KentOnline

bannermobile

News

Sport

Business

What's On

Advertise

Contact

Other KM sites

CORONAVIRUS WATCH KMTV LIVE SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTERS LISTEN TO OUR PODCASTS LISTEN TO KMFM
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
News

Luxury yacht Christina O moored at Chatham Docks up for sale for £21million

By: Alan McGuinness

Published: 00:01, 03 July 2013

Much of the furniture on board has been covered up

Its luxurious floors once bore the feet of Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and singer Maria Callas.

Now a luxury yacht that has found a temporary home in Chatham Docks is up for sale... for a cool £21 million.

The 300ft vessel - once owned by the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis - has a long guest list reading like a who's who of high society.

It's more at home in Monte Carlo or on the French Riviera, but for the last year the luxury yacht Christina O has been calling a rather less glamorous location home - Chatham Docks in Medway
One of the first sights that greets you as you walk in is this intricate mosaic
And for my next trick: The swimming pool on the top deck rises up to become a dancefloor
Much of the furniture on board has been covered up
There are numerous pianos on board, one of which was used by Frank Sinatra
Guests have included John F. Kennedy, Sir Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Maria Callas
Photos of past guests adorn the walls
Here's another, of Aristotle Onassis himself and Jacqueline Kennedy. Five years after the assassination of her husband John, she married Mr Onassis
John F. Kennedy met Sir Winston Churchill for the first time on the vessel
The yacht started life as a Canadian frigate called HMCS Stormont and saw action in the D-Day landings
A major refurbishment costing more than £30 million has restored her to her former glory
Everything inside is beautifully fitted out
The luxurious staircase
Maria Callas's picture adorns the walls
A cover of Time magazine betrays the ship's pedigree
A cartoon image on board the Christina
A family portrait from a bygone era
Jackie and Aristotle Onassis on the cover of Time magazine
The luxurious corridors
Historic images adorn the walls
A portrait of Churchill, who visited the yacht
The piano where Frank Sinatra played
Just one of the photographs adorning the Christina's walls
Guests and hosts slept in the lap of luxury

John F. Kennedy and Sir Winston Churchill are among the politicians to have graced its sumptuous suites and bars.

It has been the site of tempestuous love affairs and high power meetings of the world's elite.

And for my next trick: The swimming pool on the top deck rises up to become a dancefloor

Frank Sinatra played the piano onboard and Churchill and Kennedy first met on its decks.

mpu1

It is used to adorning the sun-kissed waters of Monte Carlo or the French Riviera, but for the past few months it has called the choppy waters of the River Medway home.

It is moored at Chatham Docks, in a berth owned by Total Ship Services.

But what can you get for your money? Features include a restaurant offering Michelin star cuisine, a swimming pool that converts to a dancefloor, a library, music lounge and spa.

As our exclusive pictures show, every room oozes opulence and grandeur.

One of the first sights that greets you is a mosaic of tiles that ushers you up the gold-trimmed stairs.

The yacht started life as a Canadian frigate called HMCS Stormont and saw action in the D-Day landings

The air is heavy with a quite intangible smell. It's not quite that aroma you pick up when you disturb a dust-ridden cupboard, but close.

Its bar has a feature you're unlikely to find in any other: the leather on the stools is made out of whale foreskin.

mpu2

Like a classic sports car it might lack some of today's mod cons, but its class has survived the passage of time.

The yacht started life as a Canadian frigate called HMCS Stormont and saw action in the D-Day landings.

An iconic portrait of Jackie Onassis

It was acquired by Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis after the Second World War.

He changed its name to Christina, after his daughter, and set about spending a small fortune converting it into a vessel that oozed opulence and grandeur.

Upon his death in 1975, Mr Onassis bequeathed the yacht to his daughter, who in turn donated it to the Greek government.

It was rechristened Argo, but fell into a state of decay.

In 1998 it was bought by a Greek shipowner, John Paul Papanicolaou, who had sailed on Christina as a child.

He changed her name to Christina O in tribute to Mr Onassis.

A major refurbishment costing more than £30 million restored her to her former glory and she is now owned by an Irish consortium.

More by this author

sticky

© KM Group - 2024