Ocean Residences MY Njord

Ocean Residences Njord cruise ship is an ultra-luxury superyacht concept currently being developed by the Gzira, Malta-based company Ocean Residences Development Ltd. MY Njord (MY stands for “motor yacht”) will be constructed in Germany by Meyer Werft and delivered in Q1 2026. The ship’s namesake is Viking Njord, a 2012-built riverboat owned by Viking Cruises.

Similar “residence cruise ship” concepts include The World (managed by ResidenSea), Narrative (managed by Storylines Residences), Utopia (managed by Utopia Residences), and Dark Island (by Clydebuilt).

History (ownership), shipboard facilities and amenities

Part of Ocean Group LLC (shipowner), Ocean Residences Development’s current management team includes:

• Kristian Stensby (President and CEO/Chief Executive Officer), the company’s founder, with more than 30 years of experience in the cruise line industry and Scandinavian residential and commercial real estate development.
• Alain Gruber (COO/Chief Operating Officer), a former employee of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Relais & Chateaux, who has also worked for Cunard, Seabourn, NCL-Norwegian, and Residences at Sea (MS The World).
• Patrick Webster (CFO/Chief Financial Officer), formerly CFO at Residences at Sea.
• Chris Armengol (VP Global Sourcing & Logistics), a former employee of Royal Viking Line (founded in 1972 and defunct since 1998), Windstar, RCI-Royal Caribbean International, and Cunard, and with experience at Residences at Sea and Kerzner International.
• Jean-Louis Stutzmann (Lead Architectural Designer), who has participated in newbuild cruise ship projects for Residences at Sea, Cunard, Crystal, P&O UK, as well as several private superyacht projects.

Ocean Group LLC is a The Hague, Netherlands-based full-service real estate company specializing in investment, development, and leasing of its own properties. The company is led by Paula Barker (Owner and President) and Kristian Stensby (CEO).

On October 29, 2019, Ocean Residences first announced plans for a residential cruise ship with a gross tonnage of approximately 80,000 GT, LOA length of 282 m (925 ft), beam of 34 m (111 ft), draft of 8 m (26 ft), 12 decks, and 134 staterooms (118 condos plus 16 Guest Suites/hotel apartments for rent), all featuring step-out balconies.

With project launch in February 2020 and an initially estimated delivery in Q3 2024, Njord was promoted as a “private superyacht” featuring a spacious Sun Deck, dedicated helideck, multiple large terraces, three outdoor swimming pools (one main seawater pool, one infinity pool, and one children’s pool), Garden Lounge, full sports court (basketball, volleyball, tennis), Golf Centre (mini-golf course and golf simulator), six restaurants and bars/lounges (including a nightclub and jazz lounge), Culinary Studio, billiards room, Lido Market, boutique shops, outdoor cinema (large LED screen), mudroom for expedition gear, an oceanographic research laboratory staffed by expert scientists, a telescope observatory with retractable glass roof, and a dive club for scuba diving, snorkeling, and private boat tours.

The ship’s wellness complex (total area 930 m² / 10,000 ft²) includes a gym, spa, sauna room, steam room, treatment rooms for massages and Chenot Method medical treatments, a hydrotherapy pool, an open-air deck for yoga, pilates, and meditation sessions, an aerobics studio, as well as personal trainers and sports concierges.

The updated 2021 ship design features a helideck accommodating two helicopters (Airbus ACH160, eight-seat capacity, range 740 km / 460 mi), an aft Marina Deck with an inflatable/fold-out platform for watersports and sunbathing (total area 500 m² / 5,380 ft²), two mini-submarines (for charter), one motor yacht (for charter), two diving and fishing boats (for charter), ten Zodiacs (large RIBs for shore excursions and landings), four ultra-luxury tender boats for ship-to-shore transfers, as well as jet skis, paddleboards, sea kayaks, and small sailboats.

Ocean Residences’ cruise ship will be fully equipped to support under-charter oceanographic research expeditions. Equipment includes a powerful gyroscopically stabilized telescope, unmanned aircraft (drones), and remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) with multibeam echo sounders for seabed mapping. Collected marine and atmospheric data will be available for purchase by public and private companies, research laboratories, scientific institutions, and environmental organizations.

MY Njord will also support philanthropic missions and charitable initiatives.

The design of public areas emphasizes high-quality wood finishes, handmade carpets and woven textiles, bronze and glass fixtures, contemporary furniture and lighting, and floor-to-ceiling windows in all bars, lounges, and restaurants.

For more information, including construction updates and machinery details, see the ship’s Wiki page.

Decks and Cabins

Most of MY Njord’s staterooms are privately owned apartments (118 condos) offered in 21 configurations, with sizes ranging from 116 to 848 m² (1,250 to 9,130 ft²), including balconies. Layouts range from two- to six-bedroom units. Penthouses (duplex and triplex) feature balcony hot tubs (Jacuzzies), while the largest units also include a private plunge pool on the terrace. Upon request, condos can be customized with additional amenities such as infrared saunas, walk-in wine cellars, humidors, bespoke designer furniture, and alternative kitchen, bedroom, or lounge layouts.

Each bedroom has ocean views and direct access to a private step-out veranda. All balconies are furnished with premium outdoor furniture, including padded deckchairs, sun loungers, low tables, and four-seat dining tables. Residents may host private events with services from world-class chefs, professional butlers, and certified sommeliers. Room service is available 24/7.

The largest accommodations include 14 duplex penthouses (two decks) and two triplex penthouses (three decks), all equipped with private elevators.

Condo prices start from USD 8 million (EUR 6.75 million / GBP 5.75 million), with an ownership maintenance fee of 5% of the purchase price.

In addition to the 118 condos, there are 16 Guest Suites (hotel apartments) owned by Ocean Residences and available for private short- or long-term rental.

All crew and staff members are accommodated in single-occupancy cabins.

Itineraries

Like other residential cruise ships, Njord is designed to operate year-round on a global circumnavigation itinerary.

Planned destinations and regions include Arctic Europe (Norway, Iceland, Greenland), Alaska and the US West Coast, Arctic Russia (Siberia), Asia (Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, China, Japan), the South Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand, Central and South America (including Panama Canal transits and the Caribbean), the Mediterranean, Atlantic Europe, the US East Coast and Canada (via transatlantic crossings), and the Suez Canal.