Jeff and Debb Knapp, who met and married on a cruise ship, have now spent 900 consecutive nights living aboard luxury liners. The couple, who spend up to £7,500 a month on their seafaring lifestyle, claim it is cheaper than owning a home.
Lifestyle and Costs
Despite living in a 28-square-metre suite, they insist they have not been bored a single day since meeting. Their expenses cover cruises, but they say eliminating mortgage, rent, utilities, car payments, auto insurance, property taxes, vehicle repairs, and grocery bills makes the math work in their favour.
Jeff told Creator Zine.com: "When you cross off a mortgage, rent, utilities, car payments, auto insurance, property taxes, vehicle repairs, and grocery bills, the math works out heavily in our favour." They are fully booked until April 2028.
Meeting and Marriage
The couple met on the Celebrity Ascent in February 2024. Jeff, from New Jersey, and Debb, from Washington State, were both solo travellers and avid cruisers, with Jeff having 34 future cruises booked and Debb 56. After five weeks of cruising together, Jeff proposed on the Celebrity Beyond in April 2025. They legally married in Miami in June 2025 and held a second ceremony on the same ship in November.
Daily Life and Perks
They move between Celebrity Cruises ships, living in the Sky Suite, which they say expands to include the entire ship. They use onboard medical facilities and manage finances digitally. Their strict carnivore diet is cheaper at sea, as high-quality meat is included in the cruise fare.
Jeff said: "Those food savings are huge for us because we follow a strict carnivore diet. Buying high-quality meat on land gets extremely expensive, but on the ship, we get to enjoy top-tier meats cooked to perfection every single day."
Background and Family
Debb first cruised in 1995 and dreamed of retiring at sea. She worked in Washington State government for 29 years. Jeff, a former craftsman and home flipper, was initially skeptical but became hooked after trying a cruise. Both were teenage parents and came from humble beginnings.
They have six grown children and five grandchildren, seeing them about once a year when family joins them on board. They also run The Ship Show content brand, sharing their experiences online.
Jeff said: "On land, life gets bogged down by home maintenance, property taxes, utility bills, lawn care, grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning. At sea, all of those everyday burdens simply disappear."
