Promoted as the largest private residential ‘yacht’, The World circumnavigates the world taking her owners and passengers to exotic ports recommended by them.
Delivered from Norway’s Frosen shipyard in 2002, she has been to all corners of the planet so that the occupants of her 165 residences do not get bored.
At 43,188gt and 196m long, the vessel is luxury itself, with a range of options on 12 decks despite self-catering in the homes.
Her Mediterranean itinerary for March-April exceptionally included Syros, which is becoming an item on may cruise ship programmes. Needless to say this was a first for both.
Usually about 200 are aboard of its capacity 330 pampered by 280 crew as it sedately sails the seven seas with a maximum speed of 18.5 knots.
Just days before, another ‘superyacht’ called Emerald Azzura, the Vietnamese-built vessel for Scenic Group’s Emerald Cruise company, docked at the same berth.
Both vessels share Bahamas flag and Nassau home port and exquisite facilities – including e-bikes for shore transport – but Emerald Azzura is much smaller at 5,300gt and 110m long with 50 staterooms for 100 and 64 crew.
Syros is on her 25-day cruises from Villefranche-sur-Mer to Piraeus, just one of many cruise options during its summer in the Mediterranean in 2023.
But while The World has time for calls lasting up to four nights, Emerald Azzura must depart after barely 24 hours at each port.
Photo and report by John Pagni
