A new luxury residential cruise ship with suites selling for up to $4.2m (£3m) has already sold around 15 per cent of its cabins.
The new vessel, Lumina, is being launched by Avora Residences, a sister company to Villa Vie, which owns the Odyssey residential ship that is currently on a continuous world cruise.
Residents will be hoping for a different embarkation experience than Odyssey endured; the ship suffered a belated start in October 2024 when its departure was delayed for four months due to last-minute repairs and paperwork.
Mikael Petterson, the founder of both Villa Vie Residences and Avora Residences insists lessons have been learned for the launch of Lumina and compares the experience with the Odyssey ship as like “night and day”.
He toldThe Independent that the ship purchased by Villa Vie to transform into Odyssey in 2023 had not been used in the previous two years due to the Covid pandemic.
Petterson said they were not aware until the launch how much work needed to be done, and this time around, Avora is purchasing a readymade and operating ship, Seven Seas Navigator, from Regent Seven Seas that will be transformed into Lumina.
The Regent Seven Seas Navigator, which will be transformed into Lumina next year (Avora Residences)
Petterson said: “The ship is in immaculate condition, we are literally taking the keys to a perfectly running ship.
“We have learned so much from Odyssey.
“We have two full years to market and plan this ship, which is more time that we had with Odyssey, and we don’t see a circumstance where there would be a delay.”
He said Odyssey is a more contemporary ship, similar to the likes of MSC Cruises or Royal Caribbean, while Lumina will sit at the luxury end of the market, like the Regent Seven Seas ships.
The price of a cabin on Lumina starts at $545,000 (£400,000). There is also an option for a five-year ownership plan where you pay 40 per cent of the purchase value.
Owners also have to pay a monthly maintenance fee that covers items such as food and utilities. This starts at $8,500 (£6,200) per month.
Read more: What life is like living permanently on board a cruise ship
The Lumina Suite will have its own king bedroom with a walk-in closet (Avora Residences)
The most expensive suite is the Lumina Suite at $4.2m (£3m). It features a full living and dining room with a bar and chandelier, a separate king bedroom with a walk-in closet, marble bathrooms and a wraparound balcony with teak flooring.
The ship is being operated by Regent Seven Seas until it goes into dry dock in December 2027 when there are plans for a hotel refit with new carpets. Cabins can also be combined if residents require more space.
The Lumina Suite will have its own wraparound balcony (Avora Residences)
Other planned changes include transforming the current onboard casino into a business centre with offices and a conference room, as well as private spaces for residents to work. The gym will also be expanded.
The three restaurants currently on the ship will be kept, but they will be adapted to reflect the local cuisine where the vessel is sailing.
There are 250 cabins on board and Petterson expects the ship to hold around 375 residents with a one-to-one crew to passenger ratio.
Petterson said around 35 to 40 suites have already been purchased.
Once handed over to Avora, the ship is due to start sailing out of Lisbon in January 2028 when it will head towards the United States for a grand celebration alongside Odyssey before sailing to the Caribbean and Alaska.
Residents get their own dining area in the Lumina Suite (Avora Residences)
Similar to Odyssey, the ship will sail a world cruise but at a slower pace, taking between two and a half to three years.
Entertainment will reflect the destination, with local entertainers brought on board.
Petterson added: “We are expecting huge demand.
“We have proved the concept with Villa Vie on a contemporary basis and we are looking forward to building on that in the luxury market”
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