Inside look at The World, a cruise so exclusive only millionaires can go on
To join, you have to be nominated by an existing member, pass a criminal record check, undergo a trial – and part with millions for a buy-in.
It’s one of the most exclusive clubs in the world: a rotating collective said to include Madonna, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gina Rinehart and around 150 multi-millionaires and billionaires.
To join, one must be nominated by an existing member, pass a criminal record check, undergo a trial, part with millions for a buy-in and hundreds of thousands more on annual membership fees.
It’s called The World, a residential cruise ship with 165 studios, suites and apartments said to be the world’s most luxurious cruise ship (The World’s Fort Lauderdale-based management firm denies it is cruise ship, calling it a mega-yacht) that travels perpetually around the world, taking in exotic destinations like the Maldives, Antarctica, Vladivostok and Papua New Guinea plus special events like Wimbledon, Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival and the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. And it boasts the most extravagant on-board entertainment imaginable, including a jogging track, professional poker room, cigar room, a massive boardroom, a library with more than 5000 books, a helipad, a non-denominational chapel, a sound-healing studio, six restaurants and bars and the only full-size tennis court on a ship in the world.
I had the rare opportunity to visit The World while it was moored in Bali in August before it departed to Australia for a fortnight-long expedition of the Kimberley. The invitation came from an old friend from Sydney, Eddie Wong, The World’s residential director.
“This is nothing like regular cruise ships. I know that because I worked on them for a long time, that’s how I landed this job. Despite my heavy workload – I take care of the commercial interests of all the residents – working here is a lot easier than other ships because we’re a community,” he says over coffee at a bar in The World’s plaza and reception area, a voluminous hall with the look and feel of the lobby of an internationally branded five-star hotel.
“The residents and crew have personal relationships, both on-board and off-board – we get to explore the world together – so they treat us with a lot of respect. Whenever I come back to the ship – I work 10 weeks on, 10 weeks off – it’s like coming home.
More than just a club of really rich people who cruise around on a big boat, The World is a canny investment vehicle. When the ship was launched in 2002, studios sold for $US60,000 ($A88,226) while three-bedroom apartments were $US3 million ($A4.4 million), according to Cruisemapper, an online resource for the cruising industry, though The World’s management company refused to comment on these figures. Today, studios fetch $US2.5 million ($A3.6 million) while a three-bedroom Ocean Residence is currently listed for $US13.5 million ($A19.8 million). Annual maintenance and cruising fees start at $US220,000 ($A323,000) and climb up to $US1.2 million ($A1.7 million), and include $US35,000 ($A51,465) credit towards food and beverages.
Wong takes me on a tour of the ship. From the plaza, we stroll along an immaculately polished promenade, past a luxury boutique, a delicatessen and a grocery store to the Marina seafood restaurant at the front of the ship. There sits an indoor swimming pool used for scuba diving classes and a retractable water sports marina equipped with water bikes, jet skis, Hobie catamarans and more. We then circle back to the front of the ship, past a 300-seat auditorium, a hair salon, a series of rain mist rooms, an aerobics studio plus a glass-fronted fitness centre filled with Technogym exercise machines. We also walk through Clinique La Prairie, a 650 sqm day spa where a 60-minute aromatherapy massage costs $US286 ($A420) and a body scrub and wrap is $US317 ($A466).
We climb four decks to the sun deck, which is home to a swimming pool, oversized jacuzzi, a pool bar, an Italian restaurant and the ship’s most exclusive residences, including two forward-facing penthouses with wraparound balconies.
From there we climb a staircase to the upper deck to see the tennis court, a billiards room and the “Bali Beds” – pairs of semi-enclosed soft sun lounges where residents can spend the night stargazing while at sea. I am also shown the golf centre that includes two putting greens and a state-of-the-art golf simulator staffed by a golf pro who on this day has accompanied a few residents to the New Kuta Golf Club fronting Dreamland Beach.
Most of the other residents are also exploring Bali, though we do bump into a couple of big-hitting residents: Geoff Manchester, the Melbourne-based co-founder of Intrepid Travel, and John Demartini, a human behaviour specialist and one of the world’s leading inspirational speakers. Looking dapper in a double-breasted navy blue suit with a pink handkerchief in his pocket, Demartini has lived on The World for more than 20 years.
“In 1999, I found an advertisement for The World in a magazine at my dentist’s office, ripped it out and showed it to my wife, Athena,” Demartini says, referring to his late wife, Australian astrologer Athena Starwoman.
“She said, ‘that sounds amazing, it would suit us because we are jet-set gypsies and we love to travel’. But it was still a bit of a novelty and we were not fully sold.
“Two years later, when the attacks of September 11 happened, we were living in Trump Towers. After the attacks, Athena didn’t want to live in New York anymore and we moved to the Gold Coast where we already had a home. A few days later we met some friends who owned an apartment on the ship. They answered every question and we saw it would be perfect for us. We bought an apartment the following morning.
“After Athena passed away, I sold all my property and now spend about 90 per cent of my time on the ship. This is home.”
I ask Demartini about his most memorable moment on The World.
“One of our mottos is ‘what a great year we had today’ because what some people do in a whole year, we do day-to-day,” he says.
“I can’t possibly pinpoint one place or experience, but sometimes when we are at sea there is a thing called the ‘captain’s choice’ when we deviate from our itinerary to see something special, and we never know what it might be.
“Not long ago we were in the middle of the ocean and found a tidal island that does not exist on any map because it only pops up out of the ocean at certain times.
“We made an anchor, got onto the zodiacs, the staff brought picnic equipment and we spent an afternoon in paradise.
“But just being in the company of the other residents is very rewarding. They are all creative and innovative people; I don’t know of a single resident who has not done amazing stuff, and most of them have served millions of people.
“I feel blessed to live with them. I say hi to them at breakfast, hear about what they are doing next and learn about their families. It’s the residents that make this ship the best address on Earth.”
Ian Neubauer is a freelance journalist
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