One of life’s finest experiences, chartering a superyacht affords you pampering, privacy and the freedom to choose your destination from among the best ports of call—with most cruising the Caribbean in winter and Europe’s seas in summer. But like searching for a significant other, finding the right match is not just about appearance but also compatibility and shared interests. Which of these top five boats makes your heart flutter?
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For the Family: ‘Flying Fox’
Image Credit: Guillaume Plisson Big families need big space. At a staggering 466 feet from bow to stern, the Flying Fox is the world’s largest and, at $3.9 million per week, most-expensive charter superyacht on the market. This newly launched floating palace has room for 25 guests in 11 suite-like cabins, each with its own private waterfront terrace. And to take care of your every wish and whim, there’s a crew of 54. To keep the kids amused, Flying Fox comes with a 39-foot-long swimming pool, a small flotilla of water toys, an outdoor cinema and an indoor screening room with vibrating D-box seats.
WEEKLY RATE: $3.9 million through Imperial Yachts
BUILT BY: Lürssen in 2019
LENGTH: 466 feet
MAX SPEED: 20 knots
GUESTS: 25
CREW: 54
BONUS FEATURE: The 4,306-square-foot, two-level spa with onboard therapists to escape the more demanding members of the family -
For the on-the-go CEO: ‘Lady S’
Image Credit: Courtesy of Edmiston For any captain of industry, a superyacht charter can’t be all play and no work; the big wheels have to keep on turning. Which is why the spectacular, shiny-new 305-foot Lady S makes the perfect floating corporate command center. After all, its owner is billionaire Daniel Snyder, who, in addition to owning the Washington Redskins, was the youngest CEO to list a company on the New York Stock Exchange. Lady S includes a fully connected owner’s office, a helipad to hop to on-shore meetings and a golf simulator and on-deck tee to keep up your game, even at sea.
WEEKLY RATE: $1.6 million through Edmiston
BUILT BY: Feadship in 2019
LENGTH: 305 feet
MAX SPEED: 18 knots
GUESTS: 12
CREW: 33
BONUS FEATURE: For watching The Wolf of Wall Street, Lady S is the world’s first superyacht to have an IMAX Dolby movie theater. -
For the Entertainer: ‘Solandge’
Image Credit: Klaus Jordan When it comes to partying at sea, the 279-foot megayacht Solandge is all the rave thanks to a serious array of options. Dance the night away on the top deck, where the hot tub converts into a Plexiglas dance floor with neon lighting and a disco ball that hangs from the radar arch. And to provide the tunes, there’s a state-of-the-art DJ mixing deck along with the latest Studio Evolution karaoke system.
WEEKLY RATE: $1.1 million through Fraser Yachts
BUILT BY: Lürssen in 2013 and refit in 2019
LENGTH: 279 feet
MAX SPEED: 17 knots
GUESTS: 12
CREW: 29
BONUS FEATURE: The open-air cinema with its enormous screen strung between carbon-fiber poles -
For the Mermaid or Merman: ‘Nero’
Image Credit: Courtesy of Burgess Yachts Inspired by the rakish Corsair series of superyachts owned by renowned financier J. P. Morgan in the 1920s and ’30s, the 296-foot Nero is all about style, elegance and classic beauty. Oh, and water toys. For lovers of aquatic adventure, the yacht comes with its own onboard Royal Yachting Association (RYA) training center, with instructors on hand to help you master one of those crazy Flyboard water jet packs, tame the personal watercraft or waterski behind one of a trio of high-powered tenders.
WEEKLY RATE: Booked for 2020, but plan on at least $555,000 for 2021, through Burgess Yachts
BUILT BY: Corsair in 2007 and refit in 2016
LENGTH: 296 feet
MAX SPEED: 17 knots
GUESTS: 12
CREW: 20
BONUS FEATURE: A duplex owner’s suite with lounge, study and his and hers bathrooms for indoor water enthusiasts -
For the Foodie: ‘Sherakhan’
Image Credit: Christopher Scholey Savoring gourmet cuisine on any superyacht charter should be a given. But on the 229-foot Sherakhan, food gets elevated to an art form. That’s because Michelin-starred executive chef Antoine Smulders is doing the cooking. The former royal chef to the king and queen of the Netherlands, Smulders worked in numerous Michelin-rated kitchens around the world before joining Sherakhan in 2018. The perfect setting to enjoy his talents is the double-height, galleried dining room with seating for 26.
WEEKLY RATE: $425,000 through Y.CO
BUILT BY: Vuyk en Zonen in 2005 and refit in 2018
LENGTH: 229 feet
MAX SPEED: 13 knots
GUESTS: 26
CREW: 19
BONUS FEATURE: Sink into the 18-person hot tub, and through its glass floor get a glimpse of the fish swimming in the sea.
