PORT ANGELES — A very unusual ship is scheduled to visit Port Angeles on the Fourth of July this year.
It’s called The World — and despite the name, it’s not a typical cruise ship.
According to Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce Director Marc Abshire, The World is a privately owned residential vessel, essentially a floating luxury condominium complex. The ship carries about 300 ultra-wealthy residents and guests.
“So, The World is owned by the passengers themselves, and there’s about 300 condos aboard the ship, and each one is owned, and you have to have a certain net worth to qualify to even, you know, bid for one of the spaces on board,” said Abshire.
Unlike traditional cruises, The World doesn’t follow fixed routes. Instead, its owners vote on where the ship travels — and this summer, that includes a stop in Port Angeles.
“They’re coming because they’re going to Seattle before to go to the World Cup, and the owners come up with their own schedule, apparently. They vote on where they’re going to go. So, they decided they want to go to Olympic National Park, as well as be here for the Fourth of July in Port Angeles, to do that,” added Abshire.
Abshire says the Chamber is also in early talks with the ship’s leadership about whether its owners might help support a Fourth of July fireworks display — something the city has struggled to secure in recent years due to barge availability.