Durban – Imagine the luxury of waking up to a different view from your bedroom window just about every morning for as long as you desire.
This is the lavish lifestyle members of the world’s only private residential community at sea enjoy.
The World, launched in 2002, is home to an “exclusive group” of residents.
The 43 524-ton vessel has 165 individual homes. It has 106 two-bedroomed and three-bedroomed flats, 19 one-bedroomed flats and 40 studio units.
The 12-deck ship docked in Durban Harbour at the weekend and left last night, bound for Cape Town.
Each year the ship takes round trips to different parts of the world. This year’s itinerary includes two-day and three-day visits to 104 ports, in 30 countries, on six continents.
The World has a large lobby, four restaurants, three bars, a cigar lounge, boutique and showroom, grocery shop, deli, fitness centre, billiard room, golf simulator and putting greens, a full-size tennis court, jogging track, spa, swimming pool, theatre and library.
Owning a unit costs between R10 million and R91m, but the buyer would first have to first prove a net worth that exceeds R62m. One would also need to add another 10% to 15% of the purchase price for annual maintenance and other fees, based on the size of the flat.
The residents, management teams and captain sit in a meeting each year to select the itinerary. There are about 200 crew members.
A few of the owners live full-time on the ship. Most use their flats for holiday homes, while some let them.
Rentals are available only for six or more days with studios going for R16 000 to R28 000 a day.
The Mercury