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Have some more thoughts but sort of between some paper work so will write more tomorrow. I booked a Windstar cruise for November Trans Atlantic on Wind Surf 2 weeks Lisbon - Barbados will be traveling with 3 cousins. Have not cruised Windstar before but like the idea of a 300 passenger ship and the sails even though mainly run on the engine sort of intrigues me plus the reviews talk about awesome service and good food.

Have a couple dates in mind for The World after January for my test drive.

Resale means nada zip...... If you are looking at this as an investment hard to resell sort of like a timeshare as far as resale value. It is like buying prints as art they are great to own and look at but no profit made at resale. The units are hard to sell and stay on the market long that is why some are rented to try to recapture investment as well as ones not in use while others are not using the unit they purchased. The value goes down as the ship ages.

Big question for you to ponder over till next time.

Why aren't there more condo ships? Only one other trying to make a go of it now. The others who tried it failed early on in the process. Investment verses return and risk by lenders for such an investment. Also limited demand from the targeted consumer group of interest.

There is an investment group will did the info up who purchased a old ship not luxury and converted it into a retirement condo project in FL near the Port near Orlando. It docks port side plan is o have it make short trips every month around FL cost then 1 or 2 1 or 2 week cruises to the Caribbean and places further south. Pricing is if the thing is selling at all $150,000.00 small unit just normal sized small cruise ship berth up to the largest $380,000.00 as I recall. Meals included like most retirement facilities 2 a day I think. Maintenance was $30,0000.00 something a year including the meals. 1 week time share a couple blocks away included and use of a swimming pool walkable on land non on the ship.

Got to run

The $33,000.00 is mandatory on top of the yearly maintenance / condo association fee.

When one starts doing hard math running budget numbers even for some one with real wealth factor backing them it is still a hard to justify expenditure. When you think about what else one can do with that amount of money how many cruises a year can I take or other travel can one do for the same amount and not being locked in. Unless your are way past the $5,000,000.00 net worth that the Association requires it is not throw away on a whim investment / expenditure.

Okay did my full pre research called the sales office had a fairly open chat also have read the documents rules and regulations. Sort of numbs one to read all does and don't but such is life. That is what makes The World what it is.

Reality is one is looking at yearly fees for life on The world of about $300,000. Then depending on how much time one spends traveling on The World figure out of pocket expenses including air, excursions , above the $33,000.00 a year food pre payment about another$100,000.00. Realty is $400,000.00 a year.

I would be considering a 1 bedroom unit so I could being a solo owner traveler could have 2 other guests stay. Single sofa bed in living room and a queen bed in the bedroom. Unless you go 2 bedroom the kitchen is more of a studio kitchen so simple food preparation mainly.

Still figuring things out looking at the itinerary as to when to give it a test. Will update as things progress or other thoughts I feel are worth sharing.

Thanks for your reply

Greetings to the World Gang;

I have been thinking about testing The World out to see how the shoe will fit ships experience would fit me long term. It is a sizable investment even for people of means. Probably will take 2 or 3 rentals different times of year varying itineraries to fully decide if the first try seems to feel like a good fit.

Although different it is like joining a country club or social club even if you may or may not have a whole lot of contact with other residents.

Most likely at least for me I would be doing this for the opportunity in my now semi and retirement years to see more of the world / travel more and share it with family and friends and have a home base verses packing and unpacking I am a solo traveler at this point in my life would invite family , friends and business cohorts to join me some times. So a 1 bedroom allows 2 in the bedroom 1 on small sofa bed or pop for the bigger priced unit with 2 bedrooms so total of 4. I picture myself living on board about 8 - 10 months of the year. I would think long term it might get a bit tiring so it might end up about 6 - 8 months on board spread out and dependent on the years itinerary.

I see a couple of things that could be issues or inconveniences:

Eating most of your food in restaurants gets old hat over time

Coordinating flights and on and off the ship and transfers were does it dock

Dealing with ones finances, health care and so on

Big question how does one handle visas with so many ports / countries? I hate filling out those forms

Happy cruising

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