I work on the world's largest residential yacht that's like the Four Seasons on steroids. Some guests have lived on it for over 20 years.

• Thomas Legner, 61, is the general manager of The World, the largest private residential yacht.
• The ship has 165 apartments that residents own as it continuously sails around the world.
• Legner says the ship is nothing like a cruise — it's like an exclusive country club on the water.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Thomas Legner, the 61-year-old general manager of The World. It has been edited for length and clarity.

The World is the largest private residential yacht on earth. It's nothing like a cruise ship; it's more like a country club on the water.

There are 165 apartments on the ship, and we have an average of 200 residents on board. Our youngest resident is five years old, and our oldest resident is 80.