just under $40,000 per year. Single-occupancy cabins for the full four-year journey begin at $256,000, with double-occupancy at $320,000. The package includes all meals and drinks, WiFi, medical visits, weekly housekeeping, and bi-weekly laundry services. Alcoholic beverages are included at dinner.
Passengers will spend a month in the Caribbean before embarking on a four-month South American journey featuring two Panama Canal transits, visits to two World Wonders, the Chilean Fjords, an Antarctic sail-by, Carnival in Rio, and an eight-day expedition into the Amazon River.
According to Petterson, Villa Vie Residences has experienced a significant uptick in inquiries since announcing the cruise on 7th November.
For American residents on board during election periods, including midterms and presidential elections, travellers can cast their votes through mail-in ballots sent to the cruise line’s corporate office and then forwarded to the ship.
Petterson noted that during previous election events, the cruise hosted watch parties for passengers with differing political views. “They didn’t want to talk to one another,” he said. “At the end of the day, everyone isn’t there to talk politics. They actually have similar lifestyles. There weren’t any issues.”
The Villa Vie Odyssey, accommodating up to 600 residents, recently entered the second month of its 15-year world tour. The ship is set to visit all seven continents, 13 World Wonders, and over 100 tropical islands.
Previously, the vessel was delayed in Belfast for four months due to unexpected repairs. Initially scheduled to depart the Northern Irish city in May for a three-year global cruise, it eventually set sail from Belfast Harbour in late September.