All of Aquiva

The Dubai-based Aquiva Group plans to moor a 170 metre superyacht at Thames Quay on the River Thames to act as a 158-room floating hotel during the London Olympic games.

Its owners hope it will then become one of London’s premier luxury hotels for the 50 years that follow the games.

When completed, the superyacht will have seven decks, sleep more than 300 people and will contain a private members’ club, luxury spa and several restaurants.

The vessel will dwarf the 147m £200m super-yacht Eclipse owned by Chelsea Footbal Club owner Roman Abramovich. It will be 15 metre longer than the Barclays HQ Tower in Canary Wharf is tall and that is the equivalent of one and a half football pitches.

In place of the bridge the engineless Aquiva will feature a presidential suite, although the customary will be present in all their luxurious glory.

Exterior styling will showcase sun decks and spa pools spread across teak decks with stainless steel railings and caprails, while the interior will feature finishes using exotic hardwoods, leather, marble, polished metals and original artwork all in classic superyacht style.

Guests will arrive at the hotel using tenders operating from the West India dockside and will be transported to and from selected Olympic locations in a fleet of Venetian-style water taxis.

Steve Tight of the Aquiva Group said: “We hope to bring a unique experience so visitors to London can enjoy the superyacht lifestyle.  Obviously in the current economic climate there are technical and financial issues to iron out but the plan is to get the Aquiva in place for 2012.”

Got some gossip to share with the Superyacht Spy at Superyachts Directory?  If so we would love to hear from you.  To get in touch click here

Nevis Island to the Stars

Culture comes to the island of Nevis in many styles and one place to find it celebrity style is at Sunshines Beach Bar on Pinneys Beach.  Now Sunshine has lots of fine attributes, he cooks up and serves a terrific lunch of local fish including a superb amber jack and succulent conch known locally as Lambi.  He is also famous for the walls of his shanty style beach shack, which are festooned with pictures of him embracing guests as diverse as John Travolta, The Duchess of York and George Bush.

There is a healthy sprinkling of pops stars including; John Lennon, Roger Daltry, Beyonce and the rap singer JC.  From the world of film, we spotted Mel Gibson, Michelle Phifer, Jessica Sarah Parker along with Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones.

None of these of course, are the real reason to visit Sunshine because most people arrive at Sunshine’s looking to get stung by a Killer Bee.  This seemingly innocuous fruit drink is a dangerously addictive rum punch, made up using his own secret ingredients which include passion fruit orange juice, a handsome slug of local rum and the contents of a strange looking plastic water bottle that appears to contain roots and local leaves and grasses steeped in….you’ve guessed it, more rum.

Got some gossip to share with the Superyacht Spy at Superyachts Directory?  If so we would love to hear from you.  To get in touch click here

Buy One Get a Free Gift

Image Strand Yachts

Strand Yachts has announced it is giving away free 233mph super-cars free of charge to everyone who buys a 37 metre super-yacht for £17million.

The luxury superyacht has four double staterooms, a reception area, and salon with 52" LED TVs. It can reach top speeds of 43 knots, though you'd never know it from the calm Art Deco interior.

Meanwhile, when you get back to dry land you can drive off in the 'free' matching supercar, which is powered by a 880hp twin turbo V12 engine, can do 233mph and is be parked in the built in garage.

If you have the sort of money to splash out on a £17m toy you will have to act quick as only six are being produced… also, we don't suppose you want to buy an odd news website do you?

Swedish firm Strand Craft say that despite the large price tag they have already had a number of enquiries from 'very wealthy' people in the Middle East.

Boss Kurt Strand added: "We have had a lot of interest from all over the world, specifically the Middle East, it was designed for luxury and for people who want the best.

"The custom made super car is the best feature, both the boat and the car are very high performance and the boat is very fast.

"It is very unique and we are making it in limited numbers, so it’s exclusive, we are only making six."

Got some gossip to share with the Superyacht Spy at Superyachts Directory?  If so we would love to hear from you.  To get in touch click here

SuperYacht Crew Offshore Bank Accounts!

Arranging your finances when you work on board a superyacht can be tricky and while most crew will have bank accounts in their home countries, offshore accounts have proven to be a must!

Cosmo Crew with offices in Marina Baie Des Anges in the south of France have teamed up with Standard Bank Offshore to provide Captains, Engineers, Deck Officers, Chefs and Interior crew with FREE Offshore Bank Accounts & Debit Cards.

Standard Bank Offshore are a leading provider of Yacht Crew Offshore Bank Accounts and have offices in Jersey, the Isle of Man and Mauritius.  They provide a range of services for the personal, professional and corporate client, including banking, fiduciary and corporate services, stock-broking, asset management and offshore fund management.  To contact Cosmo Crew simply email offshore@cosmo-crew.com

Got some gossip to share with the Superyacht Spy at Superyachts Directory?  If so we would love to hear from you.  To get in touch click here

Can you pass on a useful tip to fellow crew working on board superyachts.  Here at Superyachts Directory, we would love to hear from you.  To get in touch click here

Party Party at The Superyacht Cup in Palma

Because they have plenty to celebrate, MTN and e3 Systems will be co-sponsoring a themed evening party to be held at the 2010 Superyacht Cup Palma in Spain on June 24, 2010.

Over 20 superyachts, 600 participants, and 1,000 owners, crew, guests, and industry representatives are expected to attend.

The companies are celebrating the fact that after successful sea trials of the 557-foot MY Eclipse, the world’s largest yacht they can reveal that it is they who are the chosen VSAT services provider.

This equipment means that owner Roman Abromovitch can send reports, access remote files, and enjoy television via The Jetstream.

“The Jetstream is the first IP-based full service solution designed specifically for superyachts,” said Will Faimatea, founder and director of Bond Technical Management, who developed The Jetstream. “Your media services are available to you on any computer with a reliable satellite Internet connection, anytime, anywhere.”

“Our world-class customers deserve world-class infrastructure and services,” said Derik Wagner, managing director of yacht services, MTN. “They rely on our guaranteed CIR’s, superior customer support, and reliable, private global network to support their business and entertainment needs wherever their yachting takes them.”

Got some gossip to share with the Superyacht Spy at Superyachts Directory?  If so we would love to hear from you.  To get in touch click here

Celebrity Massages aboard Superyachts

Camper Nicholsons International and Charter Spa Services teamed up to offer a highly successful massage promotion on board the superyacht Cloud 9 during the MYBA show in Genoa.


During the show in Genoa last month 26 brokers from some of the top agencies in the yachting industry were treated to massages by Heather Hawthorne and Charter Spa Services onboard the stunning yacht.


Charter Marketing Managers for Camper Nicholsons arranged the promotion on Cloud 9 and invited attending brokers to personally experience the luxury, pampering spa treatments available for their charter clients.


Cloud 9 has extra accomodation for supernumeraries like massage therapists so it was the perfect yacht to offer the promotion on. Lucky brokers were able to see the transformation of the yachts gym into a tranquil and relaxing massage treatment room while experiencing a massage from the industry’s top massage and beauty professional.


Charter Spa Services has been dedicated to the well-being of yacht owners and charter guests since 1997. Heather Hawthorne is a US licensed professional massage and skin care therapist with over 15 years experience. She has completed charters on more than 50 of the world’s most prestigious charter yachts over the past 13 years and many of her clients have been top celebrities from the worlds of Movies and popular Music.


Her list of Celebrities treated include Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas, NBA Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley and wife Chris, Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett, Denzel Washington, Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta, music producer David Foster, Island Records' Founder Chris Blackwell, world-famous jewelry designer Elsa Peretti along with prime ministers, Academy Award winners, international politicians and nobel laureates, 


Got some gossip to share with the Superyacht Spy at Superyachts Directory?  If so we would love to hear from you.  To get in touch click here

Superyacht X-Rated

Here is EXCLUSIVE news of a brand new book that’s going to get some hearts thumping as blood pressures get raised in the superyacht industry

Called Superyacht X Rated it describes a superyacht industry as only we know it and the publishers blurb goes on to say:

A couple of hundred thousand dollars a week will buy you an itinerary with exotic ports of call like Ibiza, Monaco and St.Tropez and a dozen dedicated crew members catering to your every whim: the ideal retreat for the mega-rich and famous. But mix unlimited cash with booze and bikini models and you get a recipe for scandal...and below deck, the crew see it all.

Superyacht X-Rated is Marc Wilder's time spent living, working and partying on the world's most luxurious floating palaces condensed into one rip-roaring charter.

Every outrageous tale of Russian gangsters, high class prostitutes, devious Captains, crazy initiations, shocking scams and daring swindles in this hilarious, sexy book is based on true events - you'll have to read it to believe it.

And the moment you dry your eyes from laughter you'll be signing up to join the crew on the next superyacht out of Monaco to search out the kind of life-changing adventure only available on the high seas.

This book is not for the faint-hearted.

Paperback 288 pages

Published
07/06/2010

Publisher
John Blake Publishing Ltd

ISBN
9781844549702


Got some gossip to share with the Superyacht Spy at Superyachts Directory?  If so we would love to hear from you.  To get in touch click here

Stars on Superyachts Sail to St Lucia

St Lucia has always been a popular destination with many superyachts. Now with the opening of new IYG super yacht facilities at Rodney Bay Marina the island is seeing celebrities arriving with their mega yachts.

Recent visitors have included rock star Bono, golfer Tiger Woods, Russian entrepreneur Roman Abramavich and US talks show host Oprah. The new facilities can now take yachts on 32 dedicated berths up to 76 metres in length.

The new airport terminal at Hewanorra International Airport in Vieux-Fort is designed to accommodate increased airlift, which is scheduled to triple in the summer of 2010 and to bring the airport up to speed with international trends and standards. Work started on the new terminal in January 2010 and it will take two years to complete.

St Lucia’s first casino is due to open next month and the Baywalk Shopping Mall in Rodney is close to completion with two floors of retail shops including some of the world’s best luxury brands.


Got some gossip to share with the Superyacht Spy at Superyachts Directory?  If so we would love to hear from you.  To get in touch click here

Superyachts, a Passion for the Berlusconi Family

With the Italian government in Rome launching plans to recover 24 billion Euros in back taxes, the Ferreti Custom Line Yard in Ancona has, according to the newspaper Corriere della Sera, launched a brand new superyacht for Pier Silvio Berlusconi.

The newspaper reports him as the vice-president of Mediaset but the rest of the world will recognize him as the son of the Italian Prime Minister.

As for the yacht, she is a Custom Line 124, said to be worth 18 million Euros.  She has 4 suites and a fitness room, can reach a speed of 27 knots flat out and can accommodate up to ten people in addition to six crew.

Ferreti have described the yacht as the first of the124 series, the new flagship of the fleet of planing yachts from Custom Line.

This is not the first time Pier Silvio Berlusconi had chosen Ancona as the Italian city to supply his boat.  Three years ago he took delivery of Suegno a 30 metres superyacht said to have cost about ten million Euros.


Got some gossip to share with the Superyacht Spy at Superyachts Directory?  If so we would love to hear from you.  To get in touch click here

The SuperYacht App

Have you ever wondered what the wealthiest people in the world do on board their SuperYachts?  Have you ever wondered why it is that SuperYachting is the most expensive hobby in the world? 

SuperYachts have always been the ultimate symbol of luxury, wealth and power and because of that, they attract a large following of people who simply want to know more.

Whatever the size, almost all superyachts carry an array of lavish amenities from olympic size swimming pools, hot tubs and saunas, full blown, on-board spas and gymnasiums.  Yet the questions that most on lookers and superyacht spotters want answered are which yacht carries what and indeed who really owns them?

Now, by outlaying less than a dollar you can find out!  All you need is an iPhone, iPod Touch or the all new iPad from Apple.  Then, if you have an iTunes account, all you need do is download an app called “Yachts– 50 of the Largest” which show a picture of the yacht along with an informative selection detailing some of the most interesting, extravagant and indulgent SuperYachts of today.  It provides all the specifications for each yacht as well as giving an insight into who owns the Yacht and a focus on that yachts unique features. 

You are not going to believe how awesome these SuperYachts are!  You can use the app to find out which SuperYachts have on-board discos, cinemas, recording studios and even bowling alleys. And you can check out which of them has the most boyz toyz!!

Check out the listings to see which SuperYacht carries the most tenders, wave runners, Hobie cats, inflatable islands, scuba diving gear, submarines, sea planes and helicopters that are just one small part of the onboard arsenal of fun.

The app is produced by SuperYacht enthusiast Gregory Minnar who markets the app thorough his company  GMYC Applications and when it comes to finding out more about SuperYachts, it is second only to our own directory for giving accurate and useful information about the world of SuperYachts

Got some gossip to share with the Superyacht Spy at Superyachts Directory?  If so we would love to hear from you.  To get in touch click here