The ship, which has 165 super-luxe suites, is shrouded in mystery and is by invitation only – your application must be presented by another resident of the ship and seconded by another resident of The World in order to purchase a home. It is said that only those whose total property value exceeds 10 million can buy apartments here. euros.
If you’re picturing decadent parties full of intrigue and champagne flowing everywhere—images reminiscent of the HBO series White Lotus—you’re probably close to the truth. At least that’s what one former passenger says.
“I’m not saying that everything that happened at The White Lotts happened at The World, but generally speaking, the comparison is not wrong,” said Peter Antonucci, 64. – Many rich people live there who are not afraid to be playful. However, sometimes they become not quite decent, and the actions of some could even cause a scandal.”
P. Antonucci, a retired American lawyer, spent 6 years on the ship before selling his apartments in 2019. Why?
“After traveling around the world several times, you don’t see anything new anymore. I saw what I wanted to see. I was ready to do something else,” said Mr. Antonucci.
Back on land, the former lawyer began to read the notes he had accumulated while living on the ship. He realized that what he saw there was a great source of inspiration for fiction.
Mr. Antonucci has already written three novels set on a fictional ship. The author promises that in the latest book “Waves of Betrayal” readers will encounter secrets, sins and scandals.
Test ride
Antonucci and his wife learned about The World in 2012 after reading an article in the Wall Street Journal. The ship with 12 decks and almost 200 meters long went to sea for the first time in 2002.
By the time he learned about this city on the water, Mr. Antonucci was 52 and already enjoying the pleasures of early retirement. The husband was intrigued by the idea of living on a ship, and his wife seemed interested as well.
Anyone interested can go on test trips offered by “The World” for future residents.
The former lawyer and his wife also took advantage of this opportunity: they went to Belize, where they began sailing through the Panama Canal.
“In the beginning, it seemed to me that everything here is insanely expensive. I couldn’t believe the high price of the apartments, such high maintenance fees for the ship. I just couldn’t understand why anyone lives here at all, – said Mr. Antonucci. – But already on the second day of the trip I said: “How many free apartments do you have and where do I need to sign?”
The man was drawn to every element of The World, from the crew, who he calls the ship’s greatest asset due to their ability to anticipate the needs of each passenger, to the abundance of unique experiences that took place not only on board but also on land, and the meticulously planned itinerary.
“It was like an orchestra of many different parts. All parts were amazing. However, together they were a real symphony,” said Mr. Antonucci.
In addition, all the inhabitants of the ship were extremely friendly. Only later did the man learn that they had been briefed in advance about the newcomer and encouraged to act in such a way as to make the ex-lawyer feel at home.
“When a potential resident books a trial trip, the ship’s veterans receive an email,” Antonucci said. – A few paragraphs are devoted to this person’s resume. Residents are also asked if they have anything to do with the arrival. When you see this person, please offer them a drink, a dinner, a game of tennis or something else.
Of course I didn’t know what was going on. It seemed to me that all those who spoke kindly to me were just a coincidence. But that way I met a few people and it felt great.”
If someone becomes friends with a potential founder, he can become his candidate.
“Many of the residents get on the ship because of long-established acquaintances.
However, others go on a test trip and there they meet people who later become their sponsors”, explained Mr. Antonucci.
After the successful first swim, Mr. Antonucci signed a contract for the purchase of the apartments. The deal finally took place four months later, in early 2014. The process could have been much faster, but the American first needed to take care of a few things on land: “My children live in New York, I have real estate here. After all, you can’t just leave everything behind and run away to the sea.”
When Antonucci moved to The World, his children were in their 20s. They sometimes came to visit their parents.
It was longer and shorter
Most of the residents of The World usually just vacation in their apartments. These are the kind of people who have many houses in different countries and can afford to get on a private plane and be on the other side of the planet at any time.
When the ship sailed to European shores, Mr. Antonucci rarely stayed in one place for long: he was at The World about every other week, returning home to New York in between.
“However, if the ship sailed somewhere far away, where it is very fun and interesting, for example, near the Maldives, Seychelles, Australia or New Zealand, I spent a lot of time on it,” P. Antonucci said.
The World’s trips are also planned around some important events. For example, he always arrives in Great Britain before the start of the Wimbledon tennis championship, and stops in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro during the carnival.
The annual fee also includes interesting lectures by experts, various activities such as diving or hiking.
True, residents are not obliged to participate in such activities. Once, when the ship was sailing near the Panama Canal, Mr. Antonucci and his friends decided to go to the Galapagos Islands and dive there for a few days.
“You can go wherever you want, and then catch up with The World at the next port,” explained one old-timer.
Votes where to travel
According to the former lawyer, activities for passengers are delayed even several years in advance, and the planning itself often becomes a complicated process.
The World has an Itinerary Committee made up of the ship’s residents who consider the entertainment offered at each stopover.
And the ship’s route director takes care of things like fuel prices, crew changes, visa requirements, berthing fees, as well as looking for locations that have a large airport or are easily accessible by other means of transportation.
His decisions must also be approved by the captain of The World.
Using all this information, the ship’s occupants are presented with three possible routes, and all that remains is to choose the best during a vote.
“You can imagine how quickly the political battles start,” said Antonucci, who has been a member of the committee for several years.
Residents of The World aren’t afraid to speak their minds.
“Everyone on board is well-off, they know how to make money. It seems to everyone that his opinion is the most intelligent and the best, – P. Antonucci explained. “They’re not used to hearing, ‘No.’ Not only that, but everyone has an opinion on everything from where to put the salt shaker on the table to how far south a ship should travel when crossing an Antarctic ice sheet.”
But if everyone in The World has an inexhaustible stream of income, why not travel wherever their heart desires on private superyachts? Why choose to be on a ship whose route is set by committee?
“Oh, it’s such a simple question,” Mr. Antonucci laughed. – Most of the ship’s residents also have yachts. I have loved sailing them all my life. But people choose to travel on The World because then they don’t have to worry about hiring crew, they don’t have to think about places to fill up with gas, they don’t have to write tons of checks for every little purchase. All you have to do is write one large check once a year and everything is taken care of.”
Entertainment and fun
Most of the residents are also attracted by the social life on the decks of The World. Mr. Antonucci describes this ship as a highly communicative community.
Although children can travel together, many of the attractions at The World are geared towards adults.
The ship has a tennis court, a huge spa, and a sports center.
An extensive wine collection can also be enjoyed, and food and beverages are included in the annual service fee.
“People drink a lot, have fun at parties. This is the most fun,” said Mr. Antonucci.
When he still lived on the ship, men wore jackets and tied ties. Mr. Antonucci last visited “The World” in 2023. coming to visit his friends in November. According to the former lawyer, the atmosphere on the ship has changed now, with people opting for shorts and sleeveless T-shirts more often: “It’s a bit sad.”
The man said that the ship’s inhabitants drank and feasted a lot, which led to many scandals and secrets.
“Everything happens,” P. Antonucci said. – Sometimes it’s fun: people just get drunk, sing, have fun, and it doesn’t bother anyone. Even some on-board romances didn’t do any harm – if people are single, there’s nothing wrong with that. But there are also married people who don’t always sleep with their significant other.”
P. Antonucci claimed that this kind of environment was not for him: “I had my friends and none of them were involved in this.
But, I won’t lie, we sometimes joked about it at the cup.”
An experience of a lifetime
Mr. Antonucci remembers his time at The World with a smile, but says he would not want to return to it.
“I saw everything I wanted. I was ready to do something else, the man testified in 2019. after deciding to sell his floating apartments. – I bought a house in Florida and decided to devote all my time to golf. We also have horses.
It’s time to turn a new page in life, which I try to do at least every couple of decades and try something new.”
The former lawyer added: “Also, the ship’s politics and gossip started to get seriously annoying.”
When the people of The World first heard about Mr. Antonucci’s intentions to write novels about the ship, some were afraid that he would reveal all the behind-the-scenes information.
Because, according to the former lawyer, both current and former residents of the ship usually do not talk about their experiences.
“Many people were outraged that I was planning to reveal the inner secrets of The World,” Mr. Antonucci said. – They begged: “Don’t write anything about us, don’t include us.” When the novel was published, those who were most afraid of their image began to say: “Why is there no me in the book?”
Mr. Antonucci emphasizes that he is creating fiction and there are no real characters in it.
A spokesperson for The World also told CNN: “Mr. Antonucci has assured us in writing that his work is not affiliated with The World or its residents and that the publications are fictional artworks about a fictional ship.”
The former lawyer revealed that he was very happy with his time at The World. This experience had an impact on his life and outlook on the real world.
“When people ask me what was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen, I don’t even know where to start,” Antonucci said. – I could talk about the Solomon Islands. I could tell you about all the times we visited South Africa, we would leave the ship and go on safari for a week. We even broke the Guinness World Record for The World as the furthest southbound ship in history.”
And although Mr. Antonucci did not get along with all his neighbors, he still has close friends who live on the ship: “These are special memories. I’m glad I could experience everything with my friends.” (CNN, LR)
They pay millions for the apartments
According to P. Antonucci, a former resident of the ship, all the accommodations on the ship are different – some are bigger, some are smaller. He doesn’t remember the exact amount, but he paid about 1.5 million for his first apartment. euros.
Unlike on a regular cruise ship, residents of The World can renovate and decorate their accommodations to their liking. Some install comfortable apartments with modern furniture and household appliances, while others live in apartments like they were 20 years ago.
However, it is not easy to make repairs on board, because you cannot go to the nearest hardware or furniture store at any time. “Everything has to be bought and shipped much sooner than you think,” Antonucci said.
During the six years spent on the ship, Mr. Antonucci was housed in as many as four different apartments. Each was increasingly luxurious: the later ones cost around 3.7 million each. euros. At the time, when he owned two apartments, he used to accommodate his friends in one, whom he invited to travel together.
2024-08-25 19:08:32