Owning third place in May’s Sunday Times Rich List, Roman Abramovich may be empty-handed of footballing silverware this year, but he has still managed to amass a £10.3 billion fortune – £3 billion up on 2010. Whilst running for re-election to Russian parliament this year, Abramovich declared his assets as seven properties in Britain, four in Russia, three in France, two in the US, £71 million in cash and £25 million in shares. Funny there was no mention of the ‘Abramovich Navy’, a fleet of superyachts that includes 162.5 metre ‘Eclipse’ – recently anchored in waters off Gibraltar’s Ocean Village.
Holding the distinction of being the world’s largest superyacht, knocking the 162 metre vessel ‘Dubai’ belonging to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum into second spot, Eclipse left the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg in December 2010 after five years of intensive design and construction. So large that she wouldn’t even fit inside Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, Eclipse understandably drew quite a crowd when she cruised in for a fuelling stop in Gibraltar at the end of May – a task that is said to cost in the region of half a million pounds.
Rumoured to have cost in excess of £310 million, the nine deck yacht has space for two helicopters on top, level eight has a bar, sundeck and 16 metre swimming pool which converts into a dance floor whilst level seven also has its own 16 metre swimming pool and atrium. Deck six hosts the saloon and main dining hall whilst the main entrance reception hall is on floor four. Each of the 24 staterooms and suites has a 6ft home cinema screen whilst Abramovich’s own fifth floor 5,000ft² master suite has a retractable moon roof so that the man of the ‘house’ and girlfriend Dasha Zhukova can sleep under the stars. An anti-paparazzi electronic laser shield (yes, they do exist) protects their privacy onboard.
To pamper, cosset and entertain, Eclipse has a Jacuzzi, Spa, disco on the first level and specialised security installations rumoured to include bullet-proof glass, armour plating and a missile detection system. Of course no superyacht is without its toys and Eclipse has an encyclopaedia of them to include six tenders and a three-man submarine which can plunge depths of 50 metres. All of this is kept in smooth working order by a crew of up to 92, that’s a ratio of more than three staff for every guest if at maximum capacity of 30.
To prove that the Russian oil tycoon isn’t selfishly keeping Eclipse to himself, he generously offers her out to charter through SuperYachtsMonaco. All you have to come up with is a pocket change $2 million a week – that’s around £1.2 million.
Daily rates for Ocean Village’s new berths start from as little as £10.00 per day for up to 12m. A 20% discount is available for annual bookings when paid in advance in full. Occupiers of Premier Berths will also receive an ‘Ocean Village Privilege Card’ offering crews concessions in certain stores, eateries, the Health Club and more to reward them for their loyalty.
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