Seaworthy home for a few
By Kelly Yamanouchi
Advertiser Staff Writer
An unusual cruise liner — one with passengers who spent as much as $7.5 million each to buy condominiums aboard — is headed toward Hawai'i for the first time this week, bringing the high-end visitors to the Islands for nine days.
The World, which has been on a round-the-globe voyage since March, is operated by a company called Residensea. Its pitch to passengers? "The Ultimate Address" for a vacation home.
ABOVE: The World has been on a round-the-globe voyage since March and has traveled to nearly 120 ports.
So far, the ship has traveled to nearly 120 ports — including London, Barcelona, Venice, Bordeaux, St. Petersburg, Rey-kjavik and San Francisco — coordinating stops to arrive in time for events such as the Grand Prix in Monaco and the Cannes Film Festival.
For the holiday season, the itinerary takes passengers to Hawai'i. The World arrives at Kona on Dec. 25 with about 250 passengers. From there it sails to Hilo, Maui and Kaua'i. The last stop in Hawai'i is at Honolulu on New Year's Day, and the ship departs Jan. 2 for Christmas Island.
The idea of selling homes on a ship was dreamed up in 1997 by Knut U. Kloster Jr., former chairman of Royal Viking Line and Norwegian Cruise Line, now Hawai'i's main interisland cruise ship operator. Most of the investors in the venture are Norwegian.
On the "resort community at sea" are 110 condominiums — 75 percent of them already purchased — and 88 studios for rent. The condominiums go for $2.25 million to $7.5 million, and potential buyers must have a minimum net worth of $5 million.
Maximum occupancy is 976 people, including 320 crew members. The identities of the passengers are closely guarded, but according to Residensea, about 40 percent are from the United States and 40 percent are British. Most stay on the ship for a few months of the year for vacation. Some rent out their condos to others when they're not using them themselves.
Many of the passengers are golf enthusiasts, and resort facilities on the ship include a full-size tennis court and a driving range with biodegradable golf balls that dissolve into fish food in the ocean.
The passengers' income levels are likely far different from most who take cruises in Hawai'i.
About 57 percent of cruise passengers to Hawai'i in 2001, for example, had annual household incomes between $50,000 and $125,000, according to state figures. About 16 percent earned more than $150,000, and 20 percent earned less than $50,000.
But because the World is relatively small — at 644 feet — and carries far fewer passengers than many large cruise liners that ply the Islands' waters, it is expected to have little economic impact on the state as a whole.
Still, there is hope that spending from the well-heeled vacationers will benefit at least some who cater to tourists.
Sharon Weiner, group vice president for DFS Hawai'i, said that for the retail business, "Our typical cruise visitor is very productive anyway, so this is going to be very productive."
Weiner said she is unsure how much cash cruise visitors on the World will spend while onshore in Hawai'i.
"It depends on if we have what they want to buy," she said. "I don't know what they'd be interested in buying."
Residensea is offering cruise passengers dozens of local tours including deep-sea fishing and tours of Parker Ranch on the Big Island, whale watching from Maui and seaplane and helicopter tours from Honolulu. Hawaiian storyteller and lecturer Lawrence Aki will be aboard the ship giving lectures on Hawaiian history, culture and legends.
Toni Davis, executive director of the Activities and Attractions Association of Hawai'i, has high hopes that the condominium cruise ship will benefit tours and attractions in Hawai'i.
She likened the Residensea passengers to time-share owners, who sometimes spend five times as much on activities as hotel visitors.
"They tend to spend more freely," Davis said.
Reach Kelly Yamanouchi at 535-2470 or kyamanouchi@honoluluadvertiser.com.
