With just one suitcase each, a Seattle couple quit their jobs and sold their home to live full-time on cruise ships — traveling the world.

Imagine retiring early and spending the rest of your life on a cruise ship visiting exotic destinations, meeting new, exciting people, and eating delicious food.

Sounds like a millionaire's dream, right?

Well, not according to Angelyn Burk and her husband, Richard. The couple has been living their best life and enjoying life on the seas since May 2021.

Surprisingly, the couple in their 50s says living on cruise ships is cheaper than paying off their mortgage as they spend less than $44 daily.

How Did They Come Up With The Idea?

Angelyn and Richard have been in love with the sea for as long as they can remember. Angelyn has been in love with the sea since she first embarked on a cruise in 1992.

The couple would plan annual or bi-annual cruise trips to sail across the world, but it just wasn't enough.

While thinking about their retirement, they decided they would like to shift to cruising permanently.

And the couple realized they could make their dream come true sooner than they thought.

Angelyn explained:

"Our original plan was to stay in different countries for a month at a time and eventually retire to cruise ships as we got older."

"We love to travel and were searching for a way to continuously travel in our retirement that made financial sense."

After crunching some numbers, Angelyn and Richard discovered that they could spend less than $100 a day through loyalty memberships and sales discounts.

The Couple Then Realized Living On The Sea Was Cheaper Than Paying Their Mortgage

Having realized just how fortunate they were with their savings, the couple set off for a comfortable life aboard cruise ships.

Angelyn told 7News Australia:

"We have been frugal all our lives to save and invest to achieve our goals. We are not into materialistic things but experiences."

Angelyn explained they have budgeted to spend up to $135 per day. But they've been able to get by on less than that.

She pointed out:

"[We spend] an average all-in cost of $89 per day for both of us, which includes room, food, entertainment, transportation, gratuity, port fees, and taxes."

"This is well within our retirement budget."

The couple can expect to spend just $32,485 a year at that rate.

According to Zillow, the average cost for a home in Seattle, where the couple lived, is approximately $958,027.

With a 20 percent down payment on a 30-year fixed mortgage and with a 5.453 percent interest rate, repayments would cost about $60,408 per year.

While Angelyn and Richard presumably bought their home years ago at a lower price, their $32,485-per-year cruising costs are still significantly less than what they used to pay for their mortgage.

Angelyn Recommends Cruise Life

Life is worth a shot, and anyone who enjoys a good cruise can make cruising life possible, according to Angelyn.

She says:

"I believe this is achievable for the everyday cruiser, but it does take effort."

"It is leisurely travel without the complications of booking hotels, restaurants, and transportation while staying within our budget."

Angelyn And Richard Don't Plan On Living Back On Land Anytime Soon

The couple plan on visiting every part of the world by sea. So far, they have visited the Adriatic Sea and seen the sights all over Europe.

They have also been to Sydney, Singapore, Italy, Canada, Iceland, and the Bahamas, among other favorite destinations that are reachable by sea.

The couple travels light with just two suitcases between them. If they need anything, they buy it on the ship or at the next port.

Angelyn Offerings Cruise Tips To Future Everyday Cruisers

First, you must be down for cruise life and ensure you want to always be at sea.

She adds that you should sign up for loyalty programs and watch out for discount deals on different cruise lines.

Additionally, you have to be flexible with travel dates and try to stay in the same area as long as possible to cut down on costs between jumping on ships.

Angelyn concludes that it's important to travel light as you can always buy what you need while cruising.