The latest acquisition of a former AIDA ship to East Mediterranean operator, Celestyal, marked a milestone for the cruise line’s growth.
Nevertheless, it additionally signaled one other disadvantage for the startup residential cruise operator Life at Sea. The startup, operated by Miray Cruises, had pinned its hopes on buying the identical ship, AIDAaura.
That has fallen via, and Life at Sea’s delayed launch date has come and gone. It’s a acquainted situation for a number of residential cruise ship startups.
In addition to Life at Sea, Victoria Cruises Line and Villa Vie Residences have a pretty idea to promote: cruise the world semi-permanent, however some are but to safe a cruise ship.
Startups push again launch dates a number of occasions
Victoria Cruises Line is chartering a former Holland America Line ship, now named Victoria Majestic. Nevertheless, this hasn’t saved it from a number of delays in launching.
Its third revised December launch date has been postponed indefinitely, citing low preliminary occupancy and ‘competitors’ from different startups. The corporate says it wants round 80% occupancy to make it financially viable.
Villa Vie Residences is touting a three-and-a-half year-round world voyage visiting 147 nations with residences beginning at $100,000. It sticks steadfastly to a 2024 launch however hasn’t secured a ship. Founder and CEO Mikael Petterson has promised to shut a deal for a ship earlier than the top of this yr.
Storylines has lofty ambitions
Petterson and different Villa Vie Residences group members beforehand labored on the Storylines residential cruise line startup. Storylines is taking a distinct, extra formidable route by constructing a brand-new cruise ship. It’s a big enterprise for a comparatively new firm, and it has its skeptics.
“No person provides out a mortgage for close to a billion {dollars} to a man who’s by no means constructed a ship” or “has by no means achieved a deal this dimension,” a former guide stated.
Storylines’ launch has been pushed again by two years to late 2026. That is partly attributable to its chosen shipbuilder submitting for chapter attributable to Russian sanctions. The corporate says over half of the upcoming ship’s 530 condos have been reserved.
In brief, it hasn’t been plain crusing for any new residential cruise startups, whether or not chartering, shopping for an older ship, or constructing a model new one. To this point, the success fee on this section is small. The one residential cruise operator that has managed to make it work up to now is The World, which launched in 2002.
