Not So Plain Sailing

A private yacht and luxury holiday home in one – home ownership with high seas benefits offers one of the most exclusive property lifestyles imaginable

Imagine the ultimate lifestyle that comes with combining a private yacht and a luxury vacation home. A place that takes you all around the globe, allowing you to wake up to new scenery outside your private veranda every few days. The World delivers precisely that.

The largest private residential ship on the planet at 644 feet, since its launch in 2002, the vessel has continuously circumnavigated the globe, spending extensive time in the most exotic and well-travelled ports, allowing residents to globe trot in style exploring in depth places they had longed to visit.

Owners hail from 19 countries and they all own their individual residences. Collectively speaking, they manage the ship, ensuring that the experiences – both onboard and off – are far beyond current luxury travel standards. Families, can tailor their expeditions to suit their needs, blending iconic metropolises with off-the-grid destinations. Each resident has an endless thirst for knowledge, adventure and of course, travel. This thirst is not only satisfied by the Ship’s itineraries, which every resident has a voice in creating each year, but also by the special, in-depth Expeditions and unique Enrichment Programme.

Enhancing the experience, is the raft of on-board world-class amenities and facilities including culinary mastery in six restaurants, exceptional golf facilities with onboard putting greens, a state-of-the-art golf simulator and resident pro, the only full-size, regulation tennis court at sea, swimming pools, spa, fitness centre complete with personal trainers, library, cinema, hobby and games rooms.

This year has also seen an extensive remodelling of the vessel as CEO, Pamela Conover explains: “Residents are keen to continually reinvest in their ship to keep it in top working condition and appearance. Several popular public areas were redesigned and enhanced for our residents’ and guests’ comfort, one that exceeds the ship’s present world class standards of luxury and style. We also made functional renovations to several areas that are out of public view that improved operations. Our dedicated crew can now deliver an even higher level of personalised service.”

Led by a team of experts who provide hands-on experience and knowledge, these voyages are enhanced by specialist lecturers and a multitude of experiential activities. Depending on the locale, experts may include anthropologists, marine biologists, dive masters, historians, kayak guides, naturalists, oceanographers, ornithologists, and regional specialists. Many will lecture on board and some will lead residents on informative shoreside treks for in-depth discovery to become fully immersed in the destination.

Adventures scheduled for 2020 include West Papua Expedition, the most picturesque part of Indonesia and one of the most vibrant green eco-systems in the world. An expedition of around 1,800 nautical miles, the ship will traverse southbound across the equator to conclude in Darwin, Australia.

A pinnacle of expedition sailing, departing from Ushuaia, The World will also cross the 500 miles of the Drake Passage which separates South America from the Antarctic continent taking in the vast ice sculptures, and mesmerising wildlife – all combined with the rich history of explorers.

Residence options range from spacious studios to stylish three-bedroom condos. Owners are free to fit them out and design the interiors as they wish, so each space is a home in the truest sense of the word. Three-bedroom residences sport inviting foyers, gourmet kitchens filled with premium appliances, three full-bathrooms, and generous living and veranda space. Of the choice selection of resale homes available prices range from US$2 million to US$20 million plus annual ownership costs. These are based on the square footage of the home and include a resident’s share of ship preservation, operations, crew compensation, and food and beverages onboard.

A new project offering an alternative to The World and billed as the world’s first cruise concept entirely dedicated to “an active healthy lifestyle”, Blue World Voyages unveils 40 owners residences onboard their first vessel, launching 2021. Explains spokesperson Freddy Dellis: “Wellness lifestyle real estate is defined as a home which has been proactively designed and built to support the holistic health of its residents, and Blue World Voyages’ owners residences will enjoy precisely this. The in-house team have crafted a vessel and itinerary which is centred health and fitness in all its forms. From the physical and social aspects to the emotional and intellectual dimensions, owners can benefit from being part of this wellness community on water.”

Those purchasing a residence will have access to the ship’s two floors offering a variety of state-of-the-art facilities which are unapparelled at sea. Amenities include a training and strength conditioning centre, golf and football stimulators, fitness studios for classes such as yoga and spinning, and a sea-water lap pool which enables guests to do their laps right in the ocean.

Owners will also be able to participate in a range of active programmes both onboard and ashore, with land excursions offering everything from cycling in Castellon (Spain) and surfing in Lisbon (Portugal), to horse riding in Cherbourg (France) and learning Tai Chi in Amsterdam (Netherlands). There will also be a dedicated team of experts onboard to offer tailored advice and personal programming, as well as hosting talks on their fields of interest.

The vessel will be home to 40 one-and-two bedroom residences. One-bedroom residences of 850 square feet are priced from $2,350,000, two-bedroom split-level residences of 1200 square feet, priced from $3,350,000. Owners will have the choice between two designs, one classical and one contemporary, both with generous balconies.

The ship’s interiors - from public spaces and guest suites, to the owners residences – have been carefully designed and styled by top marine design architects, Tomas Tillberg International and acclaimed interior design firm Juan Poggi Designs.

Owners also become members of the Blue World Voyages Owners Club, which will provide a variety of exclusive privileges, a sense of community and Board representation with input on ship operations. Purchasers will receive a purchase agreement which contains a 25-year Right of Use and all owners have the option to rent their residence through Blue World Voyages Rental Programme, creating a revenue stream that will cover up to 100% of all maintenance fees.

Adds Dellis: “When owners sign the purchase agreement, they will also sign a maintenance agreement. The ship’s operating costs are allocated to all liveable space on the vessel (owners’ residences as well as passenger suites) on a per square foot/square metre basis. Maintenance costs will be budgeted each year. Annual fees for residences are estimated to be between 8 and 10% of the purchase price, payable monthly. There’s also the option to cover maintenance expenses by placing a residence, when not in use, into the rental programme. Current estimates show that renting the residence for +/- 23 weeks will cover annual maintenance costs. An added bonus purchasing a residence, owners will also become Blue World Voyages shareholders, with share values increasing as new vessels are added to the fleet.

Exciting itineraries are planned for year one including less frequented ports of call in the Mediterranean, as well as the Baltic Seas, Iceland and South America.  Adds Dellis: “Our surroundings and communities directly affect our lifestyles and have an impact on our health. Blue World Voyages believe that our homes - our most important personal investment - should also be a positive investment in our wellbeing.”

www.blueworldownersclub.com. www.aboardtheworld.com