Villa Vie Residences is planning to launch a new luxury cruise brand, currently under the working name Project Lumina, with a luxury cruise ship it plans to acquire.
The company currently operates the 1993-built, 970-guest Villa Vie Odyssey as a residential cruise ship on a continuous world cruise.
The company has appointed Chris Cox as president of Project Lumina, which it said was a product within the Villa Vie brand family.
The company said Cox will oversee vessel acquisition, full-ship conversion planning, architectural programming, sales and marketing strategy, investor engagement, and global partnership development.
Private residences will start rom $539,999 for Oceanview and $899,999 for Balcony Suites, according to a social media post.
Cruise Industry News understands an investment pitch has already been made to interested parties, including current residents aboard the Odyssey.
“Chris’s appointment marks a significant milestone in our evolution as the global leader in residential life at sea,” said Kathy Villalba, co-founder and CEO of Villa Vie Residences. “Project Lumina is designed to build on our strong foundation and thoughtfully expand the lifestyle options within the Villa Vie family. Chris brings the strategic mindset, industry experience, and leadership we need to execute this next phase—without losing focus on the day-to-day experience our residents enjoy aboard the Odyssey.”
“I’m thrilled to join Villa Vie at such a defining moment for the brand and for the category,” addedChris Cox, preisdent, Project Lumina. “There is incredible demand for authentic, residential oceangoing lifestyles—from attainable world-travel homes to ultra-luxury villa experiences. Project Lumina will be about listening carefully to that demand and translating it into beautifully designed, high-value products that feel both elevated and deeply personal.”
Cox was most recently with Crescent Seas, which abandoned plans to charter the Regent Seven Seas Navigator and Oceania Insignia and turn them into residential cruise ships. His LinkedIn profile shows that he was director of sales and marketing for nine months.
The company said that Project Lumina will operate in parallel with Villa Vie’s current contemporary model aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey. The Odyssey will continue to receive dedicated leadership, sales, and operational focus, maintaining its role as the company’s flagship contemporary residential product.
