Take Your Home with You Across the Seven Seas

No airport security. No immigration and customs. No jet-lag. Not even luggage.

Traveling the globe hassle-free with the comfort of home is a way of life for residents in one of the more unique real estate properties, The World Residences at Sea, a floating community of multimillion-dollar condominiums.

A mega yacht owned and run by the residents, the ship, which first set sail from Oslo in 2002, is the first and only one of its kind that is currently in operation, though others are planned. Owned by 142 families from 19 countries, the ship has visited more than 900 ports in over 140 countries, according to the ship’s Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based management company, ROW Management Ltd.

At 644 feet and 43,188 gross tons, the 12-deck mega yacht has the ambience of an exclusive country club. Access for non-residents is by invitation only. The average occupancy at any one time is 150 to 200 residents and guests, according to ROW Management.

The ship was hit by financial woe, not long after its launch 15 years ago, when the initial business model of renting a number of residences to short-term vacationers proved to be impractical for the resident community. Residents took full control after buying the ship from its creators and the banks in 2003.

More:Superyachts Are the Epitome of Luxury Living

Currently, the ship's 165 residences include 40 studios of 290 to 846 square feet; 19 one- and two-bedroom studio apartments of 560 to 1,011 square feet; and 106 two- and three-bedroom apartments from 1,106 to 3,242 square feet with full-size kitchens. Prices range from $1.7 million to $16 million, according to ROW Management. In addition, there are the annual ownership fees, which ROW declined to say how much those could add up to be but explained that they are priced according to square footage and charged quarterly.

A minimum net worth of $10 million is required for applicants, as well as a background check and two letters of recommendation. All residences on the ship have been sold since 2006, and at any point in time there are about 10% of the units on sale, according to ROW Management Officials there declined to say how many units are currently for sale, only revealing that one residence on the market is a three-bedroom apartment on the eighth deck.

When adventures become daily life

On Jan. 28, 2017, during its 22-day expedition to the Ross Sea in Antarctica, the ship became the Guinness World Record holder for the most southerly navigation by any vessel. A month later, though, another ship broke that record, according to the Guinness World Records.

"To my 'offshore' friends, I tend not to talk about the ship because it always sounds like we are bragging, " said a 10-year resident, who asked to remain anonymous to protect his privacy. "Because even with the wealthiest of the wealthy, we go to more 'must-dos' or bucket-list places in a year than most of them would do in their lifetime."

The 72-year-old retired American investment banker has lived in eight countries and visited over 150 others. He and his wife own a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom apartment on the mega yacht, where they have spent eight to 11 months out of the year on board for the past nine years.  

The average resident spends between three to six months a year on board, while some families have no other residences off the ship and live on board all year round, according to ROW Management.

Every three years, the ship pauses its journey to spend a few weeks at a dry-dock receiving upgrades. Its lifespan is expected to be 50 years, according to Pamela Conover, the president and CEO of The World Residences at Sea.

Customized itineraries and rare expeditions

Each year, the ship visits over 100 ports, spending an average of three days at each port, according to ROW Management. This year, after its Melanesia expedition, the ship visited over a dozen ports in East Asia before making stops at Hawaii. For the rest of the year, the mega yacht will cruise along the coasts of North and Central America, then continue on to South America, Europe and Africa in 2018.  

Itineraries of the ship, designed by residents, are determined three years in advance. The Board of Directors, which consists of seven residents elected by the community, presents three proposals for each year’s journey to the entire resident community for a vote.

More:‘Sky Pools’ are Among the Amenities at New Developments in the UAE

"You definitely don't feel like it's Groundhog Day," Captain Dag Saevik said, referring to the 1993 film about the same day lived over and over, when he described how the ship's itinerary had always kept fresh and interesting.

Captain Dag, as residents call him, is one of the ship's two rotating captains and has been with the vessel since its launch. "It's an incredibly diverse itinerary," he said.  

16,000 bottles of wine on board

There are approximately 280 staff members from 42 countries aboard the ship, according to ROW Management. A variety of world cuisines, infused with local specialties from the ship's destinations, are served in the ship’s six restaurants. The World's wine cellar has a capacity of 16,000 bottles. Its wine list contains more than 1,100 handpicked selections from 19 countries.

A 7,000-square-foot spa and wellness center is staffed with physiotherapists and fitness trainers. The ship has two swimming pools, a full-size tennis court, driving ranges and putting greens, jogging track, a golf simulator, and a retractable marina for water sports. The ship also features a cigar club, a tea room, cocktail lounges and bars, an art gallery, a movie theater, a billiards room, and a medical center. Bali beds on the roof deck can be reserved for an overnight sleep under the stars.  

More:Will I Have to Pay Property Taxes for My Condo Aboard a Ship?

The World invites artists, fashion designers and luxury jewelers, who showcase works, launch collections on board, and create custom pieces for residents. Starting this September, nobel laureates will be invited to speak to residents.  

A gourmet deli on the ship carries fresh produce from destination ports, as well as residents' personal favorites. Ms. Conover stressed the importance of such personal touches.

"The staff knows you. You are not going into a strange environment," Ms. Conover said. "We spend a lot of time focusing on our residents' preferences, so we can deliver a completely customized experience."

According to ROW Management, 49% of families on the ship are from North America, 36% are from Europe, and 15% are from Asia, Australia and South Africa. Ages of the residents range from 40s to 80s, with an average of mid-60s, which has stayed relatively the same over the years, according to Ms. Conover. The average residents hold on to their apartments for six years before selling, she said.

"We have a very strong golfing and diving community," Ms. Conover said. "They love to travel. They find each other intellectually challenging."