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Stumbled across this blog about residential cruising. This couple is just starting their journey and they are detailing it from planning to life living on a cruise ship. Since I have seen from time to time some questions about living on ship in this sub forum, I thought some CCers might enjoy following this blog so here's the link for those interested:

 

Residential Cruising

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Oh, I can't wait to read this!  The concept of living on a cruiseship is insane, but it's always really interested me.  Thanks for posting this.

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On 5/1/2024 at 12:38 PM, ilikeanswers said:

Stumbled across this blog about residential cruising. This couple is just starting their journey and they are detailing it from planning to life living on a cruise ship. Since I have seen from time to time some questions about living on ship in this sub forum, I thought some CCers might enjoy following this blog so here's the link for those interested:

 

Residential Cruising

The problem I have with them is, that they are writing that this is the first company who is doing a residence at sea. It is really not. The World is he first successful one. They have done what you expect from a company who does residence at sea: built a customized ship.

Of course, The World is out of financial reach for most people but the idea and execution of that idea still stands.

I have done many cruises before and I love cruising. And, yes, we all wondered how it would be to never have to leave the ship. Just stay and live there. But there is a problem attached to it. Cruise ships are build for shorter term cruising. They are also build for entertainment. I tried to imagine to cruise on a cruise ship for a year: same smallish cabin, no real getaway; same venues, over and over again; same restaurants; I would cruise for a year or even two years, but I definitely would switch ships along the way. 
Not having your own living room, bedroom, decent sized bathroom will be missed. Just imagine buying an inside or even oceanview room for any length of time. What sounds great and romantic for a week or two suddenly becomes your home: a small box with no privacy for anybody and your only escape is to go somewhere on the ship with other people around. 

Can a company make an affordable residence at sea? Absolutely. But it does require some sort of investment if you are serious. You don't have to come out with another The World. You can make the apartments a little smaller and a little less luxurious. But you have to give your residents a real residency. 

Villa View's Odyssey is definitely the wrong ship for it. Cabins of the size of 30-years ago. And, for those who are not familiar with the Odyssey, for Royal cruisers compare it to the Sovereign Class (Monarch, Majesty, Sovereign). 
On the Odyssey most balconies are either blocked by life boats or have a huge roof over their heads. So, while you can sit on that balcony you purchased, you won't have a view or miss some sunning time (forget about stargazing) or both. 

I really hope the bloggers will enjoy it but I have the feeling that the shale taste of "what have we done?" will eventually hit hard. 
 

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On 8/26/2024 at 7:52 AM, Travel_Around_The_World said:

The problem I have with them is, that they are writing that this is the first company who is doing a residence at sea. It is really not. The World is he first successful one. They have done what you expect from a company who does residence at sea: built a customized ship.

 

They did say when they inquired with The World the representative told them they are not a residential cruise line🤷‍♀️. And they say the owners don't live there full time which I suppose does make it a little different to a ship where it is the owners primary residence. 

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Posted (edited)
45 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

They did say when they inquired with The World the representative told them they are not a residential cruise line🤷‍♀️. And they say the owners don't live there full time which I suppose does make it a little different to a ship where it is the owners primary residence. 

I guess it was a bad rep then. The very definition of The World is a condominium style living.


MS The World is a private residential cruise ship operated like a condominium complex, with large apartments that can be purchased. 
 

I mean the entire beginning of the Wiki entry speaks of residences, residential and residents. 

And owners live there. Some full time and some part time. I guess the difference is that if you buy into The World you can afford multiple residences/homes around the world. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_The_World

Edited by Travel_Around_The_World
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On 8/27/2024 at 9:55 AM, Travel_Around_The_World said:

I guess it was a bad rep then. The very definition of The World is a condominium style living.


MS The World is a private residential cruise ship operated like a condominium complex, with large apartments that can be purchased. 
 

I mean the entire beginning of the Wiki entry speaks of residences, residential and residents. 

And owners live there. Some full time and some part time. I guess the difference is that if you buy into The World you can afford multiple residences/homes around the world. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_The_World

 

According to their own press kit The World is not a cruise ship😂:

The World FAQs

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According to our guides in Croatia, nobody wants to live in "the balkans" – it's always defined locally as starting somewhere to the south.  And Explora Journeys absolutely doesn't want to be considered a "cruise line" – so I guess this term is similar to "the balkans."  But 1984-speak turns out of have a downside: Explora Journeys' customers have sailed before, and many of them expect to find the same things they like on traditional luxury "cruise lines" – and they fault Explora for not delivering.

 

The World is unique in being a successful residential cruise ship.  But I have a suspicion that their success is based on their ultra-high price point.  The recently-failed residential ship concepts started out thinking they could pick up an old ship on the cheap to keep prices manageable [and post-Covid was the best opportunity for this ever] but found out that old ships are holes in the ocean into which you pour money constantly, and/or investigated building a new ship actually designed for residences but found out that the costs of a new build are crazy high, and who is going to finance the upfront costs?

 

My betting is that The World will remain the one and only in this category.

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