IT’S billed as the ultimate address: The World.And there seems to be no shortage of rich, golf-loving dilettantes with a spare $7.5 million to drop on a cruise that never ends.
The palatial 12-deck liner is the world’s first residential cruise ship.
Beyond the lavish live-in apartments, the vessel boasts four restaurants, a nightclub, a spa salon, an art gallery, a museum, a casino and the first on-board real-grass golf course, complete with golf balls that dissolve after 48 hours in the sea and biodegradable tees made of corn.
The S.S. Minnow it ain’t, but Thurston Howell III would feel right at home on this ship, which departs on its maiden voyage from Oslo, Norway, on March 7 and will be christened in New York City on April 19.
ResidenSea, the company that built the $330 million ship called The World, is tight-lipped about its list of residents, but Arnold Schwarzenegger is rumored to have bought one of the luxury apartments, and Madonna and Roger Moore are said to be interested.
Already, 88 of the 110 apartments have been sold – nearly half to Americans – and it’s the nouveau riche who are most interested in securing a permanent berth on The World.
“Obviously, for privacy reasons, we can’t reveal the identities of residents and guests on board,” says ResidenSea’s Lisa Bailey. “But the sort of people who have bought apartments are, for the most part, well-educated, first-generation entrepreneurs.”
The floating city has attracted its share of naysayers since construction began on the ship two years ago, many voicing doubts that anyone would pay from $2.2 million to $7.5 million to live the high life on the high seas.
Then the skeptics suggested that unscrupulous millionaires would use the floating city as an international tax haven.
“Residents of the ship still have to follow the tax laws of their countries of origin,” Bailey says, adding that owners purchase the rights to a 50-year leasehold rather than the property itself.
“Some are planning to live on board full-time, while others are using it as just another vacation home to spend a couple of months a year in.”
Don’t have a spare million or two lying around?
The World also has 88 guest suites, ranging from $800 to $1,900 per day – and apartment owners will be allowed to sublet.
The ship arrives in Fort Lauderdale on March 24 and will continuously circumnavigate the globe, ferrying its residents to major international events such as the Cannes Film Festival, Monaco’s Grand Prix, the Rio Carnival and the British Open in Scotland.
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Dozen decks of decadence (graphic legend)
Here are some amenities on The World, a high-priced residential cruise ship:
1) Golf area with 1,000-square-foot putting green of real grass, two full-shot driving ranges, indoor simulators, pro shop
2) Jogging track
3) Tennis court
4) Mediterranean eatery
5) Regatta lounge bar
6) East Asian restaurant
7) Sushi bar/restaurant
8) Bar/grill
9) Swimming pool, whirlpool, sundeck
10) 12 apartments
11) The bridge
12) 76 apartments
13) Mix of 22 apartments and 22 guest suites
14) Lifeboats
15) Helicopter pad
16) 66 guest suites
17) Area for library (books, videos, CD-ROMS, newspapers, etc.), tearoom, Internet cafe, museum, art gallery
18) Marina restaurant
19) Marina bar
20) Shopping “street” with delicatessen/cafe, convenience store, travel agency, boutique and jewelers
21) French restaurant
22) Lobby, reception, bar
23) Cigar club
24) 24-hour concierge
25) Nightclub
26) Casino
27) Theater/cinema
28) Chapel
29) Conference facilities
30) Health & beauty center
31) Retractable marina
32) Swimming pool
33) Medical center
34) Engine decks
35) Crew’s quarters
