Aussie couple's epic 51-cruise journey
In a remarkable journey that began in June 2022, Marty and Jess Ansen bid farewell to their Brisbane home and embarked on an adventure aboard the Coral Princess.
Little did they know that this decision would forever change their lives.
After experiencing 51 back-to-back cruises and 455 days at sea, the retirees assert that they have no plans to return, claiming that living permanently on the ship is "cheaper" than a retirement home.
"It's become our way of life," Ms Ansen said during an interview with A Current Affair.
"Where else can you find such a diverse range of experiences?
"You can enjoy a delightful dinner, catch an entertaining show, or dance the night away. During the day, there are countless activities to choose from. I particularly enjoy the hula dancing and the ballroom dancing."
This is the couple's first marathon cruise adventure since the pandemic hit, and the couple couldn't wait to get back on the sea.
"Eventually I said to my agent, 'Look, whatever comes, book it' and that's how it got to be such a long cruise," Mr Ansen added.
The great-grandparents have spent so much time on board that they are on a first-name basis with the crew, and some of them even treat the couple as their work parents.
"We're on board longer than anybody else. The wheels change over but we stay on board." Mr Ansen said.
"We welcome the different captains on board."
The couple has spent more time on board than even the ship's hotel manager, Ren van Rooyen.
"We always make a joke that I go away and I come back and it's like coming to see my family - my mum and dad again - they're like my second mum and dad on board," van Rooyen said.
"Everyone knows them around the ship, they're basically celebrities on board. Even the guests know them, they're local celebrities."
The couple are loved by the crew on board, and just last month they surprised Ms Ansen for her birthday.
While many wonder whether the couple would get bored spending so much time on a cruise, the pair said they have developed a routine, which involves an hour long game of table tennis first thing in the morning at 5:30am.
"We do it together and we have a lot of fun," Ms Ansen said, adding that it was the perfect exercise to allow her to indulge in all the buffets on board.
The pair have another eight months to go aboard the Coral Princess, before they disembark for a few months on dry land.
The couple will then head off again for a year-long cruise aboard the Crown Princess.
"We don't know how to wash up anymore, we don't know how to make a bed, because we haven't done it for so long. So now we have to stay on board just to stay alive!" Mr Ansen joked.
Images: A Current Affair