About us
How We Got Here
For years, we navigated demanding careers in Washington D.C.—Chris as a psychologist and Michael as a business executive. While we were successful, a shared feeling grew stronger over time: life is simply too short to postpone your dreams. We didn't want to wait for a traditional retirement to truly see the world, so we made the decision to take the leap early. Our initial adventure was a deep dive into slow travel, living like locals for a month at a time in Airbnbs in incredible cities around the globe. It was a wonderful way to shed our old routines and immerse ourselves in new cultures.
While we loved our land-based travels, we found ourselves increasingly drawn to the rhythm and convenience of cruising—the joy of waking up in a new destination without the constant hassle of packing and unpacking. The only thing missing was the ability to do it continuously. That’s when we discovered the Villa Vie Odyssey, a new residential cruise ship that promised the best of both worlds: a stable home that slowly traveled the globe. It was the perfect solution. We bought our own villa, and now, this incredible ship is our home. We're charting our own course, and we're so glad to have you along for the journey.
Sharing Our Experiences
From the moment we stepped aboard, we wanted to share this extraordinary journey in the most honest way possible. That’s why we started our YouTube channel, "DC Hidden Gems," as a real-time log of our life at sea—covering our successes, our failures, and all the unexpected moments in between. We've taken our viewers through it all: the practical decision to upgrade from a small window cabin to a larger balcony residence, and even our ambitious (and challenging!) attempt to renovate it to truly make it our own.
Beyond the big projects, we share the daily fabric of this life: the delicious food, the incredible excursions in ports like those we're exploring now in Japan, and most importantly, the amazing community that makes this ship a true home. We believe these honest, firsthand videos are the best way to understand what it’s really like to live on a residential cruise ship. If you’re curious about this unique lifestyle, we’d love for you to join our community on YouTube and subscribe to follow along.