Construction Begins on Billion Dollar Ocean Liner, Utopia. Set to Debut in 2013
January 29, 2010
Utopia is the new residential cruise ship set to launch in 2013.  Construction began this week on this 971 ft cruise. The expensive ocean liner is to offer luxury accomodations and crusing to high end destinations. Residences in Utopian Estates are selling for $3.9 million for 1,400-square-foot units to $24 million for 6,600-square-footers. Utopia officials say purchasers would be buying a cabin on the ship but not an ownership share of the ship itself. “They are not condominiums, and the residents do not own the ship or common areas,” said David Robb, chairman of Utopia Residences.
Some of the cabins feature hardwood floors, marble kitchen countertops, recessed lighting, walk-in closets and fireplaces. Owners and renters would have access to the ship’s many amenities, including three swimming pools, tennis courts, an outdoor movie theater, a miniature golf course, shops, restaurants and a “lazy river” meandering around the deck.
Much of the funding behind the project will come from Frontier Group, a private equity investment group based in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. The project comes only weeks after Royal Caribbean International launched the Oasis of the Sea, the world’s largest cruise ship, at 1,181 feet long.
Unlike most ocean liners, Utopia will travel on a tour of luxurious cultural and sporting events–from the Cannes Film Festival and Monte Carlo Grand Prix to the Olympics, the Brazilian Carnaval in Rio Di Janeiro and Hong Kong’s Dragon Boat Festival.
