by Linda Coffman
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The
World of ResidenSea at anchor |
We gathered at the
railing on a late-April morning to watch as the Wind Surf prepared
to dock in Portimao, Portugal. Off in the distance, a ship sat serenely at anchor. She was the newly launched floating city, The
World of ResidenSea.
An intriguing blend of
gracious private residences and luxury suites, The World was set to explore her
namesake and enter
the Mediterranean on her maiden voyage.
She might just turn up anywhere in the world and a week later she
arrived in Barcelona, Spain where we got a closer
look.
A
WORLD OF STYLE & SATISFACTION
On board The World,
occupants of the 110
apartments and 88 guest suites experience an extraordinary level of
service and the pleasure of visiting the
world's most coveted cities, highlighted by extended stays for major
events. How about Cannes for the Film Festival? Perhaps the excitement of
Monaco's Grand Prix or Carnival in Rio are more your style—just
stay on board as The World takes you there. As we noted while she
followed in our wake through the western Mediterranean, there's no rush from
port to port. The World focuses on leisurely extended stays in
world-class destinations, affording owners and guests the most
valuable commodity in travel—the time to delve into the history
and culture of the places they visit.
While at sea, The
World offers a myriad of amenities to delight and amuse residents.
The spacious two and three bedroom apartments range from 1106 to
3242 square feet and include living and dining room areas and
balconies, as well as fully equipped kitchens. Owners have
everything at their fingertips, but the ship's facilities offer even more. Don't
feel like cooking? Have a chef drop in to prepare dinner or pick up
something from the gourmet deli. Then spend the evening at a
movie or in the casino. Restaurants, shopping, social functions,
entertainment, lectures, concerts, fine art exhibitions, and a huge
library are but steps away.
For health and
fitness, two swimming pools, tennis courts, golf center, and spa
await. If a sauna or spa treatment are too tame, jog on the track
or head to the retractable marina for water sports. Sound like a
typical luxury cruise ship? Yes. And no.
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Guest
Suite |
Location, location,
location... chic apartments sporting the
supreme waterfront address range in price from $2.25 to $7.5
million. Of course, even the most discerning owners won't always be
in residence and rentals are available in varying time segments.
Guest suites are an all-inclusive option for those of us who aren't
in the market for a vacation home. Including roundtrip
economy air transportation, transfers, porterage, port charges,
meals, and beverages, including an extensive selection of fine wines
and spirits, plan on spending $5,600 to $12,700 per
person for a one week pre-planned voyage (depending on the suite
accommodations selected). Early booking and advanced payment
incentives bring the cost down somewhat. In the ultra-luxury cruise
market, those fares are not out of this world.
SPINE FILMS DELIVERS THE
WORLD
For those of us who can only dream about a
voyage on this lavish vessel, Spine Films delivers "ResidenSea—The
Floating City" to our dens. An exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse of
The World, the one hour television show will premier on The Travel
Channel on Monday, September 23 from 9-10 PM (ET/PT).
Spine Films was granted exclusive access to
this remarkable and revolutionary concept in ocean going living.
Don't miss the opportunity for a glimpse into The World
lifestyle, with enough interior shots to satisfy the most avid ship aficionado's
curiosity.
Fast Facts
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The
World docked in Barcelona, Spain |
40,000 GRT
644 feet in length
97.8 feet in width
Draft 22 feet
12 decks
19 knots maximum speed
The World's capacity is a maximum of 1090
people. The estimated average occupancy of the 110 apartments and 88
Guest Suites is 285 residents and guests.
The crew consists of approximately 252
Scandinavian officers, European waiters, and international hotel,
housekeeping, and social staff.
During the first two years of service,
itineraries will feature ports of call throughout Europe and the
Mediterranean, the United States, Caribbean, and South America.
Around the clock services include a
concierge staff, housekeeping, security and medical personnel,
catering, beauty salon, travel agency, and laundry and dry cleaning
services.
A business and conference center features
modern communications facilities with office machines and a
secretarial service. Apartments have fax and modem access.
"ResidenSea - The Floating
City" is a co-production with Spine Films and The Travel
Channel; Produced by Amy Miller and Executive Produced by Josh and
Jonathan Rosen.
Exterior Illustrations
© CruiseDiva.com & Guest Suite Photo Courtesy of ResidenSea
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