The cruise industry is ever-evolving, and one segment starting to gain traction is residential cruising, where guests live onboard a cruise ship for an extended period of time. Perhaps best of all, travel advisors can receive a payout in these cases, too.
Mike Petterson, founder of Villa Vie Residences, sat down with TravelAge West to share more about the residential cruising landscape and how advisors can best sell the company’s Villa Vie Odyssey ship, along with Avora Residences’ upcoming Avora Lumina vessel, which has a strategic marketing alliance with Villa Vie.
For advisors most familiar with selling traditional ocean, river and expedition cruising, how is residential cruising different?
Residential cruising is not a vacation product, it’s a lifestyle. Instead of guests staying onboard for a week or two, residents live onboard for extended periods, often years. Their residence becomes their personal home, and the ship becomes a stable, built-in community.
Residential cruising is not a vacation product, it’s a lifestyle.
The travel experience is different, as well. Rather than brief port calls, residential ships often remain in destinations for several days at a time. This allows residents to genuinely immerse themselves in each location instead of rushing through it. It’s a slower, more intentional way to experience the world — with the comfort of a consistent home base, and without the constant cycle of packing and moving on.
How can travel agents enter the equation?
Residential cruising represents a significantly higher-ticket opportunity than traditional cruising, even at the luxury level. While it’s a different product than most agents are used to selling, we’ve kept participation simple.
Travel advisors act as introducers and are compensated through a referral program. Agents do not manage the full sales process; they simply make the introduction, and our internal team handles the rest. Advisors interested in learning more can email Chris Cox, president of Project Lumina (a new ultra-luxury product line within Villa Vie Residences) at [email protected].
Residential cruising represents a significantly higher-ticket opportunity than traditional cruising … while it’s a different product than most agents are used to selling, we’ve kept participation simple.
How do your two brands — Villa Vie Odyssey and Avora Lumina — compare to each other?
Villa Vie Odyssey offers a more contemporary and accessible entry point into residential cruising, with residence pricing between $150,000 and $400,000. Odyssey appeals to buyers looking for long-term global exploration at a highly attainable price point.
Avora Lumina, launching in 2028, is designed to fill the gap between Odyssey and ultra-luxury residential ships, which typically start at $5 million and beyond. Lumina residences are priced from $550,000 to $4,500,000. Avora delivers a more elevated experience without entering the ultra-mega price range, allowing the two brands to serve distinct but complementary segments of the market.
Who is the target client for a residential cruise?
The audience for residential cruising continues to expand. It appeals to retirees, remote workers and anyone with a flexible schedule who wants to see the world without giving up stability.
Villa Vie Odyssey provides a more affordable way to live globally, while Avora Lumina is meeting demand at the middle- to higher-end of the market. Advances in remote work and onboard connectivity have made this lifestyle increasingly practical, and interest continues to grow across age groups.
For travel advisors, understanding the residential cruise model is no longer optional, it’s increasingly essential.
What else should travel advisors know about residential cruising overall, and the two brands?
Residential cruising delivers a depth of experience that traditional cruising simply cannot replicate. With extended port stays of up to four days, residents have the time to fully immerse themselves in local culture rather than just visiting briefly.
At the same time, a consistent onboard community creates a true sense of belonging. Residents are not passing through destinations; they are living there, while maintaining the comfort and stability of a permanent home base at sea.
This is one of the fastest-growing segments in the cruise industry, driven by rising demand and new entrants into the market. For travel advisors, understanding the residential cruise model is no longer optional, it’s increasingly essential.
