Canadian couple lives on cruise ships — with no plans to return to land

With 75 countries and territories visited, a retired Canadian couple is making the most of life as they cruise full-time, from coast to coast. They're part of a growing trend of people opting to retire at sea.

When Tori Carter suffered a back injury six years ago, she and her husband, Kirk Rickman, decided that life was too short to be sitting around and waiting for dreams to be fulfilled.

In those moments of pain, along with having to navigate the loss of a friend who suddenly passed after suffering a stroke, the retired Canadian couple knew that they wanted to bank on everything life had to offer with no regrets.

And to them, there was no better way to do that than by living on cruise ships. So, at the end of 2022, they sold their home in Brighton, Ont., did some research, got travel visas and started their journey.

They're part of a growing trend of people opting to retire at sea.

"We see it as a less expensive way to travel the world," Carter told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview. "We want to do it now, while we still have our health."

To date, 54-year-old Carter, a retired high school teacher, and 50-year-old Rickman, a retired manufacturing plant supervisor, have visited 75 countries and territories. By April 30, 2024, they expect that number to climb to 88.

To indulge in what different cruises have to offer, the couple said they like to "cruise hop."