We Save $2,000 Monthly by Trading Homes for Cruise Ships

16 March 2026

Katrina Middleton and her husband Kevin have always dreamed of exploring the world, but they never expected to save nearly £2,000 a month while doing it. The couple sold their £200,000 home in Arbroath in February after spending the past year living on cruise ships. Now, they’re embracing a full-time life at sea, with no plans to return to traditional living.

“We knew we wanted to leave Scotland behind, but we didn’t expect this lifestyle to be so affordable,” Katrina, 29, said. “This is the best decision we could’ve made, and we’re definitely happier now.”

Katrina’s love for cruises started long ago, but what she and Kevin enjoy most is the ability to unpack once and see the world. “It was a bit daunting at first, the fear of the unknown, but now I’m really excited to keep going.”

In the past five months, the couple has traveled to the Caribbean, Mauritius, and Miami, all while working remotely from their luxury cabin. Their savings have come as a surprise, especially when considering the cost of living in the UK.

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Katrina works remotely as a CRM marketing manager, while Kevin, 43, is an IT consultant. Together, they’ve found that living on a cruise ship is significantly cheaper than their previous life in the UK.

“When you’re in the middle of the ocean, you don’t need to buy or spend anything. It’s definitely more affordable for us when you add in all the bills,” Katrina explained.

The couple had initially downsized from a £310,000 home to a £200,000 house in September last year, which they’ve since sold. Their monthly expenses in the UK were around £6,510, including a £1,300 mortgage, £2,500 on two cars, £600 in energy bills, and other costs.

Now, living full-time on a cruise, they spend approximately £4,500 a month, which includes the cruise itself, food, wifi, and excursions.

The Hidden Downside to Remote Working

Despite the benefits, there are challenges. The couple must stick to UK working hours, which can mean waking up early depending on the time zone. Katrina creates a spreadsheet for each cruise to track the time zones and ensure they work within the right hours.

They only take annual leave if there’s a port stop they want to visit. “People think you’re not actually working and just sitting by the pool having a cocktail, but when you’re working, you’re working,” Katrina said.

She also noted that distractions are part of the experience, but they’ve found ways to stay productive. “On the cruise, there’s less stress. We’ve found we’re more productive and then when the day is done, we feel like we switch off a lot better than when we’re home.”

Katrina added that she used to feel restricted by the amount of annual leave she had when living in Scotland. She wouldn’t have been able to see half the places she has now if she hadn’t started living on cruises.

“We recommend planning in advance,” she said. “It takes a bit of adjusting, but it’s worth it.”

“We Aren’t Going Back”

The couple has no intention of returning to traditional living. They believe many misconceptions about cruising are untrue and even plan their cruises for 2027.

“I think people have an opinion on cruising when they’ve never been on a cruise that it’s for older people, it’s boring, and you’re stuck on a ship, but it’s not like that at all,” Katrina explained.

She mentioned visiting Mauritius and other places on her bucket list, which would have been impossible without cruising. “Cruising made it possible.”

While they enjoy the freedom, Katrina does miss certain aspects of their old life. “I’m close with my family, so I definitely miss them. I also miss home comforts like cooking meals and enjoying coffee and tea.”

However, the positives outweigh the negatives. The couple has met amazing people and had incredible experiences.

“We’d recommend others to follow our path,” she said. “It’s good we’re encouraging others to look at it, but you still get a lot of people who are small-minded about it.”