WAVES & GIRLFRIENDS
I went inside £1bn ‘HMS Wag’ where England’s girlfriends will stay at World Cup – it’s more bonkers than you’d imagine
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WITH £400 bottles of bubbly, Swarovski crystal staircases and sub-zero snow rooms, this is a booze cruise like no other.
England’s top Wags will want for nothing on the incredible £1billion MSC World Europa, where a glamorous fleet will stay to cheer on our Three Lions during the Qatar World Cup.
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I went aboard for an exclusive look and to check out its dazzling array of facilities which include seven pools, luxury watch shops, an exclusive range of £6,000 “royal” suites — and an 11-deck drop slide.
England wives and girlfriends thought to be spending the tournament on the 22-deck ship include models Sasha Attwood, 26, girlfriend of Manchester City ace Jack Grealish, and Anna Modler, 24, engaged to Spurs man Eric Dier, as well as Harry Maguire’s wife Fern, 27.
Captain Harry Kane’s wife, Katie, 29, is also tipped to be staying on MSC’s largest ever ship, where the alcohol will flow despite Qatar’s strict rules on land.
The 1,093 ft floating hotel — dubbed HMS Wag — was christened in a glittering ceremony in Qatar over the weekend as it prepared to welcome its VIP guests at capital city Doha.
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As I was led into the ship’s exclusive Yacht Club, it’s clear the Wags won’t have to worry about privacy.
This intimate zone at the very top of the ship comes with its own exclusive restaurant and lounge bar — linked by a stunning staircase stacked with more than 8,000 octagon and pear-cut Swarovski crystals.
By day, our Wags will be able to relax on two vast private sun decks with a large pool and two Jacuzzis, surrounded by plush loungers and beach club-style cabanas.
There’s a bar and grill for cocktails and lazy lunches.
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MSC’s Yacht Club director Cristian Comirla said: “The needs of every Yacht Club guest are anticipated 24 hours a day by our elite team of highly-trained butlers. They will greet everyone by name and provide a totally personalised service.”
All-inclusive suites in the Yacht Club will set the Wags back up to £6,000 each, with the grandest Owners and Royal suites the ones to covet.
They come with hot tubs, walk-in wardrobes and Italian designer superking beds.
Duplex suites feature double-height ceilings and two stories of luxury with Nespresso machines and free minibars stashing bottles of premium spirits and mixers.
Christian added: “Every day the chef will prepare special treats to deliver to each suite, from delicious sweets to savoury specialities based on where the ship is docked.”
But it would be a mistake for the Wags not to explore the rest of this vast pleasure palace.
There are 13 restaurants plus 20 bars and lounges waiting for the 6,762 passengers to enjoy, spread out over 22 decks of unrivalled luxury.
Qatar’s strict laws on booze include a zero-tolerance policy for drinking or appearing drunk in public.
But with the ship docked off-shore, guests will be free to make the most of its extensive drinks menu.
The Wags will feel right at home in the Fizz Champagne Bar where the most expensive bottle of bubbly - Armand de Brignac - will set them back a whopping £400.
I settled down with a slightly more down-to-earth but equally delicious glass of rose champagne that cost just £13.
And all the Brits will feel right at home in the Masters of the Sea pub, where a microbrewery will serve up Oceanic beers created using sea water.
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All matches will be screened live here throughout the tournament, which kicks off on November 20.
The pub is linked by spiral stair-case to the Gin Project, with expert bartenders serving up classic cock-tails from more than 70 craft gins.
Cooling down in the fierce Qatari sunshine will be a breeze in one of the seven swimming pools - including the infinity-edge Zen - while 13 bubbling hot tubs will soothe away the stress of England’s World Cup journey.
Wags wanting to indulge in a bit of retail therapy are in luck.
Shops and restaurants line the World Galleria, where thousands of LED lights in the domed ceiling create stunning cinematic displays, switching from shifting desert sands to whales swimming in deep oceans.
The heart of the ship features bars, lounges, restaurants and shops including Fine Jewellery where I got to try on the most expensive gem — a £22,000 1.02- carat yellow diamond ring. Unlike the Wags, though, I had to give it back.
The Galleria leads to the stunning out-door Prom-enade with yet more shops, bars and restaurants.
Wags wanting to reward their men for a job well done could splash out on a £53,000 solid gold Hublot timepiece in one of the two watch emporiums.
The promenade is THE place to be at sunset where you can sip a cocktail or two while looking out over the Doha skyline and admire views of the 974 World Cup stadium, named after the exact number of shipping containers used to create the unique venue.
I joined the adrenaline-addicts to tackle the ‘Venom Drop’ - the longest dry slide at sea that corkscrews down 11 decks to the promenade and pops out by the Malt bar where we indulged in a restorative tot of whisky.
To calm my nerves, it was a far more Wag-tastic activity next - the peaceful Balinese-style Aurea Spa.
Donning a huge fluffy bathrobe I soothed away aches and pains with a journey through the thermal area, dipping into the bubbling pools and experiencing the steam rooms, saunas overlooking the sea and even the sub-zero snow room with frozen ice floors and walls.
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The ladies can pamper themselves with £150 massages, facials and body wraps or indulge in a manicure, blow dry and even lash extensions.
It’s not the only thing on board to amuse the Wags - by night there are West End-style shows and nightclubs featuring Ibiza-style raves as well as DJ parties on deck by the pool.
But the most exclusive venue on the ship is an invite-only intimate speakeasy, hidden in plain sight and reserved for only the most VIP of guests.
I got special access to this top-secret joint and can guarantee it will give the girls the chance to let their hair down and relax away from prying eyes.
More than 14,000 England and Welsh fans have also booked rooms on the luxury liner.
But England’s football stars may unfortunately not be able to join their other halves onboard.
Last week, Qatar reported 307 new Covid cases and Gareth Southgate could be forced to keep his team in a strict bubble.
The Three Lions boss and his squad will stay at the Souq Al Wakra hotel near Doha ahead of their first match against Iran on November 21.
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Other partners are expected to stay in five-star hotels in Dubai and commute in for matches.
It remains to be seen if football’s coming home, but after a couple of weeks on HMS Wag its lucky guests definitely won’t want to.
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