How living and retiring at sea just got affordable

More cruisers are permanently making the switch to the sea. And with more residential vessels launching in the next three years, seafarers are spoilt for choice.

While ships like The World and Utopia are ultra luxurious (it’s said James Packer’s mother Ros has two apartments on The World), we have found more affordable options.

Blue World Voyages is designed to be the ultimate sport and wellness hub that caters to active passengers. Another new ship, Storylines launching in 2023 is also offering residences at a never seen before price point of under a million dollars and they have just started taking their first pre-sale deposits.

Read about the future residences at sea:

Storylines

The line is breaking records to make living at sea under a million dollars. The ship will offer the world’s first ‘affordable’ residential community and they have just announced that they are taking pre-sale deposits for it’s first new-build ship which will be launching in 2023.

The ship feature 627 fully furnished residences across multiple categories and price points that range between $510,740 (US$352,235) for interior cabins to more than $11.6 million (US$8 million) for a premium two-level penthouse suite for up to six residents. The purchase price is for 24 to 60 years of ownership, starting from $2,755pp per month (US$1,900) twin share for all-inclusive living. This includes food, some shore excursions, medical facilities and more.

There are five available layouts ranging from 334 to 2121 sq ft. On their website, majority of their first tier residences are already sold. The prices are now starting from $739,560 (US$510,048) which works out to be $3,429 (US$2,365) per month according to the line.

The brand new 1000-passenger LNG ship will have more than 20 restaurants on board, 45 resident lounges, three pools, gym, spa and even a garden farm. There will also be a marina where residents can access the waters to sail, jet ski and kayak right off the deck.

The ship will spend three to five days in most ports as it sails the world and the line says that the voyage will be designed with community input.

Blue World Voyages

Blue World is a 525-passenger ship designed to cater to sports and wellness enthusiasts. The ship is set to launch in the second quarter of 2021 and it features 40 luxury one and two-bedroom residences along with 225 hotel suites. The one bedroom residences (850 sq ft) are priced from $3,407,500 (US$2,350,000) and the two Bedroom split level residences (1200 sq ft) are priced from $4,857,500 (US$3,350,000). The price is for the purchase of a 25 years right of use for the residences.

The ship has thrown out the buffet tables and slot machines in its design and replaced them with two full decks of fitness equipment and spa facilities.

The sports deck features a functional training and strength conditioning facility, state of the art TRX, Yoga and pilates studios, bike fitting station, pro-style batting cages, multi-sport simulators, a Hank Haney Golf School and a medical wellness clinic.

The ship will also have a unique seawater lap pool that also provides docking for kayaks. Guests will also be provided with the latest equipment to snorkel, scuba, surf, paddleboard, bike and more. Guests will also be able to soothe their tired bodies after all the activity in the largest spa per passenger ever.

The line is currently taking registrations from interested buyers, and have about 290 individuals registered so far for the 40 residences. The official sales of the Owners Residence onboard their first vessel should begin early next year, according to the line. They are waiting to acquire and inspect the first of three vessels before the end of this year. The line is expecting a crowd from 28 to 60 year-olds on board but they are also getting lots of interest from the 60 plus group.

For a taste of life on board, the standard passenger suites are priced at $5,075pp (US$3,500pp), with inclusions like all tips, meals in any of their four restaurants, complimentary beverages at lunch and dinner, laundry service, Wi-Fi, some shore excursions and three signature events per voyage.

The World

The World is the largest private residential yacht with 165 luxury residences. The ship was launched in 2002 and she just completed an extensive upgrade earlier this year, revamping areas like the World Spa & Wellness Center, Fredy’s Deli, East restaurant the boutique as well as the showroom.

There are four residential options on board: studio, one and two-bedroom studio, two-bedroom residences and three-bedroom residences. Prices for the residences range from $2.9 to $21.75 million (US$2 to 15 million). Majority of the residences aboard are the two and three-bedroom apartments that range from 1,106 to 3,242 sq ft. The smallest residence starts from 337 sq ft.

The 12-deck ship has an average occupancy of 150 to 200 passengers at one time the line says that their residents spend an average of three to four months on board every year. Most of the residents are Americans, with an average age of 64 years.

It sails a continuous worldwide itinerary that enables the vessel to span the globe every two to three years.

The ship is staffed with 280 crew members and residents can enjoy onboard amenities like restaurants, bars, full-size theatre, swimming pool or try your hand at tennis, darts, table tennis or billiards. Residents can also take part in sailing and kayaking right off the ship’s Marina platform that provides easy access to the water.

The World also organises enrichment programs like lectures, performances and workshops in areas like photography, painting writing and acting. The ship also has special events like inviting two Michelin star Chef Soenil Bahadoer on board in May to offer a gastronomic experience as well as a cooking demonstration.

Only a small selection of units is available for re-sale yearly and the best way to stay informed when a residence comes up in the market is by contacting their Residential Advisor via their website. The World will return to Australia in February 2020.

The Utopia

The ship is the next to launch in the line up and it is created by the same team that developed The World. The Utopia which is set to launch in 2021 is designed for the ultra-wealthy who want to travel with leaving their luxurious homes behind.

The 190 floating residences on board cost between $6.53 million (US$4.5 million) for the 1,500 sq ft Olympian Estates and more than $52.2 million (US$36 million) for the Utopian Estates which go up to 6,143 sq ft. There are six different apartments to choose from and all of them have an ocean view.

The ship is built to look like a “gorgeous luxury apartment in Central Park South”, according to David Robb, the chairman of the project. The line also says that most of their largest residences are sold or reserved.

The residents on board is mostly American like The World but the average age is younger at 46 years.

Entertainment on board the Utopia will include a theatre, a nightclub, jazzlounges, a casino, an art gallery, and a putting green. Residents will also have plenty of options to stay fit aboard the ship, including a walking track, a complete gym, multiple swimming pools and a multi-deck waterslide, paddle tennis, and fitness classes.

Philanthropy is also one of the unique points of the Utopian living experience. The ship can help to organise fundraising galas, help residents build their philanthropic network through their Pilantrophy Concierge. To date, Utopia has sponsored the Character Education Partnership, earthquake relief in China, Lift Up America and The Giving Back Fund.

The ship also has 206 hotel suites for additional guests. The hotels also serve to accommodate the extra guests of residents. The starting hotel room price during off-peak periods is approximately US$1,200 per night.