Man buys an old cruise ship after seeing an ad online - he lives aboard it today
On the internet you can find many ads relating to the sale of various objects, as well as questionable job offers and other curiosities. The subject of this story, however, didn't buy a simple item on eBay, or watch a tutorial on how to restore furniture, but he made the purchase of a lifetime. Several years ago, Christoper Wilson decided that his future was linked to a large cruise ship which was offered for sale at a reasonable price. And today, he has finally realized his dream of living on it, making the most of his life.
via Youtube / Aurora Restoration Project
Youtube / Aurora Restoration Project
Chris was very interested in an ad regarding the sale of a large, old cruise ship, 90 meters in length; it was 2008 and the vessel was moored in the Californian delta. The owner was desperate to get rid of it. Chris didn't believe he could actually buy a cruise ship, but decided to try anyway: "I introduced myself as a potential buyer, even though I really had no interest in buying a ship. It was a bit out of my comfort zone, to say the least". Once he visited the ship, however, Chris was hooked, even if the ship's structure was in bad shape and needed a massive renovation.
Chris then began researching the history of the ship, discovering that she was built in 1955 in a shipyard in Hamburg, Germany. As it turns out, the ship, which was originally named Wappen von Hamburg, had been the first major passenger ship to sail from Germany after World War II.
Youtube / Aurora Restoration Project
Fascinated by the ship's history, Chris made an offer, bought the ship and set to work to make it usable in the near future. "I knew right away that it would be a long project", said Chris, "It's almost like rebuilding 15 houses by myself". After about two months, Chris and his partner, Jin Li, moved aboard the ship to devote all their energies to the restoration…and they have never left! It's been 14 years since Chris bought the ship and today he can finally say that his project is reaching its end. The ship is not only his home, but it will also be a structure that can host visiting groups, conferences and large events. In short, after all these years, Chris hasn't regretted his purchase at all.
How likely are you to buy a ship advertised online?
