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Ship Dimension

Residential Cruise Line's 'Magellan' topped our list, edging out the already-in-service 'The World' primarily due to size. Magellan is still planned but when built will be a third longer and 76% greater tonnage. That extra space provides for considerably more amenities then The World or other ships being planned. Those who have traveled frequently on regular cruise lines (e.g., Princess, Royal Caribbean, NCL) will find the public features and spaces more familiar than the smaller condo ship competitors planned. With 11 different floor plans ranging in sizing from 1,000-2,256 square feet, Magellan should appeal to many buyers (except for those looking for really large units over 2,500 square feet).  Activities, Pool/Fitness facilities, and on-site conveniences are all as good as if not better than the competition.

Originally slated to be available in mid-2010, that does not appear likely. However, the developer is still actively planning to build this vessel at some point.

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Ship Dimension

ResidenSea's 'The World' just barely lost out first place to Magellan primarily because the  Magellan will have significantly more activities and entertainment options. Of course, The World actually exists while the rest are still on paper. For those who do not wish to wait several years, The World is the only option right now. The World also offers short term rentals so potential buyers can "try out" the ship before buying one of the few units available for re-sale. Even though there is no actual competition from any other existing ships, The World provides a significant level of amenities (spa, fine dining, etc.). Less a raucous cruise ship experience and more like a private yacht (albeit a big one with a couple hundred passengers), The World attracts attention at its port stops due to the novelty of being the first condo cruise ship. The World is nearly the same size as the Four Seasons so buyers interested in buying a brand new unit on the Four Seasons could try a cruise on The World to get a sense of the size. The World does offer a good selection of different floor plans (not all are available at any given time, however) and sizes to fit most budgets in this class.

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Ship Dimension

Utopia Residence's 'Utopia' places in the middle of the list, just below the already in service "The World."

Utopia's development investors include Frank Carlucci of the Carlyle Group. According to Utopia Residences head David Robb, financiing is also provided by Samsung Heavy Industries of South Korea which has been contracted to build the ship. Samsung is interested in breaking into the cruise ship construction business (already a major builder of cargo ships) and Utopia would be its first major passenger ship project.

Utopia is planned to include 200 residences mostly in the 1,400-1,600 square foot range. It will also have 200 cabins that won't be indivdually owned but rather will be rented out by the day like a traditional cruise ship. Activities, Pool/Fitness facilities, and on-site conveniences are all as good as if not better than the competition. Several restaurants--from casual to 5-star-- offer a variety of options. Also planned is a chef service which enables owners to have full meals prepared within their own cabin by chef's on staff. A convenenience store will be available for residents day to day needs while concierge service will be on hand to plan shore excursions and make any types of arrangements desired. On board musicians, guest lectures, and lounge entertainment will ensure an ongoing variety of activities while at sea.

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Ship Dimension

The Orphalese was the largest planned condo cruise ship when it was announced in 2005. At 90,000 tonnes it would be just slightly smaller than some of the largest vacation cruise ships existing today. Size doesn't always guarantee the best. A couple reasons why Orphalese did not outscore Magellan and The World are the fewer number of floor plan options and a slightly less luxurious pool/spa facility.

It doesn't look likely that The Orphalese will ever be completed. The developer's website has been closed and is for sale.

Although it may never actually get built, if it does, Orphalese residents would no doubt enjoy a luxurious lifestyle. The developer promises 80,000 square feet of retail shops (that's equivalent to a mid-size department store) on board which would make it the largest floating shopping mall of any of the condo ships. Current published annual fees are a relative bargain compared to others and the pre-construction prices are about the same if not better, in some cases. About half the units will be rented out for short term cruises like a regular cruise ship and may help to subsidize the cost of ongoing operations and maintenance. Unlike Orphalese's competitors, though, it means residents will see a lot of new faces coming and going. For some that may be exciting, others may prefer the quieter environment of a majority of full time residents. But, for those who like the comfort and space of today's mega cruise ships and would be excited by the shopping opportunities, Orphalese may be the perfect choice.

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Ship Dimension

Four Seasons is the first condo ship planned by a hotel. It is actually a joint venture with Ocean Development, who is the builder, and Four Seasons Hotels who will manage the service on board. Given that this will be the flagship (quite literally) of one of the top rated four and five star hotel operators, expect impeccable service, outstanding spa facilities, and gourmet dining options. The ship itself is nearly identical in size to The World so for those who want to "try out" living on a ship of this size, a short term rental on board The World may be helpful. Four Seasons lost a few points in our ratings mainly due to the fewer number of floor plan choices and sizes. However, because Four Seasons is targeted at a very upscale clientele, it may not matter that there are no units available less than 1,200 square feet. Entertainment, on-board conveniences, and other activities are all similar to the other new cruise ship condos. Four Seasons will be no bargain and from what has been published, that should not matter too much since it will likely offer the most luxury, posh interiors, and incomparable service. For devoted fans of the Four Seasons Hotels and who are not concerned about a budget, this ship promises to be the ultimate. 

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Ship Dimension

Condo Cruise Lines is a distinct entry in the condo cruise ship market. They are not building a new ship. Rather, they purchased an older cruise ship no longer competitive with the mega cruise ships of today. Condo Cruise Lines is remodeling and reconfiguring a former gambling ship, the Orient Queen, into units more suitable for long term residence (combining 2 or 3 old cabins into 1 bedroom suites, for example) and christening it with the new name of Murano. This business strategy has some merit for those looking at the possibility of a leisurely life at sea but for whom the cost cannot be much more than living in a regular house. With published prices starting at $515,000 and annual fees starting at $7,000, this lifestyle could be in reach for those in the upper middle class. The downside is that the units are small compared to the new ships being planned with only a choice few that could compete with the size of a regular 1 bedroom condo on land. Also, the ship is quite a bit smaller than other condo ships and much smaller than today's mega ships (for comparison, the Queen Mary 2 is over 100,000 tonnes while Condo Cruise Line's ship is 18,000 tonnes).  Murano may be a good choice for those who are looking for a smaller and more intimate shipboard experience and for those who intend to spend only a month here and there on board or who may be partnering with other buyers in a timeshare-like arrangement. Due to size limitations, the Murano won't be able to offer the same level of amenities and activities as the new ones. However, if you are looking for a good value and a way to see the world from "your" own ship, Condo Cruise Lines' Murano is worth considering.

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Ship Dimension

Have you ever wanted to cruise down the river on the Delta Queen or drift along on a spacious houseboat? River Cities' 'Marquette' is not really a cruise ships at all since it's basically a river barge with condos built on top. However, it's included on our list because it will move throughout the inland rivers and waterways in the United States and is on the water. The boat is planned to move continually up and down the Mississippi River and it's tributaries during the summer and the coastal waterways of the Gulf during the winter. The condo units are similar in size to an average 1 bedroom condo and prices are comparable to what an upscale luxury beachfront condo might cost. With annual fees from $8,000-$22,000, this lifestyle could be affordable for many retirees who now maintain two separate residences. A restaurant, fitness room, Jacuzzi, and theater are some of the amenities on board but the real attraction may be exploring the smaller towns along the rivers.  River Cities promises to provide services such as car transporters and shuttle services, etc. while in port. For anyone who has dreamed of Mark Twain's life on the great American Mississippi, this could be a very attractive and affordable way to go.