All aboard? Luxury cruise ship attracts apartment tenants

MV Narrative expected to set sail in 2025

Storylines CEO Alister Punton and the MV Narrative (Storylines)
Storylines CEO Alister Punton and the MV Narrative (Storylines)

Getting your friends together for a housewarming will be rather difficult for residents of the MV Narrative — unless they meet the tenant at port, of course.

Storylines is developing a luxury cruise ship that will cater to apartment seekers, rather than those looking to take a two-week jaunt around part of the globe. The cruise ship will have more than 500 private units and can welcome about 1,000 residents, CNBC reported.

Remote employees will be able to keep their jobs while traveling around the world. For many, that will require a tricky work-life balance, as some will need to work overnight and explore the world during the day, leaving approximately no time to sleep.

A room at MV Narrative (Storylines)

There are a variety of residences available on the ship, where the largest will top out at roughly 2,000 square feet. Most leases are for 24 years or 60 years, the expected lifespan of the ship. Most units range from $1 million to $8 million for the full-life lease, although more affordable options are available with fractional ownership options that grant tenants three months a year on board.

Like any luxury apartment building, there will be amenities aplenty on board. The ship will include medical services, a spa, co-working space, an exercise center, even a farmers market. There will also be 20 restaurants and bars, three swimming pools, a library, a school and a bank. Fees for everything start at $2,100 a month.

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The ship is expected to dock at various locations for three to five days, giving residents more time to explore on land. The full itinerary hasn’t been revealed, but Europe and the Arctic Circle are part of the first voyage, which will span three years.

The ship is being built in Split, Croatia, and is expected to embark on its first voyage from there in 2025. Approximately half the units have been sold so far and Storylines is planning a second vessel down the waterway.

Life at sea is not for everybody, but Storylines CEO Alister Punton is willing to put his money where his mast is, as he plans to move on to the ship with his wife and two young children.

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— Holden Walter-Warner