Your Own Home: A Global Itinerary of Endless Adventures

In life, there are possessions and experiences so rare, so singular, that “exclusive” falls short as a description. It often means that there is just one of something—a Chagall painting or a penthouse. Or, there are a limited number—a Warhol print, a Rolls Royce or a place to live that is limited to just 165 multimillion-dollar residences.

And those residences, while certainly treasured by their owners for their exclusivity, are equally special to their residents because they are located not just in one country, or only one city, but in multiple nations and metropoles and countless exotic, hard-to-reach places in the world.

We are talking, of course, about The World, which is a ship in the simplest of terms. But The World has basically set an entirely new standard for time at sea, and not just because of its exclusivity or the incomparable comfort and peace of mind provided by its onboard home ownership, but because those homeowners chart the ship’s course. Literally.

Itineraries are carefully crafted three years in advance, a process that can take months. Residents, many of whom have a deep understanding of world travel, are very engaged in the process and work with the ship’s experts to develop three alternative routes that are presented to the community and decided upon by a vote. Two to three expeditions each year are led by a team of specialists, from naturalists and marine biologists to veteran wilderness experts and historians. These agreed-upon explorations offer an in-depth understanding of a location’s landscape, culture and people. Meaning, that the agreed-upon itinerary points The World not in the direction of heavily congested tourist spots, but rather towards idyllic and remote destinations where residents can experience diverse cultures and explore incredible landscapes, including a record-breaking journey to Antarctica’s Ross Sea. It’s a more intimate and leisurely journey and a unique travel lifestyle. In short, residents choose places that offer adventure, like boots-on-the-ground jungle exploration, kayaking amidst icebergs and actually getting to know local natives and their way of life.

Residents of The World are active, curious, highly intelligent and well-educated individuals who hail from 20 countries and crave, yes, exclusive, one-of-kind experiences. Or, put another way, they don’t want to just see the world, they want to experience it and get waist deep into it.

For these adventurous folks, whether their home on The World is an intimate studio or a sprawling three bedroom, they decide the design down to the last detail. And they view those homes like every other home they own. A home on The World takes them to literally every corner of the world—hence the ship’s name.

This article, and the many dozens more written about The World that have appeared in U.S. and foreign media, can help readers understand what it is like to live aboard the ship. But words can only go so far. The only real way to know what it is like to own a home on The World is to spend some time in one of those homes and sailing to amazing ports of call. And the opportunities to do that are, as one might expect, quite limited. But here is the good news: Like most high net worth families who own multiple residences, most homeowners on The World reside on the ship for periods during the year. And in their absence, some are willing to open their homes to potential “neighbors,” because being onboard The World really is less like being a passenger and more like living in a neighborhood. It’s a mega-luxurious, exquisitely appointed, meticulously staffed community where you are a neighbor, and you have neighbors, people you get to know and like, and with whom you create circles of friends.

If you want to take the first step in joining those neighbors by enjoying a brief stay on The World, just pick up your smartphone, dial + 1 (954) 538-8449 and speak to a The World residential advisor. You can also visit aboardtheworld.com. Residential advisors can also tell you at which ports of call you can sail to get a taste of what “exclusivity” and “pampering” really feels like.

For example, like every home you own, in your home on The World, you will stock your favorite wines, and open them whenever you want. Not to mention, you have access to an award-winning wine list, and sommeliers who, when you are in port, can take you to wineries often not open to the public, where you can add to your private collection. Winemakers also come aboard to host exclusive tastings and offer personal insight into their label’s winemaking process. And did we mention the ship’s 1,100 labels handpicked from 20 countries, a wine cellar with a collection of 16,000 bottles, an extensive sake selection of 44 labels, a contemporary cocktail program and a top-tier spirits selection of over 300 labels! It’s a wine and spirits’ lover’s dream. Every morning on The World, you will wake up in your own bed surrounded by your own personal photographs and belongings, and you can decide to go for breakfast at one of the onboard restaurants that easily rival those on terra firma and that host international guest chefs such as Soenil Bahadoer, Jonas Andre Navik and Alastair McLeod. On The World, gastronomic excellence reigns supreme. Residents can choose from a variety of restaurants on board from fine-dining haute cuisine to casual, pick up and go. In-residence dining is the perfect choice for stay-at-home quiet dinners to more grand entertaining for family and friends. Your journey is complemented by culinary discoveries that “brings the destination alive” through food. Or…

On a given morning, if you feel like hanging out in your robe and just making some coffee and scrambling a couple of eggs, you can do that, too. Why? Because many homes on board have a full kitchen, fully stocked with food you like from the ship’s onboard gourmet marketplace or delicacies you’ve picked up during your travels. And when you sit down with your coffee and eggs and look out the window, it’s not the same backyard you see every day.

Instead, you could be looking at Denmark’s Faroe Islands or the Mediterranean coastline of Egypt with fabled Alexandria in the background or anchored off the coast of Peru, you could be face to face with Easter Island’s fabled Moai statues. Wildlife can often be seen from each home’s private veranda. Imagine enjoying your morning coffee or afternoon tea in plain sight of breaching whales, frolicking dolphins, and marching penguins. While crossing Canada’s Northwest Passage, a mother polar bear and her cub were spotted on a nearby ice floe watching intently as the ship sailed by. And after breakfast, you can ride a horse through the rugged Faroe Islands tundra, or in Alexandria, you can go diving and explore ancient underwater ruins or on mainland Peru, you can hike and bike and go volcano climbing in the Chilean Lake District.

In other words, you can do what your endlessly curious and indefatigable neighbors on The World do. And will do in 2022. Denmark, Egypt and Peru are just three of the 90-plus stops planned. And important to note, The World spends nearly twice as many days in port as at sea, docking for an average of three days per port. And while in port, members of The World’s concierge team can provide personalized service from sightseeing Casablanca on your own in a private car to intimate group treks to Cape Town’s Table Mountain.

The 2022 itinerary includes a trio of tantalizing adventures. The first explores archipelagos of French Polynesia from the paradisical reefs and atolls in the azure seas of the Tuamotu Islands. That is followed by an exploration of the even more remote Marquesas Islands, and the trio ends with a focus on the raw, rugged radiance of Iceland.

Finally, people responsible for promoting The World to potential residents use the phrase “a world of difference.” While it is a clever pun on the ship’s name, it accurately describes what being a “homeowner” means on The World. It actually is different. A version of “homeownership” unparalleled on sea or land. So, if this article has piqued your curiosity, here again are the two ways to satisfy it: Dial + 1 (954) 538-8449, and speak to a The World residential advisor, or visit aboardtheworld.com. And…bon voyage.

Scroll to Top