Celebrities consistently create demand in the private yacht market. If a celebrity’s net worth is in the high millions or more, they can certainly afford to indulge in luxury superyachts, which can cost well into seven figures or more and have six- to seven-figure annual operating costs.
The main reason that celebrities like yachting is that they can enjoy intimate, low-key trips with friends and family, out of reach of paparazzi cameras. Tiger Woods enjoys personal time aboard his yacht so much that he named the ship Privacy and even sleeps on board when he travels to golf tournaments.
Even if celebrities don’t own a yacht, they may charter them, as Rihanna and Beyonce do, for quiet time away from the spotlight. After traveling on a friend’s yacht, or chartering one, a celebrity may decide to take the plunge and buy one themselves. That’s what happened to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling after she chartered actor Johnny Depp’s yacht. The Beckhams decided to get their own vessel after spending summers on the Mediterranean with their good friend Sir Elton John on his yacht Wabi Sabi. Some celebrities, such as Apple founder Steve Jobs, singer Billy Joel or fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, were involved in every step of creating their own customized yacht.
So, which celebrity yachts are the most expensive and extravagant? We made a list of the top ones — some of which have been sold in recent years, possibly due to their high operating costs, but will always be identified with their iconic celebrity owners. We then ranked the yachts by their current value, adjusted for inflation.
Bottom Line: Main
Giorgio Armani himself designed this 213-foot superyacht, which was built by the Italian shipyard, Codecasa, in his trademark minimalist style. The vessel, inspired by military ships, is painted a dark green, instead of the standard white, so it can’t easily be seen against the ocean.
Armani designed the interior with light birchwood furniture, dark green walls and louvre blinds. The yacht contains seven cabins, which can accommodate up to 12 people, and holds a crew of 14. The vessel contains a cinema, gym, whirlpool, indoor gym, marble bathrooms and a large sundeck.
