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Boat of the Week: This Historic 325-Foot Superyacht Hosted JFK, Winston Churchill, and Elizabeth Taylor

Christina o , owned by aristotle onassis, has a rich past that includes visits by prime ministers and presidents, love affairs with famous opera singers, and 42 phone lines. it is now available for charter., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

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It wasn’t always a glamorous superyacht . The vessel started out as Canadian Navy Frigate,  HMCS Stormont , built in 1943 by Vickers of Montreal. It played an active role in World War II. In 1952, Onassis acquired it for $34,000 as part of a block purchase of ten ships that he intended to convert into a fleet of whaling vessels. When plans fell through, he kept Stormont for himself, spending $4 million (or about $46 million in today’s dollars) to convert it into a luxury superyacht—the first true gigayacht. He lengthened the hull by 29 feet and named it Christina after his daughter.

No expense was spared for its rebirth. Powered by steam engines that delivered a top speed of 21 knots, the yacht was equipped with five fast launches, a glass-bottomed boat for underwater observation, a small dinghy, two kayaks, a Fiat 500, and a five-seater Piaggio P.136L-2. (This was the same seaplane that crashed in 1973, killing Onassis’s 24-year-old son Alexander.)

Christina was one of the few yachts of its time to have an elevator, not to mention a surgical operating theater with radiography equipment. The mosaiced swimming pool also broke molds, with a minotaur-themed lifting floor that converted into a dance floor.

A close-knit group of Onassis’s friends and family partied alongside powerful figures and stars of the silver screen, including Marilyn Monroe, Margot Fonteyn, Frank Sinatra, the Rockefellers, the Rothschilds and Paul Getty. Ex-King Farouk of Egypt referred to the yacht as “the height of opulence.” The guests were entertained in reception lounges that are now famous with whispered stories.

The wood-paneled Jackie O Lapis Lounge on the main deck—named after a lapis-lazuli fireplace rumored to have cost a princely sum of one dollar per square centimeter—is stocked with rare books and a self-playing electric piano. The fake El Grecos that Onassis hung during his ownership—“If people want to believe they are authentic, why spoil their pleasure,” he once quipped—have been switched for real masterpieces by Renoir, Le Corbusier and Chirico.

Adjacent is Ari’s Bar where orca teeth serve as armrests for stools and are engraved with scenes from Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey . Wood from a sunken Spanish galleon was used for the bar. On the walls hang portraits of John Wayne, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, all guests aboard the boat.

Christina was also a place where Onassis conducted business, thanks to the network of 42 telephone lines across the boat. John F. Kennedy and Winston Churchill had their first encounter on the yacht. Britain’s wartime Prime Minister enjoyed eight voyages between 1958 and 1965 and was the only guest for whom Onassis gave up his own suite. The Library is named in his honor.

The 16 additional guest cabins are named after and inspired by Greek islands. The Ithaca suite was Christina’s cabin, which she surrendered to Greta Garbo, Maria Callas and Jackie Kennedy (prior to her marriage to Onassis in 1975) whenever they visited. They each feature wood, marble and gold bathroom fittings. The pastel color schemes were selected by Jackie O, who was renowned for her restoration of the White House.

Maria Callas embarked on a nine-year-long love affair with Onassis in 1959. The Maria Callas Lounge contains her original grand Steinway piano. Her wedding rings from her first marriage and a solid silver Tiffany dish presented to her by JFK are displayed by the entrance, and the entire collection of her operatic recordings are available to play. For film nights, there is a remote-controlled projector.

After Onassis’ death in 1975, his daughter gifted the boat to the Greek government and a slow deterioration ensued. In 1999, a new owner, Onassis family friend John Paul Papanicolaou, undertook a sizable refit estimated at $50 million that replaced 65 percent of the steel hull. He also renamed the vessel Christina O .

Subsequent refit work from 2016 to 2018 added an aft deck bimini system and a boarding platform for easier guest transfers. Two sets of Vosper stabilizer fins were installed, along with cold rooms, an incineration chamber and garbage compactor for the lower deck galley. A split-level Jacuzzi deck now overlooks a bar and large dining table with intricate marquetry inlays depicting the tales of Ulysses.

A pair of restored mahogany HackerCraft tenders sit alongside original features, such as the circular staircase with its onyx and silver handrail, vintage wall lights and leather settees.

The vessel has recently been a case of life imitating art. Christina O played a starring role in the Netflix series  The Crown and 2022 comedy  Triangle of Sadness . The 1956 wedding reception held on board for Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly was echoed in 2019 when supermodel Heidi Klum was married on board. Most recently, Rupert Murdoch chartered the yacht in July for a family reunion in Positano, Italy.

Other amenities include a spa with two full-time therapists forming part of the 38 crew and a chest of water toys, including an inflatable slide and Flyboard. Those weren’t toys that were available when Onassis acquired the vessel and turned it into a superyacht, but one imagines he would’ve approved.

Christina O can be chartered around $768,500 per week with Morley Yachts.

Click here to see more images of Christina O.

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• The story of the CHRISTINA O
• April 27, 2023

The story of Christina O

In 1954 Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis purchased a Canadian war weary frigate and transformed her into the most luxurious and world-famous private yacht, naming her after his daughter Christina O. Famous for hosting the superyacht elite, the ‘Christina’ welcomed Hollywood stars, famous musicians, as well as heads of state, to name just a few.

It is said that this legendary yacht is where John F Kennedy first met Winston Churchill and in Autumn 1963 where Jackie Kennedy first met Aristotle Onassis; she had been invited to spend time on the ‘Christina’ by her younger sister. The ‘ CHRISTINA O ‘ is perhaps the most written about yacht ever, and has witnessed some of the most iconic events of the last century.

Aristotle’s beloved Christina Onassis

Born in 1950 in New York City, the only daughter and sole heiress of Aristotle, Christina was supposed to live a sheltered and carefree life, but she was haunted by family scandal, the death of all her close relatives and four unsuccessful marriages. In 1988, Christina Onassis, the golden heiress of the Onassis shipping fortune, died in Argentina at the age of just thirty-eight.

Christina spent her life as a rich girl, living a life of extreme wealth and luxury. She is said to have ordered a helicopter to fly from Austria to Switzerland to retrieve a music cassette she’d forgotten.  Her marriage to French pharmaceutical heir Thierry Roussel produced Christina’s only child, Athina.

Christina Onassis

She had learned about business and finance in the New York offices of her father, beginning as a twenty-year-old secretary and later working at her father’s headquarters in Monaco. Following the tragic death of her brother Alexander and then her father a short while later in 1975, Christina gave up her American citizenship and became a dual citizen of Greece and Argentina for the remainder of her life.  She proved to have smart business acumen and gradually strengthened her hold over the Onassis Group, running the entire family empire. She donated the American portion of her holdings in her father’s company to the American Hospital of Paris with half of Aristotle’s estate used to establish the Alexander Onassis Foundation.

Onassis was considering starting a new life for herself and her daughter in Argentina, but sadly in 1988, Christina was found dead in a friend’s home , another chapter in the Greek tragedy of the Onassis family. She left Athina as her heir, to inherit an estate worth a reported $250 million and is buried alongside her beloved father and brother in the family cemetery on the island of Skorpios.

ABOUT THE MEGAYACHT  ‘CHRISTINA  O’ – The story of Christina O

On the death of Aristotle Onassis in 1975 the ‘Christina’ became the property of the Greek Government but fell into disrepair until in 2001, Greek businessman and Onassis’ friend Pavlos Papanikolaou took responsibility and spent two years  restoring  her to her former glory. With her most recent refit completed in 2020 – this unique megayacht can now host 34 guests in 17 cabins and entertain more than 150 guests while at anchor. She is the perfect venue for family and friend celebrations and corporate entertainment .

More information about Christina O, and the story of the yacht are following.

Living in Opulence and Style

The exterior of Christina O stands out from other superyachts owing to her clipper bow, long line, dazzling white topsides, and vibrant yellow funnel, but her interiors are also uniquely amazing. Relax in the main deck’s Lapis Lounge named for its stunning lapis-lazuli framed fireplace, and you will find oak adorned walls, paintings by the grand masters and sumptuous settees. Or you may prefer to enjoy listening to the sound of Onassis’ famous lover Maria Callas as her operatic talent plays in the  Callas Lounge . With three pianos on board including two Steinways you can enjoy music to your heart’s content and imagine what it must have been like to listen to Maria Callas or Frank Sinatra perform live. For family entertainment the Callas Lounge also proffers a cinema with state-of-the-art sound system. Alternatively you can enjoy a drink from a whale-skin bar stool, at the rope-adorned Aris Bar where Onassis liked to socialise with his guests.

Along with the Aris Bar, the main deck is also home to a dining salon with a 24-seater table, and a stunning atrium houses a spiral staircase leading to the other salons and promenade deck above.

Accommodation on board comprises the oak panelled Onassis Master Suite with its crystal lit bedroom, marble bathroom, library and sitting room with original onyx fireplace. Guests are also well looked after in ten double staterooms on the main deck. While the lower deck can accommodate a further  eight cabins.

At the heart of any luxury holiday or celebration is the haute cuisine. Christina O’s Head Chef can be counted on to produce star-rated cuisine , ably assisted by the Pastry Chef, the Sous Chef and Sommelier on board. The team can be relied on to offer exquisite international cuisine ranging from fresh sushi to sumptuous desserts accompanied of course, by the best wines.

Equipment and outdoor space

Not only does ‘Christina O’ have an enviable selection of  toys   and  watersports equipment , matching the most modern of her peers, but she also offers the extra benefit of vast desk space and incomparable style, offering multiple options for lounging and socialising.

The top ‘compass deck’ provides a host of sun loungers and a bar, while the promenade deck below features a spa pool, jacuzzi bar and the opportunity for alfresco dining.  Whether you prefer swimming or dancing – the main deck offers an impressive flexibility as its wondrous mosaic swimming pool. It can be easily converted, by raising its base to become a dance floor. You will also find a glass-panelled gym on board.

With a water sports instructor on the crew, you can enjoy either exhilarating or relaxing time on the water. Water toys include a Flyboard and a waterslide allowing guests to hastily reach the sea from the sun deck in seconds. Alternatively you can take to the sea on Seadoos, kayaks, paddleboards, towable toys. Or spend more relaxing time snorkelling or watching the world go by from the inflatable swim platform. For travel from the boat ‘ Christina O ’ also has you covered – with launches, tenders and lifeboats of course.

Performance and Range

Powered by twin MAN engines and with a stabilisation system, the ’Christina O’ comfortably cruises at 14 knots and can reach a maximum speed of 19 knots. With an enviable range of up to 5,000 nautical miles you can travel to the ends of the Earth in comfort.

Classic yacht ‘ CHRISTINA O ‘ is an outstanding pedigree yacht that delivers on all fronts for a superlative luxury yacht vacation .  If you are looking to entertain or be entertained in a setting which combines opulence with the echoes of an iconic past, the ‘ CHRISTINA O ‘ Megayacht will give you the flavour of the amazing lifestyle enjoyed by the jetsetters of the past. Christina O and her 38 strong crew are available for charter cruising within the Caribbean and Central America .

For more information about the story of Christina O, please contact us at [email protected] or visit CHRISTINA O on our website .

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CHRISTINA O Yacht – Paradise-like $40M Superyacht

Conceptualized by Aristotle Onassis, a Greek shipping magnate, the Christina O entertained the stars of the 20th century.

Onassis hosted the likes of Winston Churchill, Grace Kelly, and Elizabeth Taylor. The $40 million yacht hosted legendary parties, scandals, and luxury on the first personal yacht.

CHRISTINA O yacht interior

After World War II, Onassis bought the River-class frigate and spent $4 million converting the vessel into a luxurious superyacht named after his daughter.

The opulence reflected his tastes, with a Minotaur-themed mosaic swimming pool that could be raised into a dance floor once drained.

Ari’s Bar had barstools upholstered with the foreskins of whales, with whales’ teeth as the footrests and ivory armrests.

The bathrooms were in marble, and the fittings were in gold. The fireplace in the famous Lapis Lazuli lounge was encrusted in lapis lazuli.

Illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans designed and painted the children’s dining room. When Onassis died, his daughter donated the boat to the Greek government, which let the masterpiece go to rot.

In 1999, she was bought back from the Greek government by John Paul Papanicolaou and completely gutted.

The CHRISTINA O yacht was refitted with replicas of the lavish features Onassis was so proud of. The interior of the yacht reflects an English country manor house style.

During the refit, more accommodation was added to the vessel. The staterooms are smaller compared to 21st-century yachts. CHRISTINA O has a master suite and 17 passenger staterooms.

She can accommodate 34 guests on board and 39 crew. A spiral staircase connects the many indoor and outdoor living spaces.

She lacks the indoor boat storage that is now standard on superyachts, but she has many living areas, and the deck space is very generous.

She also features a glass-paneled gym, a music room, and other luxury amenities. The compass deck features areas for lounging and sunbathing, while the deck below, called the promenade deck, had an aft spa pool and dining area.

She also has a tender garage filled with toys for fun on the water.

CHRISTINA O yacht exterior

Canadian Vickers built the CHRISTINA O yacht in 1943. She served in Normandy during WWII but later became a surplus relic.

Onassis bought the vessel for her scrap value. Onassis charged the Howaldt Shipyard in Germany with creating the lavish personal yacht.

Caesar Pinnau, a German professor of architecture, created classic lines and a high stern for the new and improved CHRISTINA O.

The classic yellow funnel remains to this day. While the yacht retains some of her rugged exteriors, she appears low-slung and eye-catching in the water.

CHRISTINA O yacht specifications

With a length of 99.1m, the CHRISTINA O yacht has a beam of 11.12m and a draft of 4.24m.

She has a volume of 1802 gross tons; she has a top speed of 19 knots and a cruising speed of 14 knots. Her MAN engines give her a range of 5000 nautical miles.

She was one of the first boats to fit an onboard stabilization system for guests’ comfort.

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In pictures: all aboard iconic superyacht Christina O

Her storied history includes serving in WW2 and hosting Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly’s wedding reception 

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The superyacht Christina O did not start her life on the seas as a playground for the rich and famous. Constructed in 1943 by Montreal-based shipbuilder Canadian Vickers, the 99m Canadian frigate - originally called HMCS Stormont - was first used to serve in the Second World War and was present at the D-Day landings in Normandy in 1944.

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Acquired in 1954 by Aristotle Onassis, it was the Greek billionaire shipping magnate that transformed the Stormont into one of the world’s most luxurious superyachts . Renamed after his daughter, Onassis spent $4m on the refurbishment of a ship that would become an elite and exclusive entertainment destination.

From John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Winston Churchill to Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy, who Onassis later married, Christina O hosted some of the world’s most influential people during her glory years. The wedding reception of Monaco’s Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly was also held on board, while legendary Hollywood couple Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were regular guests.

Today the Christina O can be hired for corporate events and be chartered for private use. Charter prices start from €560,000 (£492,900) a week in low season to €630,000 (£554,700) a week in high season. See morleyyachts.com

‘Greatest yacht of them all’

After a number of refits, the ship has been meticulously restored. It can sleep up to 34 guests who can enjoy the same luxury experienced by the famous visitors of yesteryear. Designed to the highest standard, Onassis’s “unique taste is everywhere”, says Boat International magazine. Christina O is regarded by many as the “greatest yacht of them all”.

Swimming pool

One of the highlights aboard the superyacht is the beautiful swimming pool. Designed with a tiled bull mosaic, the pool can turn into a dance floor at the flip of a switch.

Jacuzzi deck

Relaxation is the top activity on the Christina O. As well as the Jacuzzi deck (pictured) the ship also has an indoor air-conditioned gym and a spa which offers beauty treatments and massages.

Callas Lounge

The surroundings inside the yacht are as plush as the exteriors. The Callas Lounge (pictured) is named after the American-born Greek soprano Maria Callas. Regarded as one of the influential opera singers of the 20th century, it’s said that her “opera notes still play in the Callas Lounge”.

Ari’s Bar

The legendary Ari’s Bar is christened in tribute to Aristotle Onassis himself as “this was one of his favourite places in which to enjoy a drink”, says Yacht Charter Fleet .

Ranked 56 in the Top 100 Largest Yachts in the World list, Christina O is the “epitome of elegance and luxury”, says Superyachts.com . “Its capacious deck can host up to 250 guests beneath extensive canopies, perfect for a special occasion or one-off corporate incentive.” Other amenities include the Galaxy Bar on the Compass deck and the large Jacuzzi on the Promenade deck.

Onassis’ Suite

The expansive and luxurious Onassis Suite is situated on the bridge deck and holds a spacious bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and a private en-suite lounge, says Superyachts.com .

Spiral staircase

Christina O’s elegant marble-railed spiral staircase covers three decks and at the bottom is the floor depicting Onassis’ Omega emblem.

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Mike Starling is the digital features editor at The Week, where he writes content and edits the Arts & Life and Sport website sections and the Food & Drink and Travel newsletters. He started his career in 2001 in Gloucestershire as a sports reporter and sub-editor and has held various roles as a writer and editor at news, travel and B2B publications. He has spoken at a number of sports business conferences and also worked as a consultant creating sports travel content for tourism boards. International experience includes spells living and working in Dubai, UAE; Brisbane, Australia; and Beirut, Lebanon. 

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Christina O

• 99.13m | Canadian Vickers | 1943 (2020)
• captain & crew
• chef & cuisine
• specifications
• testimonials

Operations Manager Florin Belciug has worked on Christina O for 13 years and has come to regard the yacht as home.

He started his maritime career on cruise ships, working for Cunard, Seaborne and the Seven Seas before joining Christina O in 2007. ‘Stepping onto Christina O was so different from what I had done before. I loved it from my first day on board and it has become my home and my family. I don’t ever see my life without Christina O.’

The 99.13m Christina O has a unique history like no other yacht in existence. Originally built in 1943 as a frigate by Canadian Vickers, this former war ship was subsequently converted into one of the world’s most iconic superyachts under the discerning eye of Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis.

Spotting her potential as a fabulous craft for entertaining a veritable Who’s Who from the worlds of business, entertainment and politics, Onassis oversaw an ambitious renovation in the early 1950s, transforming her into a sleek classic which easily stands the test of time against the very best 21 st century superyachts.

Among her most jaw-dropping assets are the inimitable Ari’s Bar - which remains almost entirely as it was created 70 years ago - and the mosaic swimming pool whose base can be raised hydraulically to create a dance floor. Further small modifications were also made in 2019.

Another outstanding feature setting her apart from other yachts for charter is the sheer amount of deck space available. Four open decks offer ample space for hosting an incredible 157 partygoers for cocktails or day trips, while clever layout and design also allows for more intimate settings for just a handful of guests.

It’s no surprise to learn that the type of charter guest attracted to Christina O is more impressed by her provenance and pedigree than merely deluxe mod cons. People want to experience her history, charm and unique sense of style. With beautifully appointed accommodation for 36 guests - far more than an average yacht can offer – Christina O is also popular with large families who appreciate the abundance of space on board.

As operations manager, a position which amazingly is not de rigueur on every superyacht, Florin is the first point of contact between guests, captain and crew and his planning starts from the moment a charter contract is signed.   

‘From that point on, the guests are in my hands,’ he explains. ‘I’m in touch with them to organize the trip, create an itinerary, and make plans on board and ashore.

‘I communicate the clients’ needs to the officers, broker, captain and engineer as well as looking after onboard operations including the interior team and service. I also discuss menus with the chef, and study weather reports to decide where and when we will pull up the anchor and drop anchor.

‘I love setting the daily schedule the night before. You wake up and try to follow it, but you also have to adapt and improvise according to the guests’ requests and desires. I’m in touch 100% of the time from start to finish to create the perfect trip for them and their family.’

Naturally, the job involves patience, discretion and the ability to anticipate what guests want, which Florin prides himself on getting right. 

‘Clients are usually well organized but when they come on holiday, they switch their minds off and just want to relax,’ he says. ‘I have to read this and interpret what they want. Things can change by the hour and that is challenging but I love this part of the job. I’ve never enjoyed routine; I prefer every day to be different.’

In the past 13 years, Florin has worked with a number of excellent captains on board and Christina O’s new captain is no exception.

‘We are very happy to have him with us. He is charming, positive, hands on and has a very nice personality. I think he will be the perfect captain for us.’

With her unique history, Christina O enjoys a level of loyalty among her charter guests that few yachts can boast. Once owned by Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, Winston Churchill enjoyed nine cruises while Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy both held their wedding receptions on board.

‘I would say that 50% of her appeal is the history and 50% is the amazing crew, who have impeccable backgrounds in hospitality and make each trip really special,’ adds Florin with pride. ‘She has a classic history and charisma that most boats just don’t have, and many charter clients choose her for this reason. They are impressed from the moment they step on board.’ 

So what can you expect from a stay on Christina O? With a little black book of contacts to rival that of any A lister, Florin is adept at organizing a trip which encompasses the highest levels of gastronomy, adventure and romance, whether it’s an intimate barbecue on a deserted beach or dinner for 20 at one of the world’s best restaurants.

‘I have all the contacts wherever we go,’ says Florin. ‘I’m in touch with ship agents based around the itinerary and that rapport starts three or four months before the charter begins.

‘If you tell me you want to go to an area of Italy, I can consult my files, refresh my memory and within 15 minutes, I can tell you the best spot for a night picnic with a fire camp, the perfect bay for swimming or a wonderful restaurant for supper.

‘I am in control of every operation aside from safety and navigation. My role is to be there for the guests and keep in touch with the captain on every need. I liaise with the heads of every department from housekeeping to the bartender - it’s a team effort and the charter cannot be a success without all the crew involved.’

Themed experiences on board include Champagne receptions, formal black and white parties, casino nights with roulette and blackjack tables and Michelin standard taster menus created by Christina O’s executive chef Damian Perrinel.

‘We might start the evening with a Champagne reception and there will be a contest to see who wins the most chips at the casino before guests are invited to sit down for dinner,’ says Florin. ‘We have a long table which seats 28, and Damian, who has worked at several Michelin-starred French restaurants, will present a seven course degustation menu.

‘After dinner, we will offer drinks and petit fours in Ari’s Bar and perhaps guests will head up to the top deck afterwards to dance to a DJ set or a live band. We often lay out an al fresco breakfast the following day on the deck with a continental buffet as well as a la carte choices like eggs Benedict and eggs Florentine.

‘Lunch can be a casual barbecue and buffet on the deck. Guests also love to take some downtime and enjoy a treatment or relaxation session in the spa, where we have two therapists.’

Christina O will cruise the Tyrrhenian sea in July, navigate from Italy to Turkey during August and head towards Greece in the beginning of September. She is fully available in May and June and has still some availability for the first 2 weeks of July and last week of July and starting from the 12th September 2022.

Images: Stef Bravin

How Aristotle Onassis Designed the World's First Superyacht

By Toby Skinner

Before the Christina O , the superyacht as we know it wasn’t a thing.

But in 1954, shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis happened upon a slender, elegantly shaped anti-submarine frigate that had served at the D-Day landings, and paid its scrap value of $34,000. What happened next was typical of the Golden Greek: Naming the boat after his daughter, he spent almost $4 million creating the original floating pleasure palace, adding revolutionary touches like a helipad and the mosaic-tiled bottom of the seawater pool that would rise to become a dance floor at the touch of a button.

Soon Frank Sinatra was playing the Steinway or flirting with Marilyn Monroe on barstools made of whale foreskins at Ari’s Bar—where Winston Churchill is said to have thought that a young John F. Kennedy was a waiter when they first met in the mid-1950s. For all that went down on the 325-foot Christina O, the ship itself was influential, providing a blueprint for both design and hedonism to a generation of superyachts, especially those of fledgling boat designer Jon Bannenberg, whose interior design of Talitha G for the Getty family owed a debt to this original. After Onassis’s death, in 1975, Christina Onassis (shown above, at age 3, on board) donated her namesake to the Greek government, and the ship was allowed to decay until a 2001 overhaul, followed by another restoration 15 years later. Now it’s available to rent—if only those Spanish-galleon-timber walls could talk.

The Christina O can be chartered for $624,500 a week through Morley Yachts .

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Nigerian vitality magnate Femi Otedola is celebrating his sixtieth birthday aboard the personal luxurious motor yacht Christina O.

Christina O is the 59th largest yacht on the earth as of 2022.

The weekly rental value of the yacht, which belongs to billionaire Greek transport magnate Aristotle Onassis who amassed the world’s largest privately owned transport fleet, is $609,000.

Mr Otedola rented the yacht for 3 weeks.

Going by the common charges on Constitution Index, a luxurious yacht rental website, the billionaire should have

Splurged $1.82700m over N801m, for his three-week voyage.

The yacht will sail for 3 weeks across the Mediterranean Sea with 37 crew members.

The billionaire industrialist was filmed boarding the yacht in a luxurious van together with his baggage.

“Mr Femi, welcome again,” he was greeted by one of many crew members, indicating that he had been on the yacht earlier than.

He then exchanged pleasantries with the crew individually.

Mr Otedola is joined on the cruise by his household and his soon-to-be son-in-law, Oluwatosin Ajibade, aka Mr Eazi.

In one other clip, Mr Otedola, who turns 60 on the 4th of November, lounged within the Onassis Suite.

Other than different luxurious facilities, the yacht additionally has a mattress with Otedola’s initials, FO, inscribed.

He joins the elite listing of celebrities and sobersides who’ve loved a cruise on Christina O.

In a press release, Mr Otedola mentioned the Greek transport magnate who owned the superyacht has been his function mannequin since he was 13 years outdated, 47 years in the past.

He mentioned: “As I mark my sixtieth birthday within the coming days, I’m grateful to God for his steady blessings and the knowledge he has continued to bestow upon me.

The times main as much as this milestone have been marked by deep reflection, and I’m trying ahead to crusing the CHRISTINA O with my household for the following three weeks”.

Superstar roll name

Other than Onassis’ mistress Maria Callas and his spouse, Kennedy, different celebrities who boarded the yacht embody Richard Burton, Clementine Churchill, Diana Churchill and Winston Churchill.

Others are John F. Kennedy, Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, Grace Kelly, Anthony Montague Browne, J. Paul Getty, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and John Wayne.

Billionaire industrialist

A local of Epe Native Authorities in Lagos, Mr Otedola was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, in 1962.

He’s the son of a former governor of Lagos State, the late Michael Otedola and Woman Doja, a well-established businesswoman.

He attended the College of Lagos Employees Faculty. He furthered his schooling on the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo College in 1985, Ile–Ife Osun State, the place he acquired his first diploma.

Earlier than going into enterprise, he labored as a advertising and marketing personnel in his household’s printing firm.

He’s the founding father of Forte Oil and Zenon Petroleum and Gasoline Ltd. The billionaire owns different companies, reminiscent of transport, actual property, and finance.

He lately ventured into the vitality enterprise when he based Geregu Energy Plc.

In October, the corporate was admitted into the principle board of the Nigerian Change Restricted, NGX, making it the primary vitality firm in Nigeria to be listed.

Otedola is married to Nana Otedola, and so they have three youngsters Temi, DJ Cuppy and Fewa.

His eldest daughter, Tolani Otedola, is the product of an earlier relationship earlier than he acquired married.

Christina O

Christina O is a personal motor yacht that after belonged to billionaire Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis.

She is the 59th largest yacht worldwide as of 2022, measuring 99.13 metres lengthy.

The boat initially served as a Canadian anti-submarine River-class frigate referred to as HMCS Stormont, launched in 1943.

HMCS Stormont served as a convoy escort through the Battle of the Atlantic and was current on the Normandy landings.

Onassis bought the Stormont after the tip of World Conflict II, because it was one of many many surplus naval vessels.

Buying the ship at a scrap worth of US$34,000, Onassis then spent an extra US$4 million to transform the vessel into an expensive superyacht named after his daughter Christina.

The yacht options giant, ornate interiors and elaborate luxuries: reminiscent of a mosaic swimming pool that, as soon as drained, might be raised to deck degree to grow to be a dance ground.

Architect Cäsar Pinnau remodelled the yacht, and the youngsters’s eating room was designed and painted by the illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans.

Christina O has a fundamental suite, eighteen-passenger staterooms, and quite a few indoor and out of doors dwelling areas, all linked by a spiral staircase.

In 1956 the marriage of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and Grace Kelly held its reception on Christina O

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Jackie and Aristotle Onassis's Former Yacht Is Available to Rent

The luxury ship was frequented by the likes of Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe.

Charter company Morley Yachts has made the ship available to charter , for a mere €740,000 a week ($814,133) during the high season. The Christina O's luxurious offerings include a main suite, 17 guest cabins with ensuite showers, a dining room for up to 40 guests, a swimming pool that converts to a dance floor, and more.

The boat's allure has been well-documented, having lured the likes of Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and more onboard. Actor Richard Burton once had a telling conversation about the yacht's power, per the Telegraph . "I don’t think there is a man or woman on earth who would not be seduced by the pure narcissism shamelessly flaunted on this boat," Burton said, to which Aristotle replied, "I have found that to be so."

When he described the Christina O himself, Aristotle tended to be blunt. "Madame," he would often tell women aboard, "You are sitting on the largest penis in the world."

The boat also hosted Jackie 's wedding to Aristotle in 1968, after which she'd be a frequent guest aboard the Christina O, until they divorced in 1975.

Recently, Christina O featured in the Triangle of Sadness , Ruben Östlund's Best Picture nominated film, and in The Crown season five , recreating Princess Diana and Prince Charles's 1991 trip to Italy .

The Christina O was acquired by new owners in 2023. "When people come on board Christina O they typically have an emotional reaction," Tim Morley, who runs Morley Yachts, told Robb Report . "People love it—and it affects almost everybody in this way, young and old."

Chloe is a News Writer for Townandcountrymag.com , where she covers royal news, from the latest additions to Meghan Markle’s staff to Queen Elizabeth’s monochrome fashions ; she also writes about culture, often dissecting TV shows like The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Killing Eve .

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Classic superyacht Christina O to star in Netflix’s The Crown

Related articles, superyacht directory.

The fifth season of hit Netflix TV show The Crown will see a fleet of superyachts appear on screen, with Christina O the latest to join the cast alongside 73 metre Titania and former Royal Yacht Britannia .

Formerly owned by Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis, the classic 99.15 metre Christina O was first delivered in 1943 before Onassis refurbished her in a $4 million refit under his ownership in the 1950s.

During her lifetime, Christina O served in the Second World War and welcomed aboard a star-studded group of guests including Winston Churchill, the Kennedys, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and Rudolf Nureyev.

For the latest season of The Crown , which depicts the lives of the British royal family during the 1990s, actors Elizabeth Debicki and Domonic West have been working on board Christina O to portray a yachting holiday taken by Princess Diana and Prince Charles in 1991.

The classic superyacht is reportedly playing the part of a 121.95 metre superyacht named Alexander . Delivered in 1965 by German shipyard Lubecker Flender Werke , the superyacht hosted the royals and their sons princes William and Harry a year before the couple separated.

The third largest classic yacht in the world , Alexander boasts an interior volume of 5,933 GT and accommodations for up to 54 guests and 60 crew. Highlights on board include a private cinema, a number of al fresco lounge and dining areas, a dual swimming pool and jacuzzi with panoramic views out to sea, a formal dining room and a certified heli-pad.

Powered by twin MAN diesel engines that produce a total 16,100 HP, Alexander can reach a top speed of 18.5 knots and offers a range of 4,100 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 16 knots.

Alexander has historically spent time cruising the Greek Islands and the Red Sea, but when Princess Diana and Prince Charles were on board they spent their time sailing around Italy. Filming, however, is currently taking place in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Although the exterior of the two yachts is distinctly different, Christina O has classic elements and opulent interiors similar to Alexander , which will likely feature in scenes of the upcoming series due to premiere in November 2022.

For those keen to sample the same experience as the royals, Christina O is available for charter with Morley Yachts with a weekly charter rate starting from €630,000.

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99.13m  /  325'3   canadian vickers   1943 / 2020.

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Why the U.S. put a $1 million bounty on a Russian yacht’s alleged manager

On Sept. 3, 2020, the staff of a $90 million yacht placed an order with a U.S. company for a set of luxury bathrobes that came to $2,624.35.

For roughly two years before that, according to federal prosecutors, the yacht’s management had been falsely claiming it was working for a boat named “Fanta.” But the luxury bathrobes came embroidered with a monogram that, prosecutors said, revealed the yacht’s true identity: “Tango.”

That was a problem, officials say in court papers, because Tango was owned by a Russian billionaire under U.S. sanctions, and doing business on his behalf violated federal law.

Late last month, U.S. authorities unveiled a $1 million reward for information leading to the arrest and or conviction of the man they say was running the yacht staff and orchestrated the deception with the robes — Vladislav Osipov, 52, a Swiss-based businessman from Russia. In a new indictment , federal prosecutors say Osipov misled U.S. banks and companies into doing business with the Tango yacht despite the sanctions on the Russian owner, whom the Justice Department has identified as billionaire Viktor Vekselberg .

Osipov has denied the allegations. Osipov’s attorney has said that the government has failed to demonstrate that Vekselberg owned the yacht, and that its management was therefore not a sanctions violation.

The reward offer for Osipov reflects the latest stage in the evolution of the West’s broader financial war against Russia two years into the war in Ukraine, as the United States and its allies increasingly target intermediaries accused of enabling Russian oligarchs to circumvent sanctions.

Many Russians close to President Vladimir Putin have been under sanctions dating to 2014, when Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine and sent proxy forces into that country’s eastern Donbas region. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, President Biden vowed to deal a “crushing blow” with a barrage of new sanctions on financial institutions, industries, business executives and others tied to the Kremlin. But roughly two years later, Russia’s economy has proved surprisingly resilient after the nation poured tens of billions of dollars into ramping up its military industry. Moscow has also worked around the sanctions, finding new third parties to supply it with critical military and industrial hardware, as well as countries beyond Europe to buy its oil.

Now, the West is trying to increase the reach of its sanctions by digging deeper into Russian supply chains. Late last month, the Treasury Department announced more than 500 new sanctions targeting Russia , primarily on military and industrial suppliers. The Justice Department also announced charges against two U.S.-based “facilitators” of a Russian state banker who is under sanction, as well as the guilty plea of a dual national based in Atlanta who was accused of laundering $150 million through bank accounts and shell companies on behalf of Russian clients.

Prioritizing criminal charges against — and the arrests of — Western employees of Russia’s elites represents a new escalation of the U.S. financial war against Putin, experts say. One Moscow businessman, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said many influential Russians are concerned about the arrest of two associates of Andrey Kostin, the head of VTB, Russia’s second-biggest state bank. These associates, Vadim Wolfson and Gannon Bond, were charged with helping Kostin evade sanctions by maintaining a $12 million property in Aspen, Colo., for Kostin’s benefit while concealing his ownership. Kostin has said that the charges of sanctions evasion against him are “unfounded” and that he has not violated any laws . Bond has pleaded not guilty; Wolfson hasn’t made an initial court appearance yet.

Wolfson, also known as Vadim Belyaev, had been a Russian billionaire until the Russian government took over his bank in 2017. Bond, 49, is a U.S. citizen from Edgewater, N.J. For all Russians living abroad and working with people in Russia, the threat of criminal charges is a much more worrying prospect than the sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department last month against hundreds of individuals and entities, the businessman said, in part because sanctions are far easier to dodge than criminal charges.

“What you have seen through today’s public announcements are our efforts at really targeting the facilitators who possess the requisite skill set, access, connections that allow the Russian war machine [and] the Russian elites to continually have access to Western services and Western goods,” David Lim, co-director of the Justice Department’s KleptoCapture task force, which is tasked with enforcing U.S. sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, told reporters last month.

Thad McBride, an international trade partner at the law firm Bass Berry & Sims, said the crackdown on intermediaries reflected the natural evolution of the U.S. sanctions campaign in response to Russian adjustments.

“It seems to me they have gone through a comprehensive list of the oligarchs, and you can debate whether or not it’s had a meaningful impact on the Russian war effort,” McBride said. “Because they’re getting smarter about who’s who, they’re finding other people who play meaningful roles in these transactions, even though they’re not showing up in the headlines.”

The charges against Osipov related to his alleged management of the Tango yacht illustrate the mounting potential consequences for people in Europe and the United States who attempt to do business with Russians targeted by Western allies, as well as the opaque structures allegedly employed by those seeking to evade sanctions.

With a net worth estimated by Forbes in 2021 at $9 billion, Vekselberg, 66, has long drawn scrutiny from the West — and sought to safeguard his wealth. He made his initial fortune in aluminum and oil in Russia’s privatization of the 1990s and then expanded into industrial and financial assets in Europe, the United States and Africa, with Putin’s blessing. In addition to the yacht, federal prosecutors say, Vekselberg acquired $75 million worth of properties, including apartments on New York’s Park Avenue and an estate in the Long Island town of Southampton.

Vekselberg, who declined to comment for this article, has not been criminally charged by the Justice Department. In a 2019 interview with the Financial Times, he denounced the sanctions as arbitrary and harmful for international business, saying he had been targeted just because he was Russian and rich and knows Putin.

In April 2018, the Treasury Department under the Trump administration sanctioned Vekselberg and six other Russian oligarchs as part of broader financial penalties over the Kremlin’s invasion of Crimea, support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria and interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Vekselberg was also targeted for his work for the Kremlin as chairman of the Skolkovo Foundation, an attempt to create Russia’s version of the Silicon Valley — evidence that appeared to undermine the Russian businessman’s claims that he operated independently of the Kremlin.

But with Vekselberg’s payments monitored by U.S. banks, according to the federal indictment , Osipov used shell companies and intermediaries to avert the bite of sanctions. Vekselberg kept other major assets out of the reach of U.S. authorities by making use of the Treasury Department’s 50 percent ownership rule, which stipulates that it is illegal to transact with firms only if an owner under sanction controls more than 50 percent of the business.

For example, a month after Treasury imposed sanctions on Vekselberg in April 2018, his Renova Innovation Technologies sold its 48.5 percent stake in Swiss engineering giant Sulzer to Tiwel Holding AG, a group that is nevertheless still “beneficially owned” — meaning, owned in practice — by Vekselberg through Columbus Trust, a Cayman Islands trust, according to Sulzer’s corporate filing. Vekselberg’s longtime right-hand man at Renova, Alexei Moskov, replaced one of Vekselberg’s direct representatives on the board. Moskov told The Washington Post that he stepped down from all his executive positions at Renova Group in 2018 after U.S. sanctions were first imposed and from that moment ceased to be Vekselberg’s employee.

The attempts to circumvent the sanctions appear to have found some success in the U.S. legal system. Columbus Nova, a U.S.-based asset management fund controlling more than $100 million in assets in the U.S. financial and tech industry, is run by Vekselberg’s cousin, Andrew Intrater. The firm battled for more than two years to lift a freeze on Columbus Nova’s assets, imposed by Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control because of the sanctions on Vekselberg, and won, reaching a settlement agreement with the Treasury Department. After renaming itself Sparrow Capital LLC, Columbus Nova successfully argued that Intrater — not Vekselberg — owns the fund. Intrater argued that the company was 100 percent owned by U.S. citizens and that no individual or entity under sanction held any interest in it. Intrater said Columbus Nova had earned fees for managing investment funds owned by Renova. He said he had repeatedly told Treasury he would not distribute any funds to Vekselberg.

Now Osipov, the alleged manager of Vekselberg’s $90 million yacht, is attempting a similar argument as U.S. authorities seek his arrest on charges of bank fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and violations of sanctions law.

The federal indictment states that the Tango was owned by a shell corporation registered in the British Virgin Islands that was in turn owned by several other companies. The Virgin Islands shell company, authorities say, was controlled by Osipov, who also served in senior roles for multiple companies controlled by Vekselberg. U.S. officials also say Vekselberg ultimately controlled the other companies that owned the Virgin Islands shell company.

According to the indictment, a Tango official instructed a boat management company in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, to use a false name for the yacht — “Fanta” — to disguise its true identity from U.S. financial institutions and firms, which try to avoid doing business with an entity or person under sanction.

Working at Osipov’s direction, according to the indictment, employees for Tango bought more than $8,000 worth of goods for the yacht that were unwittingly but illegally processed by U.S. firms and U.S. financial institutions, including navigation software, leather basket magazine holders provided by a bespoke silversmith, and web and computing services. The management company running Tango, run by Osipov, also paid invoices worth more than $180,000 to a U.S. internet service provider, federal prosecutors say.

The Tango was seized by the FBI and Spanish authorities in the Mediterranean not long after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and Osipov was first indicted last year. The owner of the Spanish yacht management company hired by Osipov, Richard Masters, 52, of Britain, was criminally charged last year by federal prosecutors with conspiracy to defraud the United States and violating federal sanctions law. A request for comment sent to Masters’ firm was not returned.

But in recent court documents, Osipov’s attorney argues that the yacht was not more than 50 percent owned by Vekselberg, and that the government hasn’t demonstrated it was. Barry J. Pollack, an attorney at Harris, St. Laurent and Wechsler, also says the government never warned Osipov of its novel and “unconstitutional” application of federal sanctions law.

“The government points to no precedent that supports its extraordinary interpretation and cites no authority that allows the traditional rules of statutory construction to be turned on their head,” Pollack wrote in a defense filing. The filing adds: “[Osipov] is not a fugitive because he did not engage in any of the allegedly criminal conduct while in the United States, has never resided in the United States, did not flee from the United States, and has not concealed himself.”

Still, the State Department’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program has said it will provide up to $1 million for information leading to Osipov’s arrest, warning that he may visit Herrliberg, Switzerland; Majorca, Spain; or Moscow.

The case demonstrates the extent of the U.S. commitment to tighten the screws on those seen as aiding Russian elites, even if they themselves are not closely tied to the Kremlin.

“When DOJ levels legal action against an individual or entity, they have quite a bit of evidence, especially because the threshold to press charges for money-laundering and sanctions evasion is so high,” said Kim Donovan, director of the Economic Statecraft Initiative within the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center. “We’ve had quite a bit of experience targeting Russia directly, and what you’re starting to see is the U.S. go after the facilitators enabling sanctions evasion. That’s where the U.S. is focusing its efforts right now.”