Villa Vie Residences, the round-the-world residential cruise startup, just had its best-ever booking day so far. It sold 6% of its total available capacity in a single day.
This comes one month after Villa Vie Residences officially opened reservations to the public.
Villa Vie is set to launch in May 2024 on a continuous world cruise lasting more than three years. The residential world cruise concept has taken a hit recently with the collapse of the Life at Sea Cruises world voyage, leaving many customers stranded.
Villa Vie Ship Arrives in February
The strong sales of Villa Vie Residences are undoubtedly thanks to a level of trust and confidence from customers, as, unlike Life at Sea Cruises, it has secured a ship.
It takes delivery of the former Fred Olsen ship, Braemar, next month. The 924-guest ship will go into dry dock for a comprehensive refurbishment and will be renamed Villa Vie Odyssey.
Villa Vie Residences CEO Mikael Petterson said: “The unprecedented sales volume in such a short period showcases the exceptional demand for residential cruising.”
Petterson said it has been able to pay 50% of the vessel cost and has secured financing for the remaining balance. Almost half of the ship’s capacity has already been reserved for the inaugural departure on May 15.
Petterson says over 70% of Inside Villas and more than 50% of the Balcony Villas have been sold. There are three accommodation categories, including the Oceanview Villa.
Flexible options to book shorter cruise segments
Villa Vie Residences’ has built-in flexible travel options in its cruise sales strategy. As well as the full ownership program, guests can reserve a stateroom for one or more vacation segments, each lasting 35 to 120 days. The total ownership option is priced at $99,999.
Villa Vie Residences plans to visit 425 ports in 147 countries as it sails the globe on three-and-a-half-year rotating voyages. Port calls are typically longer, from two days to an entire week.
