Imagine if, without leaving the comfort of your home, you could wake up each day in a completely different part of the world. Where, each morning when you drew your living-room curtains, you’d be greeted by a different view – one day you might gaze upon the glaciers of the Antarctic, another the Amalfi Coast, or the cliffs of Hawaii or even the jaw-dropping sight of Mount Etna erupting.
Although this might sound like the stuff that dreams are made of, for those who live onboard the planet’s largest private residential yacht, The World, they’re a reality. Launched in 2002, it’s the only ship of its kind currently in operation sailing a continuous itinerary across every ocean, visiting every continent.
As with any other home, you can own an abode onboard the ship in your own private capacity, live in it permanently, host dinner parties (if your guests can get to the port), and even decorate as you please. Residences range from elegant 30m2 studios to spacious 300m2 three-bedroom homes – each of which can be customised to suit your specific preferences and tastes.
According to Residential Director Andy Dinsdale, who’s been working onboard The World for 14 years, there are currently a few residences available. Tempted? You should be.
While docked in Cape Town recently, Private Edition was invited to dine at one of the ship’s restaurants with an American resident (who prefers to remain anonymous) who has been living onboard since 2019. She discovered The World at an auction where she offered the winning bid for a two-week stay. ‘I thought I was either going to love it or hate it. I’m not much of a sea person; I suffer from seasickness and have had a couple of cruise experiences that were not great. But The World is different: after two weeks I was hooked and bought one of the units,’ she recalls.
She says many homeowners decide to live on The World because of the extraordinary travel opportunities, but most stay for the sense of community. She says there are incredible people onboard, including inventors and innovators. There are also a few families with young children who are homeschooled who’ve been living on the ship for years. And as a single female she says it makes sense for her to live and travel this way.
The ship circumnavigates the globe every two to three years following an itinerary selected by the residents themselves. The American resident explained how the ship had just arrived in Cape Town from Antarctica and described how they had sailed right past the A23a, Antarctica’s largest iceberg, which has now started to drift and break down. ‘I have to pinch myself every day,’ she says. ‘I love living onboard. It took a while for me to get my sea legs but now, even in the roughest seas, I no longer suffer from seasickness.’
Regular events are also on offer onboard. ‘Although residents like to spend time at home, there are opportunities to mingle,’ she says. Before arriving at a new port, enrichment evenings are held where guest speakers give lectures on the culture and history of the next port of call. There are also a number of in- and outdoor restaurants, including a Japanese restaurant that would rival any Michelin-starred eatery on land. Nobel Prize laureates have been invited onboard to dine and converse with guests, such as Shuji Nakamura, the Japanese scientist who invented blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
There is also an impressive library, puzzle tables, a fitness centre, hair and beauty salon and even a small supermarket with fresh produce for those who prefer to cook their own meals at home.
For those looking for pampering, there’s an exquisite spa with treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms and plunge pools. There is also a permanent doctor and nurse onboard, as well as Pilates instructors and physiotherapists.
Comprised of approximately 150 families from 20 different countries, the international community of residents brings diverse perspectives and experiences to life onboard the ship.
And while satisfying The World’s net worth requirement is a precondition of ownership, once onboard, the world is literally your oyster.
To find out more about The World, visit aboardtheworld.com.
Susan Newham-Blake
