While the cruise industry is booming, a special kind of cruise offers the chance to never leave vacation.

Panama Canal

The Villa V Odyssey is a residential cruise ship where around 300 passengers have chosen to make their home at sea. Residents, including retirees and families, have sold their homes and invested in cabins that range from $139,000 to $900,000, plus monthly fees. The ship offers amenities such as restaurants, a gym, a pool, and a pickleball court, and promises an extended global itinerary with longer port stops.

While the ship's maiden voyage was delayed due to technical issues, it now sails with a diverse community who value travel and companionship. Residents say the experience offers a unique blend of adventure and community, though the cabins are considered depreciating assets with no expected financial return. Villa V plans to expand its residential cruise offerings in the future.

Would you go on a retirement cruise?

Welcome aboard the Villa V Odyssey, not just a cruise ship, for some 300 passengers, this is home. Here you are, my dear. John and Melody Hennessey welcomed us into their $900,000 suite turned two-bedroom apartment, a fully stocked bar, a living room, this large balcony, a guest room with a sewing machine, even a walk-in closet. You sold your home? Yes. Everything. The couple moved from Stewart, Florida. They've decided to spend their retirement at sea. Just like we're living at home, we're just on a ship. We wake up every other day in another country. Many cruise lines already offer long-term cruising, such as Royal Caribbean's 274-day Ultimate World Cruise or the 113-day Around the World Voyage by Princess Cruises, but Villa V Odyssey says it is the first residential cruise. How is this different? Well, the huge difference is that you only unpack once. The biggest difference, though, is the community. Your neighbors become your family. Mike Pettersen is Villa V's CEO. Here you can buy a cabin and live there as long as the ship is able to sail. 15 years are guaranteed. We were invited on board by Villa V Residences, which covered the cost of our two-day stay as they sailed through Latin America. Traffic is scheduled by the Panama Canal. One of the perks of living on a cruise ship is you get to experience incredible moments like this one, sailing through the Panama Canal. Cabins range from $139,000 to $600,000 plus monthly fees, which start at about $2,500 per person. We try to make their stay as easy as possible. Pettersen says it's an investment on a lifestyle. Just don't expect a financial return. There's really no value at the end. It's definitely a depreciating asset. While there's no big shows, casino, or water slides, among the ship's amenities, there's a buffet with a fully staffed kitchen working around the clock, a formal restaurant serving different cuts of steak every night, a gym to work off all that food, workout classes with a view, multiple lounge and bar areas, a pool, and a pickleball court. Okay, hold on. That's where we met one of the ship's younger residents, 17-year-old Zenzo Bake. If you know the rules of tennis, it's somewhat similar to pickleball. Pickleball is something he's become a bit of an expert on. The red is what's called kitchen. Bake lives on board with his mother, and when he's not on the court, he's finishing his senior year of high school virtually. This is a once in a lifetime type of experience. He says while he misses friends back in South Africa, traveling the world makes up for it. Once I'm done with schooling, I'll probably be here for another year at least. It takes three and a half years for the Odyssey to make its way around the world, promising longer than normal stops at each port. We do your laundry, we do your cleanings. You can really focus on what you want to do, which is get out there and explore and learn and socialize and get to know your neighbors. My under-decorated cabin door. Having a community is what motivated 66-year-old Benjamin Shatz. There's a lot of African art that I got actually when we were in Senegal. A Harvard-educated attorney who even worked on then-President Bill Clinton's Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS. Back on land, Shatz was a gay rights activist and drag performer. I love travel. I'm single. And often as a solo traveler, you know, you feel kind of lonely. And here, I don't have to choose between travel and community. His 98-year-old mother, Letta, from Philadelphia, was paying him a visit. He has been doing cruise after cruise. Now he's doing cruise in a home where he's making friends and part of a community. L'chaim. L'chaim. Getting to this point hasn't exactly been smooth sailing for the Odyssey. With its maiden voyage initially set for May 2024, a problem with the ship's rudder stocks delayed its departure from Belfast in Northern Ireland. The ship eventually set sail on September 30th, five months later. Randy and Kit Cassingham from Colorado took that time to explore. This is an adventure. So when we didn't leave Belfast as we're supposed to, just part of the adventure. Kit works as a life coach. Randy is a columnist. He purchased a home office in addition to their cabin. Our plan is to be here until we can't. If we die here, fine, that'd be great. We heard there's actually some cats that are on board the ship, and we're going to meet one of them. Me and Captain, the cruising kitty. Sixty-eight-year-old Holly Hennessey sold her home in Milwaukee and rented out her North Palm Beach condo prior to boarding the ship. I feel like she's my home. Yes. She's home. Hennessey is another solo traveler looking to explore in her golden years. My mother is alive, and she's 94. She thinks I'm in Florida. She knows I'm on the ship. Sometimes, my only child died, and if I don't use my freedom, shame on me, it would be an even greater loss. I had to do it. Villa V is looking ahead, hoping to purchase more ships and start additional residential cruises for those on board the Odyssey, sailing on the open water. Cheers! It's just another day home.

Stacey Williams, a former Sports Illustrated model who briefly dated Jeffrey Epstein speaks with CNN’s Brianna Keilar and describes Epstein’s relationship with Donald Trump. She also alleges Trump once groped her in 1993, but he denies the claim.

New York

Epstein’s ex-girlfriend describes alleged incident with Trump

Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, seen in a viral “kiss cam” video embracing an employee at a Coldplay concert, has resigned, the company says in a LinkedIn post.

Boston

Astronomer CEO resigns after viral incident at Coldplay concert

A vehicle rammed into a crowd of people waiting to enter an East Hollywood nightclub, injuring 30, seven of them critically, in Los Angeles on Saturday morning. Authorities say bystanders attacked the driver, who also sustained a gunshot wound.

West Hollywood

Driver crashes into line of people in Hollywood, police say he was shot

President Trump is suing the Wall Street Journal for $20 billion in damages. The paper reported that he sent a risqué birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday. Willie James Inman has the latest.

Washington

Trump sues over Wall Street Journal report linking him to Jeffrey Epstein

A boat full of tourists capsized during a storm in one of the country's most iconic tourist destinations, leaving at least 34 dead and eight missing. Rescue efforts continue as a new tropical storm approaches.

Hạ Long Bay

Dozens drown after tourist boat capsizes in Ha Long Bay

United States President Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its owners, including Rupert Murdoch over the publication of a bombshell report on the president’s friendship with the infamous high-society sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump sues Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch over Epstein story

The agreement comes after intense clashes displaced tens of thousands of people and contributed to a worsening humanitarian crisis in a region still recovering from over a decade of brutal civil war.

As Suwayda

Middle East Conflict

U.S. says Israel-Syria agree to ceasefire, clashes continue in Sweida

President Trump announced that he is suing the publisher and owner of the Wall Street Journal, media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, and others in a $10 billion libel lawsuit.

Trump sues WSJ publisher, Rupert Murdoch over Epstein letter story

Ukraine has appointed a new prime minister, 39-year-old Yulia Svyrydenko, as part of a sweeping government reshuffle announced by President Volodymyr Zelenkskyy. This marks the most significant political shift since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Yulia Svyrydenko takes charge as Ukraine's new prime minister

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, currently on trial at the Supreme Court, has been ordered to wear an electronic ankle monitor. Bolsonaro is accused of leading an alleged attempt to stage a coup to overturn the 2022 election.

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil's Bolsonaro ordered to wear ankle monitor

At least three deputies were killed after an explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department training facility, officials said. Attorney General Pam Bondi said federal agents were at the scene.

Los Angeles

Three killed in explosion at L.A. County Sheriff's Department facility

The UK's Labour Party has passed a landmark electoral reform, aligning with Scotland and Wales in lowering the voting age from 18 to 16. The change fulfills a key promise by the ruling party but garnered criticism from the Conservative Party.

London

UK lowers voting age from 18 to 16 in historic electoral reform

The U.S. House of Representatives approved a rescissions package to slash $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting funding, sending the bill to President Donald Trump's desk.

U.S. House passes $9 billion cut to foreign aid, public broadcasting

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday night ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to help facilitate the release of grand jury transcripts related to Jeffrey Epstein as the administration faces pressure to share more materials on the case.

Trump orders release of Epstein-related grand jury transcripts

The European Union has agreed to impose a new round of sanctions against Russia, targeting the country's energy and financial sectors in a bid to tighten the screws on the Kremlin's war machine and force a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine.

Moscow

EU imposes new sanctions on Russia's oil and banks

U.S. President Donald Trump denies writing a letter signed 'Donald' beneath a nude sketch in Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday album, details of which were published by the Wall Street Journal. The letter is now under review by the U.S. Justice Department.

Trump denies writing crude letter to Jeffrey Epstein

Following a call with President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare apology, saying the only Catholic church in Gaza was hit by stray ammunition. The blast killed three civilians. Ramy Inocencio reports.

Jerusalem

Netanyahu apologizes for deadly strike on Catholic church in Gaza

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has suggested that TSA may soon end its restrictions on liquids in carry-on bags.

TSA may eliminate liquid restrictions on planes

A Tennessee judge on Thursday set Kilmar Abrego Garcia's criminal trial date for January 27, 2026. Abrego Garcia is facing human smuggling charges. CBS News justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane reports.

Tennessee

Judge sets Kilmar Abrego Garcia's criminal trial date for January 2026

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that President Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency.

Trump diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency

Black-box recording indicates that the flight's captain switched off fuel flow to both engines of the recently crashed Air India airplane, according to media reports on Wednesday, citing preliminary U.S. assessment of evidence.

Ahmedabad

Flight captain switched off fuel flow to engines in Air India crash

The Department of Justice has fired Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor and the daughter of ex-FBI director James Comey. This comes as the White House tries to mitigate demands for the Jeffrey Epstein files to be released.

DOJ fires Maurene Comey, who helped prosecute Jeffrey Epstein

The Senate approved a $9.4 billion rescissions request, sending it back to the House of Representatives for approval.

Senate approves spending cuts to foreign aid, public broadcasting

Israel has faced international condemnation over its three days of airstrikes in Syria. The European Union and the United Nations have called for a return to calm, while Iran has urged countries in the region to respond against Israel.

Damascus

World reacts to Israeli attacks on Syria’s Damascus

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz makes his first state visit to the United Kingdom to sign a historic defence cooperation treaty—the first of its kind between Germany and Britain since the Second World War. The agreement includes plans for joint defence efforts, boosting economic collaboration, and tackling illegal migration.

Germany and UK seal historic defence pact

Donald Trump says American-made weapons bought by NATO are being shipped to Ukraine. Trump's also threatening sanctions, saying his aim is to force Putin to negotiate an end to the war. But with Ukraine under nightly attack, there’s scepticism over whether he'll achieve anything.

U.S. ships NATO purchased Patriot missiles to Ukraine

Syria condemns Israel for fatal strikes on several government buildings in Damascus. The escalation threatens to disrupt new U.S.-brokered security talks between Israel and Syria, with both sides expressing concerns over stability in the region.

Israeli airstrikes on Syria threaten security talks

U.S. President Donald Trump is still dealing with fallout from his own supporters over his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. CBS News Department of Justice reporter Jake Rosen has more.

Trump says Epstein conspiracy theory is hoax started by Democrats

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that she spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and that the two had agreed to strengthen trade collaboration, particularly in light of the tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump set to go in effect on August 1.

Mexico City

Global Tariffs

Mexico plans to strengthen trade with Canada

Former President Barack Obama joined his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, on her latest podcast episode with her brother Craig Robinson to address divorce rumors.

Breakdown