She is out there somewhere, moving silently as she enfolds an average of 175 fortunate souls in her generous arms. The World is a peaceful place, a spacious place, the perfect place from which to explore the world.
Whenever Albert Einstein was asked to explain science, he would reply that it was "nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking." In much the same way, the World of ResidenSea is a refinement of almost everything ever said about luxury cruising. In fact, if you are going to toss the term "luxury" about when speaking of cruise ships, you need to invent a special category to describe this incredible vessel. Luxury just doesn't cover it.
For the past decade, I have edited a website that maintains consumer ratings of the world's Top 10 cruise lines. The World is currently the top-rated ship. But that is, admittedly, a tad unfair to the luxury lines, since one could make a convincing argument that the World is not a cruise ship at all. She is an elegant refinement, built to explore whatever can be discovered while traveling by sea.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery, the French writer and aviator, once wrote, "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood, and don't assign them tasks at work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." That is, I think, a decent expression of the spirit of this venture.
Launched in 2002 and financed by Knut Kloster Jr. and a collection of Norwegian-based shipping all-stars, the World has sailed on to become a 100% sold-out success story. Every one of the 165 private residences onboard is sold out and has been for several years.
Americans were originally predicted to make up about 40% of the ownership but, as things turned out, 50% of the owners come from the U.S.
There are all sorts of wild stories about this quiet ship, most of which have to do with the project's viability. In fact, the World is about as solid as it gets when it comes to ships that cater to the true luxury consumer. Just three years after launching in 2002, the owners of the apartments bought the company. The World does not employ direct-sales marketers. The ship is happily fully occupied by 165 owners, who paid prices ranging from $1.4 million to about $7.9 million, plus about $240,000 in annual fees for maintenance, supplies and crews.
Today, the World finds itself in a sweet spot. It is always sold out. Quite literally. The crew gets paid no matter how full the ship happens to be at any moment, so they are quite pleased to be onboard.
Success, of course, is often best measured by the things one doesn't have to endure. There are no marketing meetings ashore with busy executives trying to take the pulse of the masses. Itineraries aboard this ship are not planned so they will sell; they are planned to accommodate the wishes of the owners. They sail where they want to sail, and they spend a fair amount of time in ports where it makes sense to remain for a few days. They go back to parts of the word they haven't visited for a few years, and they are keen to explore areas of the globe that might represent a new pin on that map of the world hanging in the den in one of their homes.
Of course, the question can be asked: "But what has this to do with me?"
Most of the owners are aboard the ship for small portions of the year. Two-thirds of the apartments and suites sit empty when they are not sailing. But about a third of the owners put their units in a rental pool handled by their own management company. This means that individuals can, based on availability, book any six-night or longer segment. Prices start at about $1,300 to $1,400 per night and go up rapidly.
On a per-diem basis, that can be twice what you might pay for one of the top-rated five-star cruise ships. But when you compare the World with a junior suite in one of Europe's top resorts, you start achieving some price parity.
The World is, however, the much better deal because meals in one's choice of restaurants are included, as are drinks, as are gratuities. And, by the way, the $1,400 price covers two people.
The very exclusivity of the World is one of its great attractions. But those who travel on ships to demonstrate the force of their own personality might be disappointed at the limited audience. Fewer paying guests will sail onboard the World in a year than will sail with Silversea in a week. The Seabourn Legend carries 208 passengers and is 10,000 gross tons. The World averages 175 guests and is 43,000 gross tons, more than four times the space and fewer guests.
The marketing of this "cruise line" is aimed at true believers, a cadre of fewer than 20 travel firms that have the clientele to produce some significant booking numbers. But in truth, the World is a sweet secret that the savvy consultant might want to unwrap in front of the jaded luxury client.
For many, true luxury is characterized by limited access. The World provides that entry into the world of the rich and not very famous. No group of more than 10 cabins is ever allowed onboard. On popular itineraries, where many owners (or members of their brood) are expected to show up, available space might be nonexistent. But for those consultants willing to learn the product, an exciting option to traditional cruising awaits.
Interestingly enough, the folks who manage the rental marketing of the owners' suites and apartments pay commission and protect the original booking agency when future bookings are made, even if they are made directly with the line. That policy alone, it seems to me, ought to generate considerable buzz about the opportunity to become engaged in selling this unique cruise product.
Next: Privileged life aboard the World.
Contributing editor Richard Turen owns Churchill and Turen, a vacation-planning firm that has been named to the Conde Nast Traveler's list of the World's Top Travel Specialists since the list began. Contact him at [email protected].