There has been an incessant increase in the count and fame of large private luxury yachts over the last two decades. This list of top 12 high-tech luxury travel yachts will tell you that these are not just another means of transport over the water but a style statement too. Let’s not waste any more time and take a look at these spectacular beauties.
12. Sea Dream
Charter price: US$ 315000 to US $700000 per week
The splendid 344-foot Sea Dream luxury yacht lets large groups submerge straight into an unforgettable luxury experience. The most striking thing on Sea Dream is its exceptional cuisine.
The list of the lavish on-board amenities include ‘open air’ area with spectacular water views, dining salon, new boardroom area, bar cocktails, library with many games, Asian Spa and Wellness Center, beauty salon, 3 steam showers, 2 treatment rooms, and a sauna, separate guest’s ensuite bathroom, and flat screen TV & DVD & CD players throughout the 195 square foot of living area.
11. Excellence III
Built by: Abeking & Rasmussen
Charter Price: US $365000 to $385000 per week
The luxury motor yacht Excellence III charters both the Mediterranean and Caribbean waterways. The interiors are a perfect intermingling of mahogany, harmonized by myrtle and honey onyx. The yacht accommodates 12 people in its six luxurious guest cabins, of which four are king-size.
Luxury yacht Excellence III offers two Windsurfers, two kayaks, two 800hp Yamaha Wave runner jet skis, various knee boards, water skis, inflatable toys, snorkeling equipment, rendezvous diving and fishing tackle. The innards of the luxury yacht features a LINN music system, a Plasma screen TV in guests and master cabins, the Sky lounge (convertible to full theatre), a gymnasium, and a steam shower.
10. Atmosphere
Built by: Perini Navi in 2000
Charter Price: US $ 210,000
The 174ft Atmosphere luxury yacht offers exceptionally spacious accommodation for its 14 guests, thanks to the 11.40m beam. The interiors of the yacht have been designed to the best of Perini standards.
The interiors of the super yacht are festooned with russet-toned fabrics with shades of orange and gold, and graceful cherry-wood joinery. Dining room can be changed into a conference room in case of any business meetings. Other facilities include a main saloon, a sauna, separate Turkish bath, satellite TV/DVD/video/stereo throughout the yacht, and Jacuzzi dip pool.
9. Virginian
Built by: Van Lent in 1990
Charter Price: US$294000 per week
The Virginian luxury yacht is well-known for its fabulous design and outstanding technical specifications. At 203 feet, Virginian offers accommodation for 12 guests in six cabins.
The yacht features an array of lavish facilities such as an on-deck Jacuzzi, a mosaic octopus in the master bathroom, a bar, abundant dining space on the sundeck, and, interestingly, a library with built-in bookcases.
8. Senses
Designed by: Martin Francis
Charter Price: US$ 240000 to US $250000 per week
The inimitable charter yacht enriches you with the four-wheel-drive option as compared to the conventional yachts. If you take a look at the robust exteriors, you can’t even think of the lavish, beautiful interiors with which the ‘Senses’ is festooned with. Designed by Martin Francis, the interiors are decked with wonderful wood with cream soft furnishings.
The Senses is equipped with all the latest luxury amenities such as satellite television, stereo music systems, Jacuzzi pool, gym, and sauna. The motor yacht offers charter accommodation for up to 12 guests.
7. Leander
Built by: Peene shipyard, Germany in 1994
Charter Price: US$ 490,000 per week
The yacht Leander is one of the largest yachts build over the last decade with all the latest luxury facilities. The 75 meter full displacement yacht offers excellent accommodation spread over 3 deck levels, with utterly private VIP apartments.
The luxury mega yacht touts lavish dining room, observation lounge, panoramic windows, custom pool with Jacuzzi, audio/visual equipment a bar, sauna, barbeque, and a modern gym.
6. Trimaran
Price: $2.4 million
Designed by: Craig Loomes
The most extreme design that you will see in the Yacht industry is apparently designed by Craig Loomes and resembles a futuristic boat for your recreational sea voyages. Although the Trimaran, which looks like something from a Star Trek movie, is not the fastest out there but can surely be taken as one of the world’s most extreme superyacht.
The 148-meter hull boasts of split-level luxury staterooms offering room for up to 28 guests. The top speed for this yacht is 50 knots when all of the 33,000 HP kicks is utilized. At a cruising speed of 40 knots the range is over 3,000 miles. The unique thing about this luxury Trimaran is the long, slim center hull flanked by two narrow side hulls that provide stability.
The luxury amenities available on board are a swimming pool, hot tub, rooms for sunbathing, a grand piano and bar, a helicopter pad, a grand hall and an internal harbor.
5. Frank Mulder Gigayacht
Designed by: Naval architect Frank Mulder of Mulder Design
The Frank Mulder Gigayacht is claimed by many to be the most expensive item ever sold on eBay for a purchase price of $168,000,000. Now, a Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich owns this beauty. The ultra-luxury yacht boasts of luxurious master suite on deck that features luxury office area, salon, cinema room, fitness room, two person cabin for children, body guards. The stunning yacht also features helicopter garage in the bow with retractable elevator, two fabulous multi-level VIP Suites with panoramic windows, sixteen luxurious oversized guest cabins.
4. Annaliesse
Charter Price: US $840,000 per week
One of the world’s most impressive yachts, the Annaliesse, which also topped the list of ‘world’s most expensive yachts’ by Forbes, was taken off the charter market in March 2007 and sold to a private owner.
The 280 feet yacht features room for 36 guests in 18 cabins, 1,184 square foot main stateroom offering panoramic views, private deck, his and hers walk-in closets and marble bath with Jacuzzi, full-service spa, bars, salon, a sundeck with Jacuzzi and helipad a library/theater room with a 100-inch screen.
The owner’s stateroom is equipped with a king-size bed, a 42-inch FFFD TV and panoramic windows that can be covered with a remote control. The yacht has a range of 7000 nautical miles with a top speed of 18 knots. The queen of the ocean was up for an asking price of $95.448 million.
3. Maltese Falcon
Built by: Italian Perini Navi Yachts
Owned by: American Millionaire Tom Perkins
Cruising on the waves is simply different and exotic with the Maltese Falcon. The 87.5 meters luxury sailing yacht is the world’s largest and fastest personal sailboat controlled by its three gigantic 57-meter tall free-standing masts. The credit for its record shattering speeds goes to the DynaRig under its hood.
We can’t ignore the lavish amenities that come on-board with the Maltese Falcon. It comes equipped with all the state-of-art luxury decor and features of a large mega yacht. The stunning yacht, which is a prefect blend of design and technology, is providing ‘Atlantic crossings in ten days’ offer.
The other things on the beautiful beast for the geeks are 4 laser sailing boats, 6 full sets of dive gear, water skis, snorkeling gear, Technogym, audio-visual devices, 50-inch plasma in main salon, SAT TV and DVD throughout the boat. All the four guest suites have 42-inch plasmas while the “Passage Cabin” located at the upper deck has a 32-inch plasma display. For the true audiophiles, Maltese Falcon boasts B & O surround sound all the way through the vessel. VSAT takes care of the wireless internet connectivity.
2. Octopus
Built by: German shipbuilder Lurssen in Bremen
Owned by: Paul Allen, Microsoft’s billionare
The luxury private yacht Octopus cost Paul Allen over $200 million and has a total crew of sixty members. The beauty comes loaded with high-tech features like the ‘marina dock’ for the custom main tender and the mini-sub.
At 414 feet, the Octopus boasts alfresco dining, support for three helicopters on the top deck, and remote control submarine. To keep the beast in excellent working condition, an annual budget of $20 million is needed.
1. Rising Sun
Built by: Lurssen in Bremen, Germany
Owned by: Larry Ellison (Head of Oracle Corp.)
Larry Ellison’s Rising Sun is a simple gigantic at 452 feet & 8-inches. The exteriors of the large luxury yacht are been designed by late Jon Bannenberg and the interior by Laura Seccombe. Larry went for the Rising Sun because some people say that he wanted to own a bigger yacht than Paul Allen’s Octopus.
The long list of luxury things on-board include a colossal swimming pool, all-embracing wine cellar, a cinema, basketball court that also works as a helicopter pad, suites for 16 guests, and space for private submarine. The production cost of the big Rising Sun is said to be US$200+. The privately owned yacht boasts 8 000 square meters of total living space.
Passing reference:
� WallyIsland
Wallypower yachts are well known among luxury circles. The company is also working on a 325-foot yacht with a colossal deck area of 1,000 sq. mtr. to accommodate state-of-art luxurious amenities and facilities including a deep water pool, a heli pad, mini soccer court, tennis court and garden oasis with trees! WallyIsland, as it is aptly called will be customizable, so you can actually design a boat of your own, just like you always wanted!
� Hull 6154
Some unknown Russian tycoon is being rumored to be making the world’s most expensive privately owned yacht. At 438 feet, the so-called Hull 6154 will feature seven decks, 15 state rooms, Jacuzzis, a gym, two helicopter pads and storage space for a submarine and is said to bring back $270 million. The super-sized private yacht is being built by Fincantieri, one of the world’s leading yacht builders at its base in Genoa
� Angelina Jolie and beau Brad Pitt’s $138m yacht
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are being reported to have commissioned a 280-foot-long Italian luxury yacht for $268 million. The yacht will come festooned with a swimming pool, a heliport, and a submarine, and is expected for delivery in 2009. They have ordered the luxury yacht from the luxury shipbuilder Privilege Yard SpA.
