THE QUEEN MARY II VS.

THE RESIDENSEA

Q: I've been hearing a lot about the Queen Mary II ship and also the ResidenSea (The World of ResidenSea). My wife and I love to travel and especially enjoy cruising. Since I see that the ResidenSea is on your website, can you explain to me the main differences between the two ships and why I should choose one over the other?

A: That's an interesting question, one that hasn't been posed to me before. I admit I had to do a little research on the Queen Mary II first before giving you an answer. Here's my summary:

The ResidenSea is 644 feet in length and 43,000 tons. The Queen Mary II is the largest passenger ship every built. At 1,131 feet long, 150,000 tons, it is an engineering phenomenon with just about every conceivable amenity on it that you could imagine. It cost $1.3 billion to build and has $5 million worth of commissioned artwork on board along with 15 restaurants and bars, 5 pools, a casino, ballroom and the only afloat planetarium. But it's lacking one thing that only the ResidenSea can offer-ownership.

That is, you can own a residence (essentially a condo residence) aboard the ResidenSea. You may use it year round as the ship sails continually around the world, stopping at many exciting ports and for major worldwide events (i.e. Carnival in Rio, Wimbledon in England, the Cannes Film Festival and Monaco's Grand Prix.)

Or when you choose to, you may place it in the ship's rental program and receive a percentage of the rental revenue. And, if after a period of time you wish to sell your unit, you may do so and enjoy any appreciation it may have gained since you bought it. It is, essentially, a floating condo hotel.

The Queen Mary II is primarily a cruise ship. Passengers will be aboard for a matter of days or weeks, sailing to and from several specific ports. At the end of each cruise, a new set of passengers will board for the next trip.

I should add that the ResidenSea will also offer some short vacation cruise opportunities to passengers who will join and leave the ship "in progress," however, the main focus of ResidenSea is this exciting and unique concept of residence ownership aboard the ship.

So the question I must pose to you is...Are you just looking for a vacation cruise, or are you interested in a unique vacation home that would allow you to travel the world without every leaving the comfort of that second home? Once you answer that question, I think you'll know which ship is the right choice for you.

Just for fun, here are some more comparisons between the two ships:

Whereas the Queen Mary II will be able to carry 2,620 passengers, the ResidenSea will carry only 650 and have a crew of 320 to provide first-class service in every way. The ambiance of the ResidenSea will be that of an exclusive country club, one where the members are treated like royalty. The smaller size will give the ResidenSea a more intimate atmosphere than will exist on the Queen Mary II.

Physically, the ResidenSea will provide residences and suites that will give passengers a completely different feel from being on the Queen Mary II which will have your typical, albeit luxurious, ship's cabins.

The ResidenSea residences will range in size from 1,106 to 4,184 square feet, each with state-of-the-art-kitchens and two-to-six bedrooms. The ResidenSea's 88 smaller residences will also have an upscale twist: sitting area, entertainment center, refrigerator and cocktail cabinet. The Queen Mary II's deluxe staterooms measure from 194 square feet to its 2,244 square feet grand duplex.

There is one more major difference between the ResidenSea and the Queen Mary II-price. Keep in mind that we're comparing apples to oranges here. Residences on the ResidenSea are priced from $1,450,000 to $4,906,000 so these are clearly not your average cruise ship cabin. Prices for a five-day cruise on the Queen Mary II range from $1,995 - $10,450, depending on the season and ports visited.

The above question(s) were submitted via e-mail by a visitor to www.condohotelcenter.com. The answer was prepared by Joel Greene, a licensed real estate broker with Condo Hotel Center which specializes in the sale of condo hotel units and fractional ownerships in private residence clubs.