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“The World” of ResidenSea One day a member of the crew said to us: “We are supposed to be the best.” After a pause, he added: “Are we?” Well, they certainly come through in all the big ways; service, comfort and dining--in the four dining rooms--are outstanding. But maybe I should start at the end-when we disembarked the ship in Hamburg. Unlike other cruise ships, we were not told to put our baggage in the corridor the night before. Instead it was suggested that we put the bags out an hour before we were to disembark or else we could just call down to have our bags picked up at our convenience. We put our bags out, paid our bill and disembarked with only two other passengers. There were two taxis waiting but no luggage on the pier. “Where is our luggage?” I asked someone from the ship. “In your taxi,” was the response. Never have I experienced such ease of disembarkation. Part of this comes from the policy of ResidenSea that passengers may embark and disembark when they choose-not when the cruise line tells them to. (This is not true in the States because of cabotage laws.) As Robert Riley, the new President and CEO, said to me when he and I had a meeting on the ship: “We are interested in customizing the cruise experience.” ResidenSea is trying to make the cruise conform to its clients' desires and schedules.
She is part condo with 110 residences. One of the owners told us that 40% are owned by Americans, 40% by Europeans (mostly Brits and Scandinavians) and 20% by others such as Australians and South Africans. She also has 88 studio residences similar to suites on Silversea, Seabourn, and some of the Radisson ships. Ours, a Sonata suite, was very roomy with the most amazing drawer space and, as with the other suites, a window in the bathroom that looks out through the suite and the balcony to the passing vista. (There is a shade that can be drawn.) Since this ship is a big concept-as a friend of mine stated-people expect the ship to be big. However, she is 43,000 tons, which is close to the size of the Prinsendam, (the former Seabourn Sun) and smaller than the Crystal ships. The space ratio on board is an incredible 110. People who have cruised before are initially surprised to find prices on menus for meals and for drinks. But after realizing that the prices are for those who are in residences, the travelers forget them-except perhaps for the wine prices. The wines and drinks that are included have an asterisk by them. This includes most drinks and quite a wide choice of wines. Part of the luxury of this ship is the amount of time she spends in port. For us, this meant three days in St. Petersburg, an overnight in Stockholm and an overnight in Copenhagen. The company believes that its customers want to enjoy ports and not be rushed.
A very appealing way of sailing on The World is to rent a two- or three-bedroom residence. Rates can start at $1400 for a two-bedroom unit, which accommodates four people. An optional meal plan is $150 per person per day, including beverages. People in these apartments can cook in the very complete compact kitchens, shop ashore or shop in Freddy's Deli. Residence occupants can be spotted when they walk through the lobby or through the corridors with a Freddy's Deli bag, a new kind of status symbol. The ship is great for active people. There is a full size tennis court and a paddle tennis court. But the real thrust is with golf. On the sports deck there is a full-time golf instructor as well as putting greens, including one with real grass and one with a sand bunker, two floating greens and a golf simulator. More importantly for golfers, guests on the ship are given a complimentary membership in The World Golf & Country Club, which enables the travelers to have entry to golf clubs around the world. More than 7,000 feet have been dedicated to the very complete Clinique La Prarie Spa and fitness center. And in certain warm-weather ports a retractable marina at the stern of the ship is lowered so that guests can water ski, kayak or windsurf. The ship offers a full and varied experience. A new form of travel. A destination that moves. Disembarking this ship we felt eager to return. Isn't that the best test of an experience? |
We
had been curious about The World and now we feel as if we have been sitting on
top 
Sailing
on The World is a new kind of experience. The cruise line calls it a resort rather
than a cruise. Nevertheless, she is still a ship with a captain and she moves
to many different countries in many different seas. 
The
pace on this ship is especially pleasing. No one is pressured to do any activity
or to meet others.| Taha'a Pearl Beach Resort “It's a very special place. The Taha'a Pearl Beach Resort is a real gem. It's the closest to a five-star facility we visited and head and shoulders above the other Pearl Beach resorts we visited and heard about. It's very secluded, so there's not a lot to do outside of the resort, but Bora Bora is only 20 miles away. Taha'a would be a great first stop for honeymooners before moving on to Bora Bora, which was my favorite island.” M.W., Jacksonville, FL |