Cristallo, Luxury Collection Resort & Spa – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
November 8, 2020Château de Fère Hôtel & Spa – Champagne, France
November 8, 2020
Not for everyone: owning a superyacht is definitely the ultimate reward in a person’s life, typically serving both as a way for them to showcase their success and most importantly enjoy their time with family and close guests.
M/Y ECLIPSE
M/Y Eclipse, completed at the end of 2010 at the Blohm + Voss Hamburg shipyard, is the world’s second largest superyacht.
At her launch in 2010 the 164m Eclipse’s unprecedented size had ensured her construction had been shrouded in secrecy, and as such, subject to much rumour and speculation from both the international press and superyacht enthusiasts.
Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich is the owner of this giant yacht which is believed to accommodate 36 guests in 18 cabins and also cater for a staggering 70 crew members.
Amongst the armada of lavish extras thought to be onboard are a three-man leisure submarine, two swimming pools, one of which is 16-metres long with an adjustable depth feature that allows it to be converted into a dance floor. Other extras include an exterior fireplace and six tenders as well as accommodation for three helicopters.
Although details of the luxury megayacht are being extremely well hidden, it is known that her interiors feature designs by the renowned London-based team at Terence Disdale Design.
She showcases opulent yet comfortable living areas that have been realised to the highest standards. Neutral tones are combined with soft metallic fabrics and innovative design details, which epitomise modern elegance and defines the soothing interior. Her large, open-plan main salon offers sumptuous seating for all guests with a bar and formal dining area, the perfect space for relaxing and evening entertaining.
Eclipse sleeps up to 10 guests in five staterooms with an additional nanny stateroom for two extra guests. Each of her generous staterooms offers the ultimate luxury amongst bespoke furnishings and lavish décor. Her impressive full-beam master suite features a large en suite bathroom and private study area.
Outside, her graceful and classic lines present a variety of decks catering for different needs, including an uncovered sun deck complete with an impressive Jacuzzi, a covered main deck area, and an aft swim platform designed to give guests easy access to her wide selection of water sports equipment and tenders.
M/Y AZZAM
M/Y Azzam, the largest Superyacht in the world at 180 metres, was commissioned by Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, and launched by Lurssen, the world’s leading shipyard for large luxury yacht building.
A world-class team was personally assembled and directed in all areas of development of this sophisticated project by Eng. Mubarak Saad al Ahbabi. Under his instruction and leadership Azzam was developed from her original concept with the overall requirements in regard to general layout, performance, size and exterior style.
The brief was to build a luxurious large yacht which featured a timeless and innovative design that could travel at high speed even in warm and shallow waters while still providing sophisticated and luxurious accommodation for its guests.
Under Eng. Mubarak Saad al Ahbabi’s guidance, Azzam’s technical engineering was developed by Lurssen, her exterior design by Nauta Yachts and her interior styling by Christophe Leoni, creating what is, undoubtedly, the most challenging and complex yacht ever built.
Azzam breaks new ground in many ways, in terms of her technology, dimensions and performance. As well as being the largest yacht in the world at an unprecedented 180 metres and still being able to reach top speeds of over 30 knots, she also adds another record in regards to building time having spent a mere three years in build following one year of engineering.
Azzam truly represents a milestone in not only Lurssen’s history but yachting history as well.
Azzam’s sheer size is breathtaking. She would span the length of more than two city blocks in most parts of Manhattan. Looked at another way, she’s the length of about 11 railroad shipping containers laid end-to-end along a straight track.The exterior of Azzam is by Nauta Yacht Design, which is based in Milan, Italy. Its brief was to create a yacht with strength of character and a sense of purpose, as well as with timeless elegance and incorporating all elements of contemporary and modern design.
The technical project management for Azzam is by Burgess Yachts. Mubarak Saad al Ahbabi is the overseeing engineer who assembled the team that created the yacht, from concept through construction.
M/Y A
Built by Blohm + Voss in 2008, the 119m superyacht ‘A’ is considered one of the finest yachts on the water. Designed by Philippe Starck, ‘A’ is a truly unconventional superyacht with her upside down hull and unique exterior aesthetics.
The luxury yacht features a whole range of unique features from her innovative engineering and design to her three swimming pools that create currents to swim against. Motor yacht ‘A’ also features two unique 11m tenders, the Open and the Limo models, also designed by Starck.
Motor yacht ‘A’s interior is a modern and masterfully designed environment, featuring excellent use of space, wood furnishings and numerous other details such as a glass roof looking up into one of the swimming pools.
‘A’ features all of the latest navigation and entertainment equipment, prepared and equipped for whatever owner may need aboard his luxury cruise. She offers unparalleled comfort and handling with advanced stabilizers and bow thrusters.
‘A’ can happily accommodate 14 guests in one owner’s suite and six guest suites. She can also accommodate up to 37 crew members onboard.
It is reported the name “A” was used in order make the vessel appear first on shipping registers, while the design is largely based on advanced nautical engineering and maritime technology which accounts for many benefits including waveless cruising.
She has evoked comparisons with submarines and stealth warships, such in Forbes magazine which says that the vessel “was designed by Philippe Starck and resembles a sleek, futuristic submarine”.
The design for what would become the world’s most talked about superyacht bubbled into Starck’s mind at his home in Burano, Venice, in 2004. There was no brief beyond an idea of length and a demand for six cabins.
“That was the beauty of the project and the beauty and intelligence of the owner,” it quotes Starck as saying in an interview on board “A”, “he just left me completely free.”
Boat International reports that Starck’s “intention was to make her blend with the sea, to have her live — that word again — in “harmony” with the elements. He became obsessed with the way the yacht moved through the water, with barely a ripple, “like a whale”.
In common with many “mega yachts”, little was known about A when it was first commissioned. Builder Blohm + Voss issued a press release in December 2004 identifying the vessel as Project Sigma, which was how it became most commonly known during its construction.
It was also stated in the press release that the owner of mega yacht Pelorus — Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich — was not the customer behind Sigma. Nevertheless, because Pelorus was undergoing a concurrent refit at the same shipyard, and because both projects shared the same management company, there was continued speculation that the two vessels had a common owner throughout A’s construction.
Andrey Melnichenko was not confirmed as the true owner until after the ship was delivered in July 2008.
M/Y DUBAI
Currently owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai and the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. This vessel is 162 metres (531 ft) long, is the third largest yacht in the world after Azzam and Eclipse.
Dubai’s incredible size is disguised by the elegant lines of her steel hull and aluminium superstructure – the work of renowned designer Andrew Winch. Her stunning interior was designed by Platinum Yachts.
The construction of this megayacht began for Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei more than 10 years before the yacht’s launch. The construction, then a joint project between Blohm + Voss and Lurssen shipyards, was halted until 2001 when the hull was acquired by Platinum Yachts for His Highness Sheik Mohammed Rashid al-Maktoum. The project, previously named Platinum, Panhandle and Golden Star, was re-named Dubai.
Dubai’s luxurious interior design blends bold colours with fine fabrics and intricately detailed handmade mosaics. A spectacular staircase creates Dubai’s showpiece. Bathed in natural light from the top deck, this dramatic circular staircase features glass steps, which change colour. Dubai’s spacious decks offer a split-level owner’s deck; a large social area including the main lounge with its centrepiece red sofa; numerous VIP and guest suites, and a crew area to accommodate 115 people including crew and guest staff.
With seven decks, Dubai has a wealth of sunbathing areas; a striking mosaic swimming pool and several Jacuzzis. She can accommodate a helicopter of up to 9.5 tonnes and can carry two 10-metre long tenders.
M/Y DILBAR
Dilbar is a super-yacht launched on 14 November 2015 at the German Lürssen shipyard and delivered in 2016, owned by Alisher Usmanov.
She was built as Project Omar. The interior design of Dilbarwas designed by Andrew Winch and the exterior by Espen Oeino.
Dilbar is considered to be the largest yacht in the world by volume.
Not much is known about her, but we estimate her cost at at least USD 600 million and she will probably accommodate 40 guests and a crew of at least 80.
