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New Residential Cruiseliner - Orphalese


bepsf

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The website certainly is beautiful and the idea sounds wonderfully romantic. But when you start analyzing life on board, it might become a bit dull. Most people would not want to live far away from their family and friends. Seeing the world from the ship would be lovely, but aren't most World Cruise voyagers ready to return home after 100 days or so? Human nature seems to need the familiar and customary only punctuated with spurts of adventure. Yes, this ship is different from a World Cruise in that you are in your own home, but I do have questions:

 

Can a floating apartment really be home? Do they allow pets? Can your grandkids come and stay? How do you putter around a luxury apartment? How would I know it's spring if I can't plant my tomatoes? I'm sure they must have addressed most of these questions and still believe that the market would be there.

 

I might have missed it, but do they have the arrangements to rent out your apartment on some sort of time-share or sub-let apartment?

 

Now, after I've just said all these negative things, I would like to offer my services if anyone needs a housesitter for their new apartment.

 

susana.

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http://www.theorphalese.com/

 

They have a gorgeous website - and an interesting vision for their itineraries!

 

I like their website and IF I won the lotto I would buy a cabin. One plus over The World is it sounds like you get to pick the furniture for your cabin. BUT I really do believe the 80,000 shopping mall will be a bust.

 

And it fits my hobbies... Cruising... Photography...Puters.... I WOULD never get bored.

My "new" friends would be the same as any "retirement" condo type friends. I would meet the regulars for coffee just like I do now( I am not retired now but have time off between puter contracts) :) But day to day the ports I would visit would be a thousand times better than the always the same store and things to do within 20 miles of a "retirement" home.

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The last poster is messed up.. Hopefully this will correct it. :)

 

On my thoughs on the 80,000 shopping mall. IMHO the people onboard will not spend enough money to support that big an area.

 

IMHO.. I would do a 20,000 sq foot mall and use the rest for "estates". I believe the most popular one will be the 1,000 sq ft two bedroom Pegasus. Using my math :p I would guess it would take 1,500 sq ft for each 1,000 sq ft cabin when you include common and other areas. So the would give you 40 new "estates" carved out of the 60,000 sq ft. Now the Pegasus goes for $1,800,000 so that would mean $72 million for the building and profits of the ship. In addition those 40 cabins will pay $2,500 per month each for maintenance. That amounts to $100,000 per month to run the ship. IMHO that will be more than what the 60,000 sq currently marked for the mall would bring in...

 

Just my opinion.

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One of the rules of ownership on The World is that you must have another residence. After all, you'll need to pay taxes somewhere, right? Also, these ships will need to go into drydock like any other cruise ship. Very few people live on The World full time and some do rent out their units. Most residents come and go. There are only a few if any units that weren't sold.

The Orphalese will not have the same ambiance as The World. It sounds like it will feel much more like a regular cruise ship. Also, I think the attraction of the World is the itinerary that stops in major destinations for multiple nights and has many short hops. The Orphalese may not be able to stay in one place for long since it accomodates "regular" cruisers who expect multiple destinations in 10 days or so. The cost to own is certainly attractive, especially the maintenence fee but there could be more small print if you really delve into it.

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As a single 56 who loves to cruise I dreamed of the World when it first came out. IMHO, I would have no problem living on the ship year round. Dry Dock is not a problem for me,,, I could take my rollaboard to a hotel in town for a week or two.

 

I have never understood the World's requirement for a other home. If forced to I would "rent" a bedroom from my brother. :D

 

This ship looks to do the same 2-3 day port stays as the World. But it does sound like it will make longer leaps between ports to hit all the places it wants to hit.

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Anyone notice the full kitchens and laundry facilities in each "apartment"?

 

Where do you go to buy groceries?

Can they be delivered?

There is a small grocery store onboard the World but from what I read, the prices are high and most just use it for the basics.

 

But for most of the year, this brings a new meaning to shopping ashore. So that one or two bottles of vino become one or two cases. :cool: When in Spain .. Spainish vino..... when in Chile ............

 

When I was dreaming of buying on the World, I read every article and it sounds like most people eat ashore and IF they cook onboard they shop ashore.

 

As a single I eat out most of the time. And little would change for me living on either ship. When thinking about cooking onboard, what I came down to was meals I love but can not get onboard or ashore. For me that would be one of my loves,,, Mexican food. That may mean making things you can get easy in the US from scratch... But what else were you doing anyway.

 

I do not know this 100%, but because in the case of the World, the port dates are known a year in advance. I had planned on ordering things off the Internet for pick up in a future port. i.e. lots of books and movies from Amazon........ Some food items can be gotten this way too. With all the good coffee in the world,,,, if you gotta have Starbucks blend... Order it. :)

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As long as there are dining facilities on board (that I assume you dont have to pay extra for) I'd just as soon dine there.

Personally, I'd have them rip out the kitchen and make me a little wet-bar/butler's pantry, because I just can't imagine doing my own cooking aboard ship - esp during rough seas!

(bepsf visualizes Lucy in "The Long, Long Trailer"...)

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  • 2 weeks later...

It is not a requirement that one has another residence.

 

One of the rules of ownership on The World is that you must have another residence. After all, you'll need to pay taxes somewhere, right? Also, these ships will need to go into drydock like any other cruise ship. Very few people live on The World full time and some do rent out their units. Most residents come and go. There are only a few if any units that weren't sold.

The Orphalese will not have the same ambiance as The World. It sounds like it will feel much more like a regular cruise ship. Also, I think the attraction of the World is the itinerary that stops in major destinations for multiple nights and has many short hops. The Orphalese may not be able to stay in one place for long since it accomodates "regular" cruisers who expect multiple destinations in 10 days or so. The cost to own is certainly attractive, especially the maintenence fee but there could be more small print if you really delve into it.

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Greetings,

There is a small deli where you can buy anything offered in the restaurants. Prices are reasonable.

There is a food and beverage assessment as in most golf clubs, so most people eat in one of the four restaurants or order room serice. If you want to hire a chef, you can have the meal cooked in your kitchen and served to you in your dining room.

There is a small grocery store onboard the World but from what I read, the prices are high and most just use it for the basics.

 

But for most of the year, this brings a new meaning to shopping ashore. So that one or two bottles of vino become one or two cases. :cool: When in Spain .. Spainish vino..... when in Chile ............

 

When I was dreaming of buying on the World, I read every article and it sounds like most people eat ashore and IF they cook onboard they shop ashore.

 

As a single I eat out most of the time. And little would change for me living on either ship. When thinking about cooking onboard, what I came down to was meals I love but can not get onboard or ashore. For me that would be one of my loves,,, Mexican food. That may mean making things you can get easy in the US from scratch... But what else were you doing anyway.

 

I do not know this 100%, but because in the case of the World, the port dates are known a year in advance. I had planned on ordering things off the Internet for pick up in a future port. i.e. lots of books and movies from Amazon........ Some food items can be gotten this way too. With all the good coffee in the world,,,, if you gotta have Starbucks blend... Order it. :)

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There is no rule that you have to have a landbased home, but you will have to pay US taxes if you are an American.

There is a very small shop on The World that is closed all the time The World is in port. I find it interesting that The Wall Street Journal would give Orphalese print with the fantastic idea to have 80,000 sq feet of retail space.

With this plan, it is obvious that the ship will never be built. And if it is it will not have 80,000 sq feet of retail space.

 

One of the rules of ownership on The World is that you must have another residence. After all, you'll need to pay taxes somewhere, right? Also, these ships will need to go into drydock like any other cruise ship. Very few people live on The World full time and some do rent out their units. Most residents come and go. There are only a few if any units that weren't sold.

The Orphalese will not have the same ambiance as The World. It sounds like it will feel much more like a regular cruise ship. Also, I think the attraction of the World is the itinerary that stops in major destinations for multiple nights and has many short hops. The Orphalese may not be able to stay in one place for long since it accomodates "regular" cruisers who expect multiple destinations in 10 days or so. The cost to own is certainly attractive, especially the maintenence fee but there could be more small print if you really delve into it.

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  • 4 weeks later...
As long as there are dining facilities on board (that I assume you dont have to pay extra for) I'd just as soon dine there.

 

Personally, I'd have them rip out the kitchen and make me a little wet-bar/butler's pantry, because I just can't imagine doing my own cooking aboard ship - esp during rough seas!

 

(bepsf visualizes Lucy in "The Long, Long Trailer"...)

 

You pay extra for everything. The $2,500+ plus per month is a type of homeowners assocation dues that go towards upkeep of the ship, staff, etc. Some apartments have HOA dues in excess of $10,000 per month.

 

You don't actually 'own' the apartments either from my understanding. You get fifty years of use with first right of refusal.

 

When did they change the primary residence requirement?

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Interesting the per month per diem for the Orphalese is $2500 for their smallest 1.8 mil unit and they say that includes meals. But the MAGELLAN min per diem is 8,000 per month and they do not say if that includes meals ( would hope so... )

 

But IMHO something does not ring true on both of them. But I really like the more detailed sample rooms on the Magellan. For those techies :D out there look at the second bedroom in the smallest unit in the Orphalese and try to fit a bed in there... IMHO there is a problem with the doors.

 

Side issue as was pointed out, the Orphalese is by a company in Vegas add to that the mailing address for the Magellan is

 

Residential Cruise Line, LTD.

4145 E. Baseline Rd.

Gilbert, AZ 85234

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  • 3 months later...

The Travel Channel had a one hour docummentary on The World. It took me a couple of minutes to figure out what I was watching, since I was washing dishes when it first started. "You pick your furniture?", huh??? and then ohhhhhhhhhhhh, WOW!!!!

 

Well, my mom and I watched with our mouths hanging open, we could not believe the oppulence and the whole idea of just floating at your own pace with you own pillow, etc. It was really, really cool.

 

And yes, they have a grocery store, but as my mom pointed out, "I would never cook so much as toast, with those amazing restaurants".

 

I think some mornings, the best thing is just eating cereal in your pj's, no matter how beautiful the restaurant. That spa did catch my fancy though.

 

Only thing that was not clear, is if the restaurants were free for the residents, or do you pay like when you go out to any restaurant?

 

Fun to dream, and yes, that darn lottery better produce soon. :o)

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you pay for the restaurants on board if you are a resident, and dearly. only those who take cruises for short periods of time can get all inclusive deals which include meals. i think those who live aboard would want to try local restaurants in each port.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...
you pay for the restaurants on board if you are a resident, and dearly. only those who take cruises for short periods of time can get all inclusive deals which include meals. i think those who live aboard would want to try local restaurants in each port.

If you need some ideas for great restaurants here in Tauranga [one of The Worlds ports of call in October] then we can suggest a few within walking distance of the berth. Regards Ian [Tauranga]

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