(DailyExpertNews) — For many cruise enthusiasts, living permanently on a ship is a long-cherished, if extremely unrealistic, dream.
However, such experiences often come at an incredibly high price, which ultimately means that many avid cruise fans simply cannot afford to get on board.
But a new “living community at sea” called Storylines hopes to change that by providing a “more affordable” opportunity to live on a cruise ship for an extended period or even permanently.
The homes are available for direct purchase, but a limited number of 12- and 24-year leases are also offered.
Community at sea
A view of Storylines’ upcoming MV Narrative ship, a “residential community at sea.”
Storylines
According to founder and CEO Alister Punton, an undisclosed number of the 547 The homes have already been sold and the homes are on track to sell out by the end of 2022.
Those who secure a home aboard Storylines’ upcoming MV Narrative vessel, currently under construction in Croatia, get an all-inclusive marine life with a host of impressive amenities in return.
The ship will feature 20 dining concepts and bars, a microbrewery and three swimming pools, as well as a 10,000-book library, cinema, state-of-the-art wellness center, bowling alley and a solar-powered hydroponic garden farm.
The Narrative is expected to embark on a 1,000-day maiden voyage across six continents by the end of this year 2024, with the ship spending an average of three to five days in each port.
“What a typical cruise line could do in a month or three weeks, we will take three to four months to do,” Punton told DailyExpertNews Travel.
“So that’s how much we extend the experience. And they [residents] have opportunities to have input into where the ship is going next.”
In addition to the scheduled stops, there will also be a number of “residents choice” days throughout the month where those on board can choose the port of call.
Those who have a long lease are given rights of use for a certain period of time up to the full life of the vessel – 12, 24 or 60 years – Punton says.
All inclusive living
The homes were designed by the leading interior design company Tillberg Design from Sweden.
Storylines
“With a full outright purchase, the resident owners get a perpetual clause meaning they can move into a new home on a future ship without any additional purchase, making this a long-term investment,” he adds, before explaining that the homes can be rented or sold “just like any other real estate investment.”
Aside from the purchase price, residents will be charged a “living fee,” which ranges from $65,000 to $200,000 per unit annually and covers costs such as food and maintenance.
“Once you’ve paid your fees, you can pretty much put away your personal wallet or credit cards and save for the rest of the year if you want to,” adds Punton.
While cruising has long been associated with the older generation, this has changed in recent years, with more and more younger people being drawn to the cruising world.
According to Punton, the age range of those who have already made deposits is incredibly broad, and entry-level homes sell just as well as those at the higher end of the scale — the current average starting price is $897,000.
“We have retirees and kids and everyone in between, including younger types of digital nomads,” Punton says.
“And a lot of families come on board. In this arena it’s people in their thirties and forties with young children. We have the whole range.”
Sustainable initiatives
Owners can rent out their properties when they are not using them.
Storylines
To cater to those with children, Storylines offers a full educational program as well as numerous educational spaces. There will also be a team of medical staff, including doctors, nurses and physiotherapists, on the ship, as well as a pharmacy and post office.
While potential Storylines residents are interviewed to make sure they are “a good fit with the community” and “understand all the basics,” Punton emphasizes that there is no typical resident as such.
“Storylines is a real community and a community needs everyone,” he says. “You need different kinds of people from all walks of life to make that community.”
Owners are welcome to invite guests on board and have the option to rent out their properties when not in use.
The environmental impact of cruising has been a hot topic in recent years and Punton emphasizes that the ship is designed with this in mind.
Storylines will have several sustainability initiatives post-launch, such as an onboard solar-powered hydroponic unit that will grow some of the products used on board, as well as technologies for converting energy into waste.
“We are definitely going to be the greenest cruise ship out there,” Punton says. “It’s not just the fuels we use [the ship will run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), one of the cleanest-burning non-electric marine fuels].
“But there’s all the other parts too. So it’s how we source our food, how we store food in bulk, grow it on board the ship, convert waste into energy, limit the use of plastic and all that sort of thing. “
Purpose built ship
Storylines’ upcoming MV Narrative vessel is currently under construction in Croatia.
Storylines
When the project started in 2016, the original plan was to convert an older vessel into a houseboat.
However, after a few false starts with existing ships that were not quite suitable, it was decided that building a new ship would yield the best possible result.
Although Storylines has been in the works for a few years, the team has noticed a change in demand due to the global pandemic, with an increasing number of families, along with executives, showing interest.
In the meantime, changes have been made to the design plans and new homes have been added that are specifically tailored to this market.
“Over the past three months, we’ve released a new batch of updates to the original deck plans, including five new complete home types with office spaces, larger, deeper balconies and more entertainment space,” added Punton.
Storylines has already built a strong community of followers and some of its earliest supporters are now known as the Founders Circle.
According to Punton, the team is in constant contact with those who have purchased a unit, especially the Founders Circle, regarding the design plans and the onboard facilities, to ensure they are happy with the end result.
“That’s a very important part for us,” he explains. “Because the ship is theirs after all. They will live in it and it must be built for them.’
An apartment aboard the 728-foot-tall vessel will net buyers a minimum of $11 million, with dimensions ranging from 1,600 to 6,500 square feet.
