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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

The World comes to Wellington

From the Dominion Post


The World has come to Wellington but it remains to be seen whether The Terminator, James Bond or Madonna have come with it.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Roger Moore and Madonna are all rumoured to have luxury apartments on The World - billed as the largest residential yacht on Earth - which berthed yesterday at Queens Wharf.
It has 165 privately owned apartments, ranging from studios to expansive three-bedroom units, and a palatial penthouse that comfortably accommodates up to 12 people.
The apartment owners collectively own the NZ$384 million ship.
According to the Cruisemates website in 2013, a two-bedroom, 102sqm apartment started at $2.3m.
Bigger apartments were priced at up to $7.9m, although other sources from 2010 say a World Suite was priced at $15.7m. Additional annual maintenance fees range from $70,000 to $310,000.
The ship, launched in 2002, has a gourmet deli and grocery store, fitness centre, billiard room, golf simulator and putting greens, the only full-sized tennis court at sea, a jogging track, a spa, swimming pool and cocktail lounge.
The 219 owner-passengers on board the ship while it's in Wellington are being tended to by 275 crew.
Some owners live on board fulltime as the ship continuously circumnavigates the globe, while others visit periodically.
The visit of The World to Wellington was the 77th, and second last, of the cruise ship season.
Sigh.  I'm not sure that that is what I would do with my money, but how lovely to be so rich.  It certainly makes P&O cruises look tame ... and very low budget!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ships and trains - but especially ships! The only way to travel. In my youth I used to go everywhere by ship and remember wonderful weeks at sea. Can still remember the tarry, oily, painty smells and the engines throbbing beneath my feet. Nothing like it. But I don't think I would enjoy this level of conspicuous consumption somehow.

World of the Written Word said...

For me, the magical moment is when the motor is turned off and the sails take over. There is this sudden, wonderful silence, gradually filled with the gentle creak of the rigging, the flutter of canvas, and the ripple of the sea. The whole vessel seems to become lighter, somehow, loftier, higher in the water. The sails give it life.

And I totally agree about conspicuous consumption. Somehow, I don't think Bill and Miranda Gates would squander millions on a seagoing apartment. And does the annual fee include restaurant meals? Or do they have to shop and cook (or get menials to do it), just like an apartment on land?

World of the Written Word said...

A little bird told me yesterday that Judge Judy is on board!