Onassis, Kennedy, Heidi Klum – the list of celebrity guests is long. However, there is currently no real interest in buying the legendary “Christina O.”. The asking price has already had to be reduced by around half.
The legendary 99 m superyacht “Christina O” still combines historic splendor with modern luxury today. Originally built in 1943 and once owned by the legendary millionaire and tanker king Aristotle Onassis, this iconic yacht welcomed celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, John F. Kennedy and opera diva Maria Callas. The silhouette, designed by the famous ship designer Caesar Pinnau, is still one of the most elegant in the world today. The ship was named after his daughter, Christina (born 1950, died 1988).
She has been for sale through Morley Yachts since last year, initially for a price of $90 million, but is now available at a discount of almost €40 million. Despite her history, one of the most famous yachts in the world appears to be difficult to sell at the moment. Broker Tim Morley explained that there have been interested parties, but so far no successful deal. However, the widow of the owner, who died in 2010, now wants to sell the ship more quickly. Added to this is the current difficult global situation. Brokers report that the war in Ukraine, the political tensions in the Middle East and the weak economic situation in Europe are putting a massive strain on the market for luxury yachts. In addition, Russian buyers have almost disappeared from the market and potential Arab buyers are currently holding back due to the current geopolitical situation.
Under Onassis, the yacht became famous above all for its role in global political and social events. For example, Jackie Kennedy married her new husband Aristotle Onassis on board the “Christina O” after the assassination attempt on her husband in 1968. The famous Ari’s Bar has remained unchanged since the day it was delivered in 1956, when Ari Onassis took delivery of the most impressive superyacht anyone had ever seen.
The ship originally belonged to the Canadian Navy and was built in 1943 as the “Stromont”. It was involved in the Normandy landings. Onassis bought the “Christina O” for just 34,000 dollars, together with nine other ships from a scrap dealer in Baltimore. From 1952 to mid-1954, the extensive refit took place at Howaldtswerke in Kiel for around four million US dollars. At this time, Onassis had ordered a large number of new tankers from German shipyards.
In 1998, the Greek shipowner Ioannis Pavlos Papanikolaou acquired the yacht from the Onassis estate. Following an extensive refit, she has since been available for charter for up to €450,000 per week. Heidi Klum and Tom Kaulitz, for example, celebrated their wedding off Capri on this yacht in 2019.
After a loving restoration in 2018, the “Christina O” shone in new splendor. The “Christina O” has also been continuously modernized and re-motorized in recent years. In 2022, the teak deck at the pool area was completely renewed, a new jacuzzi bar area was added, the mosaic walls of the pool were restored and several suites were enlarged. Further highlights followed in 2023: a custom-made RIB tender, new jet skis, modern access systems and fresh teak in selected areas.
