Celebrity Yacht Owners

Celebrity Yacht Owners

Holidays are all about rest, relaxation, and luxury. And when it comes to celebrities, you can count on them to go overboard by spending time - and money, in exotic locations, onboard some of the world's most luxurious yachts.

Privacy from the paps While stars continue to shell out on traditional holidays in exotic resorts and luxury villas, the allure of a holiday onboard a luxury yacht is more appealing than ever.

Villas are great, but the moment a star tries to leave the property, their privacy is compromised. On board a yacht, the celebrity is normally out of the public eye. The yacht crews are very discreet, and usually no one even knows the star was on board until the charter has ended.

This extra privacy, along with 5-star service and over-the-top onboard facilities would be appealing to most, but for today's A-list celebrities a yachting holiday is nothing short of heaven.

The increase of private air charter companies makes it easy for the stars to jet off anywhere around the world, to find a chartered yacht and crew awaiting their arrival.

Destination unknown In the summer, celebrities will flock to the Mediterranean. Globally regarded as the original destination of the "jet set," yachting along the Riviera first became popular in the 1950s with celebrities like Jackie Kennedy, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Greta Garbo onboard.

The Balearic Islands are a also a favourite destaination. With celebrity couples like Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones and Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas enjoying a luxury yacht holiday on the island of Majorca.

To top up their tans during the winter months, A-listers will head to the guaranteed sunshine of the Caribbean. Like the sports cars parked in front of their Hollywood mansions, the most expensive yachts are docked along the quay in Gustavia, St. Barts, where stars like Elton John, Tom Cruise and Mick Jagger moor their yachts.

Types of luxury Yacht Great examples of luxury yachts include Christina O and Savarona. Early luxury sailing yachts include Americas Cup classic J class racers like Endeavour and Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock. More recently, there has been an increase in the number of large private luxury yachts. Ferretti, Azimut, Feadship and Lürssen dominate the top end of the yacht building market.

From 2006, yachts above 100 metres (328 feet) increasingly more popular but considered rare. They typically have five decks above the water line and two below and may offer helicopter hangars, indoor swimming pools and miniature submarines.

Money no object The cost of privacy and luxury at sea does not come cheap. A typical 120ft luxury yacht is £150,000 a week. Also consider fuel, food, champagne and crew, and you're be looking to spend around £200K.

Of course, chartering or even buying a yacht, can be more affordable for the rest of us! Worldwide, charter prices start at £2000 per person per week.

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