ART OF TRAVEL
Your home is the world
what is Raffles lifestyle?
Raffles is neither a trans-ocean liner nor a mega yacht but rather combines the best aspects of both to provide a unique lifestyle.
Raffles will be the first true floating community in that it is purpose designed to be physically financially and legally wholly owned by its inhabitants living in its 122, one or two bedroom 120m2 apartments and larger penthouses.
Balancing the grandeur and spirit of adventure of the old trans-ocean passenger liners with the superlative accommodations and modern amenities of the latest mega yacht, the facilities of a small village, Raffles carries only about 244 owners in 7 star luxury spread over nearly 50,000m2 on 6½ decks well above the waterline.
Carrying no passengers and without any fixed schedule, Raffles’ owners will have total freedom to wander the world, as, where, and when they wish.
Just like any high quality property development the basic vessel is designed (confirmed by Lloyd’s finite analysis) to have a minimum 100 year structural life and its Green Passport recording all materials used in its construction meaning the original owners can anticipate their children and their grandchildren enjoying life on Raffles well past the end of the 21st century.
It is interesting to note that Jules Verne and HG Wells both predicted in the late 1860’s the advent of floating cities, and also underwater communities. While yachts have grown ever larger, with people increasingly living full time on them, and others living continuously on cruise liners travelling around the world as well as an underwater hotel building in Dubai now a reality, a true floating city is yet to be seen.
MV Raffles, however, represents a major step towards this, being a true floating village and projected to start operation in early 2010 from Singapore following a 2 year build period.