Your Next Home Could Be on Storylines' Luxury Cruise Ship

Forget getting a place near the water. A new company called Storylines is now offering you a luxury dwelling on the water — on a cruise ship, to be precise.

While the cruise industry itself is still grappling with COVID-19 (much like everyone else), Storylines is looking ahead to 2024 with its “luxury residential community at sea,” which is basically a global cruise with fully furnished residences priced from a modest six figures up to $8 million, as reported by CNN.

This isn’t the first live-at-sea option, but it’s definitely aiming for a slightly younger generation, and the prices are a bit more modest than other current options. On-board you’ll find three pools, 18 decks, a microbrewery, a “full education” program for children, 20 restaurants and bars, and one garden.

As for the residences? Averaging about $875,000 (although the website suggests some are available under $300K), these fully-furnished apartments feature up to four-bedroom configurations, two stories and 2,121 square feet of space, at least at the higher end. They’re available in a 24-year lease or as an outright purchase, with rental income available at times when you’re not on board (although good luck kicking out deadbeat tenants). Most residences include “generous” balconies.

That said, residents will also be spending anywhere from $65,000 to $200,000 per unit annually on a “living fee” to enjoy the all-inclusive cruises.

The ship, the Narrative, is currently under construction. When it sets sail in 2024, it’ll start with a 1,000-day maiden voyage across six continents, spending an average of three to five days in each port.

So far, the residences — estimated to sell out by the end of 2022, according to the company — are attracting a wide range of clientele.

“We have retirees and children and everyone else in between, including younger digital nomad types,” says founder and CEO Alister Punton. “And a lot of families are coming on board. In this arena, it’s those in their 30s and 40s with young children. We’ve got the whole range.”