After recently selling his 376-ft. ‘Pelorus’ megayacht to Hollywood mogul David Geffen for $300 million, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich can finally revel in his new toy, the 536-ft. ‘Eclipse’, the world’s largest private yacht. The monster of a vessel was delivered about six months ago and is now available through the ultra-exclusive brokerage SuperYachtsMonaco for charter at a rate of $2 million per week.
The yacht is at the top of its game, hailing from revered German shipyard Blohm + Voss, a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Terrence Disdale Design has designed both the exterior and interior, with the naval architecture under the direction of Francis Design. According to JamesList, the megayacht is now the world’s most expensive yacht charter today. And there’s little wonder as to why.
The behemoth can accommodate up to 30 guests and 75 crewmembers, with a an intruder detection system, German military-grade missile defense system, armor plating, bulletproof windows, three helipads, two swimming pools and several hot tubs, and a wellness center, along with a slew of other luxurious features. A 5,000 square foot master suite keeps company with 11 guest cabins, each with a six-foot movie screen in it, a disco hall, three launch boats, and a submarine that can dive to a depth of 160 feet.
The oligarch apparently really values his privacy, as he’s had the ‘Eclipse’ outfitted with an anti-paparazzi shield in the form of lasers that sweep the surroundings. If any electric charges from CCDs are detected, the system shines a light directly at the camera to prevent the photography from taking place. Of course, the system can be shut off in case any passengers want to take some pictures themselves.
Although the ‘Eclipse’ cost nearly $800 million to build, Abramovich only paid around $485 million for it after negotiations. Although he got that bargain, it is estimated to cost the wealthy Russian $50 million a year in upkeep alone, with a trip to the fuel station costing $650,000 each time.
