The £182m floating resort, The World, has made its first appearance in London as part of an initial set of globe-sailing journeys which began in Oslo and has already taken in Amsterdam and Hamburg.

The 648-foot vessel, launched by ResidenSea, sailed up the River Thames to Greenwich in seat-east London this week (April 8). Britons have bought some of the 110 apartments, ranging in price from £1.4m to more than £5m.

The ship with a deck village, including walking paths, a golf centre, two swimming pools and health spas will have called at more than 120 ports in 40 countries by the end of this year.

So far 80 per cent of the apartments have been sold with around 40 per cent of the buyers from the USA.