UK Edition
Will Quintessentially One be the world's most luxurious cruise ship?
Members of Quintessentially pay from £15,000 a year to avail of its concierge service and members-only benefits; from 2019 they will also be given exclusive access to Quintessentially One - a new cruise ship that is set to be one of the most exclusive and luxurious to ever sail.
Costing some £250 million to build, the vessel will travel between some of the world’s most prestigious events to serve as a waterborne base for big-spending travellers who wish to attend the likes of the Monaco Yacht Show and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. When not attending these high-profile occasions ashore, its occupants will have access to what Quintessentially calls “a cornucopia of delights” on board. As Quintessentially co-founder Aaron Simpson explains it: “Where the traditional cruise model is to go somewhere, dock and get off, we will dock and people will want to get on.”
Likely to be the focal point for boisterous get-togethers, a rooftop beach club will host all-night sessions by visiting DJs and offer an open-air pool encircled by cabanas. More abstemious types can instead nest in the library; consult personal trainers in a modern gym; visit a restaurant operated by London's The Wolseley; peruse the boutiques in an onboard shopping emporium; or attend to work matters at the business centre. A kids’ club with childminders and regularly scheduled activities will serve the families on board.
Impressive though the ship will likely be, Quintessentially has disingenuously billed the Quintessentially One the world’s largest superyacht. The 180m (590ft) Azzam is currently the world’s largest and though Quintessentially One at 220m (722ft) will be substantially larger, it will carry significantly more passengers than an exclusive-use superyacht and will include various services and amenities that would see it far more accurately described as a cruise ship.
Among those features is some 112 “boutique hotel”-style cabins (to be managed by an as-yet-undisclosed hotel brand) and a crew of 490. The 12-deck ship will also house a number of private residences, available for leaseholds to last for the life of the ship and with prices ranging from €8 million to €12 million. Owners of those abodes will also be provided with membership of Club One, “an elite club within a club” with benefits including a private restaurant, private bar and complimentary beauty treatments.
Rooms on board will cost from £2,000 a night and Quintessentially members will be permitted to invite a limited number of guests to join them. Though the members-only restriction should ensure Quintessentially One’s exclusivity, it won’t be the only cruise vessel aimed squarely at wealthy travellers.
Described as the world’s first discovery yacht, Scenic Eclipse is set to launch in 2018 and will sail to the Arctic and Antarctica as well as more conventional Caribbean and European destinations. Accommodating no more than 200 passengers when travelling to polar regions, the ship will provide accommodation in suites only, with each cabin featuring cabins and butler service. Prices as yet are unconfirmed.
Crystal Cruises, meanwhile, is launching a fleet of ships equipped with a two-passenger submarine as part of a full-scale expansion into expedition, river and yacht cruising. These Crystal Yacht Cruises will sail initially in the Seychelles, UAE and Europe. The company is also launching Crystal Aircruises in autumn. This ultra-luxurious plane - a retrofitted Boeing 777-200LR which normally would accommodate 314 to 451 passengers - will take just 84 passengers on round-the-world trips. On-board surprises will include a standalone restaurant.