Live where others go on holiday: On the luxury liner “The World”, the richest of the rich live in apartments that cost several million euros. The ship is currently docked in Malaysia.
The luxury liner “The World” is much more than a normal cruise ship. Rather, it is an almost 200 meter long floating residential complex with 165 residential units for the super rich, as the “Star” reports. Currently, the largest privately owned habitable cruise ship is anchored in the waters of Penang, Malaysia for two full days. The next stop: the Langkawi archipelago.
“This cruise ship serves as an exuberant retreat for individuals and their families as it sails the world’s oceans,” the chairman of Malaysia’s tourism board told the Star. Unlike ordinary passengers who book their cruise experience through a travel agency, the residents own the luxurious apartments of “The World”, which cost the equivalent of between 2.3 and 14 million euros and are up to 360 square meters in size.
As “Stern” reports, life on board is only available to those who have at least ten million US dollars, the equivalent of around 9.3 million euros. But even that isn’t a guarantee, it just puts them on the shortlist. “Only the richest of the rich can afford this,” residence manager Andy Dinsdale told “Stern”.
The owners, not the captain, decide the route of the cruise. An itinerary committee coordinates future excursions years in advance. The weighting of votes depends on the size of the property: “Every square meter is a right to vote,” said Dinsdale to “Stern”.
What is also different from regular cruises is that “The World” does not accommodate the older generation, but mostly younger people who can afford early retirement at the age of 40.
Back in February, “The World” made headlines when a former resident revealed exclusively for the first time about life on board. In an interview with CNN, retired lawyer Peter Antonucci compared his experience on the luxury liner to the US series “The White Lotus”: “There are a lot of rich people doing playful things, sometimes indecent things, sometimes scandalous things.”
The apartments themselves are furnished and equipped to the owners’ taste, some with state-of-the-art furniture and appliances, while others have remained untouched for 20 years, Antonucci told CNN. The ship serves as a sort of second home for most residents, allowing them to hop on and off depending on the ship’s location.
For all globetrotters who would rather stick to the regular cruise, Lucy S., who has been working on cruise ships for nine years, gives some tips and tricks for the best experience at the on-board buffet. Under no circumstances should you grab food at the first rush and you shouldn’t use your plate multiple times.
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