While the superyacht has traditionally been seen as the ultimate in luxury international vacation homes, the private residence ship is now in the running to reign supreme. It makes it easier than ever to enjoy a luxe global lifestyle, but without the hassles that come along with crew and yacht maintenance.
So what makes living on a boat so appealing? A lot, it seems, after speaking with Katie Drew-Jensen, director of global marketing for Storylines, private residences at sea.
“Living in a community of global citizens means travelling the world with like-minded friends. Having a luxury vacation home on board a ship is the easiest way to see the entire planet. Wake up to a new view every week. Unpack once and you’re home everywhere in the world,” she says.
Storylines offers residential floor plans and amenities to accommodate remote working executives and entrepreneurs, many of whom have families. The ship has extensive business facilities and a world schooling youth education programme on board.
“We’ve seen an acceleration in sales as people reassess what they really want out of work and family life. They don’t want to put their dreams on hold any longer. We offer them something extraordinary, to become true global citizens while maintaining all the comforts of home,” Drew-Jensen continues.
While some may still prefer the privacy of a superyacht, private residence ships have considerably more extensive amenities, such as golf simulators, racquet sports, pools, spas, fitness decks, medical clinics and much more; but according to Storylines, one of the main differences is the built-in community of travel companions.
It’s been well proven that having a sense of community is essential to well-being, and it’s even more vital when constantly on the move. It’s easy to see the appeal in having a home and community to come back to after exploring a remote island in the Maldives, or a safari in Tanzania. A home base eliminates that feeling of unsettledness that can come with global travel. The other main appeal is in the ease of travel; from itinerary, navigation, meals, entertainment, housekeeping, visas, maintenance – everything is taken care of. The hardest decision residents on private ships have to make on any given day is deciding between staying aboard for some leisure time at the spa or going ashore to take in the local culture.
On the topic of well being, Storylines has a strong focus on health, wellness and an active lifestyle. The extensive amenities include a lap pool, fitness facilities, steam room, sauna, and an open air fitness deck with a running track, pickleball court and yoga classes. The ship is designed for its community to truly live their best life in their most optimal state of health while enjoying outstanding views of the entire world.
“The Storylines lifestyle is all about enabling global travelers to live healthier, happier and longer lives. When people are fulfilling their life’s dream and they are surrounded by good food, an active lifestyle, and a close-knit community… those are the key ingredients to a successful life,” Drew-Jensen says.
However, perhaps what’s most impressive about Storylines is the company collaborating with the resident owners on the destinations the ship visits and the actual design of the ship’s homes and amenities. For example, after receiving requests from resident owners who would like to be able to watch movies out on deck under the stars, an outdoor cinema was added. Likewise, Storylines surveyed their residents on where they would most like to visit, and are creating an itinerary based on the feedback with exotic destinations all over the globe.
Storylines also has ambitious commitments to sustainable travel. The extensive list of sustainability initiatives includes growing their own produce, powering the ship with LNG, banning single-use plastics, utilising technologies that convert waste into power, donating toward ocean conservation and giving back to the local communities they visit.
“We are finding many of the people that are attracted to this lifestyle are philanthropic in nature. They care about the beauty of the planet and they understand how important conservation is in keeping their playground pristine. They are also keen to support, contribute and volunteer in vulnerable communities we encounter along the way,” said B.C. Hunter, Storylines’ sustainability ambassador.
One thing on their side is time, with a leisurely pace of travel. The ship’s itinerary takes three years to circumnavigate the globe, with one to five days at each port and several months in each geographical region. These global citizens can take their time to immerse themselves in local cultures and meet new people from around the world. Many have plans to embark on extensive overland tours by road and train in between ports to catch up with the ship at a future destination on the itinerary.
For more information on the Storylines luxury global lifestyle and the remaining floating homes available, you can visit their website here.
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