ResidenSea

ResidenSea was the company behind The World project, an ocean-going ship with privately owned residences for long-term travel. The idea emerged in 1997; construction began in May 2000, and the ship set sail in 2002. Contemporary reports described ResidenSea as a Bahamas-based consortium behind the venture. Its distinctive concept was to combine life in a private home with a regularly changing voyage around the world.

A residential ship on a continuous world voyage

The World has 165 individual private residences—from studios to three-bedroom apartments—on a 196-meter-long ship. The living units are private homes; residents also jointly own the ship. This model differs from a cruise, where guests use a cabin for a limited period. A dedicated ship profile for The World describes the vessel as both a home and a means of transport.

Residents help determine the annual route. In planning, the captain and residents take into account sea routes and the interests of those on board; the selection is made collectively and set about three years in advance. The ship usually circumnavigates the globe over two to three years. Port calls last an average of three days, and The World spends nearly twice as many days in port as at sea. This pattern allows for longer periods ashore and sets the route apart from a series of short day stops.

A snapshot of a specific itinerary was the New Zealand voyage in October 2024: seven port calls and fjord cruises were announced during a 24-day journey. The stops named included Wellington and Auckland. A ten-day Hawaii voyage with five ports, including Honolulu, was announced for December 2024. Both examples show how a sea passage planned over several days can be combined with longer stays in a region.

Residents as owners, management as a separate role

On September 30, 2003, the residents acquired The World. The ship thus passed into collective resident ownership. Ownership and management are separate: ROW Management Ltd. is responsible for sales, marketing, operations, and administration. ResidenSea was involved in creating the residential ship project; the resident community took ownership in 2003. The specialist management company carries out these operational and commercial tasks.