Give up everything and withdraw to live from a Cruise ship at 32 seems like a lifestyle reserved for only the super-rich. But two financially savvy retired teachers from Tennessee managed to do just that, spending less than $10,000 for their first eight months at sea.
Monica Brzoska, 32, and Jorrell Conley, 36, met in 2015 while teaching in Memphis, Tennessee. The following year they booked a one-week cruise to Mexico, Belize and Grand Cayman. After that, they were addicted to cruising together.
Eight years later, in March 2023, they booked a week-long Caribbean cruise. When that was over, instead of returning to Memphis, they had a crazy idea: Why not keep booking back-to-back cruises? And that’s exactly what they did.
When her father became ill and her mother told her, “Don’t wait for retirement. Follow your dreams,” Monica was inspired to live the life she always wanted.
The couple did the math and found that they could book the first eight months for just under $10,000 by choosing the cheapest cabins and taking advantage of Carnival Cruises’ deals. “It sounds crazy, but the numbers made sense. Accommodation, meals and entertainment were included in the price – all we needed was spending money,” Brzoska said. he told The Sun. “And because we had taken so many Carnival cruises, we had earned access to some fantastic deals.”
Moving from ship to ship is not a problem for the couple, as many of them disembark at the same ports. But sometimes they have to fly if they cannot walk to the next ocean liner.
The couple then quit their jobs, sold their belongings and started a new life on the high seas. They rent out their 3-bedroom house in Memphis to maintain a steady cash flow. The average 3-room Rent for a house in this area ranges from $1,200 to $1,900 per month.
In the first year of their new life, the couple has taken 36 cruises in a row. They have already visited countless destinations around the world, but they can’t decide on a favorite. “As a cultural experience, we loved Japan,” Brzoska told a Carnival Cruise director. on InstagramThe couple also loved Greece for its “history” and Iceland because it was “closest to Mars.”
One of the most incredible perks of love on a cruise ship is that so many things are done for you. The couple never has to cook, do laundry, or drive. There is something to do every night, whether it’s a comedy show or drinks and dancing at the nightclub.
Plus, on cruises, Almost all expenses are covered, so you barely have to open your wallet. It’s a stress-free, all-inclusive lifestyle. Brzoska says removing the stresses of everyday life from your life is great for your marriage. “Without the stresses of everyday life, we rarely argued, but we always told each other when we needed space or more time together,” she said.
The couple also makes it a point to spend an evening together once a week, dressing up and going out for a nice meal together.
Most people may not be able to give up everything and spend their lives moving from one ocean liner to the next. But Brzoska and Conley’s story contains an important lesson: You never know how much time you have left. So don’t wait until retirement to live the life of your dreams.
Upworthy has reached out to Brzoska for comment and is still awaiting a response.
