The average price of Dublin city centre property has gone up - for the next 24 hours at least - after the only ocean-going residential ship in the World docked in Dublin Port this morning.
The 43,000-tonne vessel, The World, is made up of apartments worth between €1 and €6 million; varying in size from 300 square feet to over 3,000 square feet for a three-bedroom residence.
Renovations are allowed and some residents bought two apartments and knocked them into one six-bedroom home.
While the ship operates as a holiday cruise liner, the vessels owners, ResidenSea, regard the vessel as principally a place of residence. A company spokeswoman most owners stay aboard for between six and nine months a year.
The World'smarketing information says: "Vacationing guests of The Worldare prosperous individuals and experienced travelers - a combination of luxury cruisers and frequenters of five-star resorts.
"Residents and prospective buyers are successful entrepreneurs and an affluent mix of well-traveled individuals from North America, Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa and Latin America."
The company told ireland.comtoday that a number of their approximately 200 residents are Irish but declined a polite requests for names.
The spokeswoman said the ship was in Ireland at the request of the Irish residents.
"The residents have an input into where the ship goes so the Irish people asked that it stop in Dublin while it was in Europe so they could see family friends."
Lucky guests will - if they have time - have the opportunity to see the tennis court, two swimming pools, spa and gymnasium. But because the ship is docked in Irish waters they will not be allowed smoke in the casino or nightclub. Not even in the cigar club.
The ship departs for Liverpool tomorrow.