Well, now...if we're going to throw practicality out the window...and money is no object whatsoever...then I wouldn't even NEED a car...because I'd be living in the ResidenSeas!!
A girl can dream, can't she????
I had to wander over to look at the resedentia site.. it turns out the Resdentia is the management company for the firm - and the ship is called The World.
They have 4x 337' "studios" for sale at about $825,000 + $89,000 in maintenance fees. I checked their restuarants - and they're all apparently for a fee. No inclusive dining. So - acording to the web sample of their menus - fine dining has an all inclusive cost of 58-78... and the cheapest deli on the ship has sandwiches at about $12. An average meal at the other restuarants seems to round out near $30-40 for a meal. SO I figure 2 hot meals with dessert and a beverage might run $100 a day pp. SO... if one were to dine entirely in their restuarants for a year it would cost $36,500 pp... or $73,000 a year. Making the room and board cost $162,000 per year double.
For comparison... a 104 nite voyage around the world on Holland america is $18,500 inside (182'), or $22,200 (window) or $31,500 for a 292' veranda pp. AND thier top penthouse goes for 163,000pp delivering 1163sq feet. So - for a couple sailing - its $37,000 to $44,400 to $63,000 all the way up to $326,000 for 104 nites! Just add gratuities at perhaps $15pp = $3,120.
Now on the World... they have larger cabins. There is a 673 sq foot cabin for about 1,450,000 plus 142,000 in annual maintenace fees. But this is still just a large cruise ship cabin with a microwave.
The lowest "apartment" is 1,000 sq feet with a 2 bedrooom 2 bath configuration. Including a full conventional looking kitchen and living/dining areas. There is currently one unit for sale on a 50% shared ownership basis. The asking price is $1,000,000 + $100,000 in annual maintenance fees.
The largest apartment for sale is a plan "E" with 3,000' fantail penthouse unit. It boasts 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. The asking price on that is $7,350,000 with an annual maintenance fee of $529,000.
So given these choices I don't know which I'd take. I guess I'd be happy with a 104 nite journey on HAL with a window or small veranda cabin. It's all inclusive and a temporary committment. While the WORLD is a purchase deal and wipes out the tield or appreciation I would otherwise enjoy. IE... the $1,000,000 could throw off an average of perhaps 8% with near 3% spendable and inflation indexed. So - twice every 3 years a couple could sail HAL around the world ... in perpetuity while retaining the $1,000,000 growing at the inflation rate. I get the impression that the WORLD has not gained much in value from what I recall... and it has not been a hot enough selling concept to spur a slew of copy cat concepts. So it can't be that perfect an alternative! Although the concept sounds extremely appealing to cruise enthusiasts like my spouse and I. It's just that darn purchase price and the exorbitant maintenance fee! <chuckles>
Oh well...
Oh well, at least we're on the boat.
I called the newschannels and they are aware of what is going on and already have a crew there. Meantime, the mom who was to pick the kids up has been locked down on the line since 3:30 and cannot get out of the line. She is blocked in and noone is moving. My daughter is going to have to call the Sheriffs office to see if she can get him out with an escort!!!!!
We had really bad storms here yesterday. I heard tornado siren go off twice and was hiding in bathroom. Tonight we just found out that a tornado hit about 7 blockks from my house yesterday. Only a small funnel dropped down and tore a path about 6 blocks long. No one was hurt but you could tell the path. I will post a few picures tomorrow. I was helping DD with flooded basement today. I did not realize damage until tonight when I got back home. We have had 9 inches of rain in the past 6 days. My grass is no longer brown but a lush green that is growing as I type!!!
and I see blue sky 
