The 255-foot superyacht Malia was sold in 2023 with a price tag of $120 million.
But it can be yours for a fraction of the cost: $930,000 a week.
But with many large yacht charters, the surcharges — for fuel, food, beverages, marina fees, shore activities and special requests — are typically an additional 35% of the base price.
Cruising in Europe also attracts value added tax of around 20% of the base fare, but this can vary by country. Crew gratuities are also between 10% and 20% of the charter fee.
In total, a one-week French Riviera cruise in Malia costs $1,441,500.
For the price, Malia takes guests on stunning tours of the Mediterranean, from Monaco to the Italian Riviera, island hopping from Sardinia and the Maddalena Islands with stops in iconic French hubs like Saint-Tropez.
Since the pandemic, people have been chartering yachts for longer – sometimes up to five weeks, according to yacht broker Sacha Williams.
Source: Northrup & Johnson
Up to 12 guests can sleep in the yacht’s eight staterooms, including a VIP master suite, all with luxurious en-suite bathrooms.
“The bedrooms are comparable to hotel rooms. You don’t feel like you’re on a yacht,” said Sacha Williams, global director of charter marketing at Northrop & Johnson, Malia’s broker. “It’s like being on a floating hotel.”
Malia has eight state rooms.
Source: Northrop & Johnson
The main deck features a lounge with a bar and dining area lit by large windows, as well as an upper deck lounge featuring an impressive glass chandelier and an extensive audio-visual system.
The decks are connected by an elevator.
Malia is fully booked for the summer of 2024 and is typically booked four to six months in advance, Williams said.
Source: Northrop & Johnson
Like a hotel, the yacht has a gym and spa, the latter with a massage room, sauna and Turkish bath.
“On a yacht of this size, it’s increasingly popular to have a hammam, steam room or sauna,” Williams said. “Wellness is definitely a strong trend on all yachts now. The on-board spa therapist does all kinds of treatments, not just massages and facials, but everything beauty-related. You could spend a whole day in this space. “
Spa facilities are expected on seven-figure yachts, Williams said.
Source: Northrop & Johnson
There’s also a glass-edged infinity pool on the main deck and a glass-bottomed jacuzzi on the sundeck, as well as an outdoor theatre.
Offers and games
Travelers may pay seven figures for a week on this yacht, but few stay on it full time.
Malia has additional pleasure boats, including several offerings that can take guests ashore.
They can also take a deep-sea fishing excursion on the 46-foot Malia sport fishing rod. Additionally, the crew can take guests up to six feet underwater in a shark-shaped submarine built by Seabreacher, which seats a pilot and passenger.
The yacht has folding verandas and a beach club or space at the back of the boat that opens to sea level.
Source: Northrop & Johnson
“The fishing is very unique, especially in the Mediterranean, as you tend to see them a lot more in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, where sport fishing is not a big deal. But imagine how nice it would be to take the kids out for the afternoon and go catch fish,” Williams said.
Crew members can also teach guests to use motorized Fliteboards and explore underwater with Seabobs. Those looking to relax can sit back for tow rides in the sun.
Mali’s stock of “toys” also includes jet skis and water skis, as well as paddle boards, pedalwakeboards, kayaks and an inflatable climbing frame with treadmill.
Internet service on the yachts was very expensive — about $10,000 a month, Williams said. But Starlink satellite internet changed that. “Connectivity is not an issue … there is no lag at all.”
Source: Northrup & Johnson
“This particular owner is all about entertaining. He wanted to make sure he had accommodated every possible guest request,” Williams said. “You don’t see a Fliteboard on every yacht… they are in high demand.”
Captain and crew
A portion of the charter price goes to pay for the 21-member crew, which includes a captain, engineering and hospitality teams and several chefs. Some crew members act as personal trainers and have musical skills to entertain in the evenings.
“Visitors may never even see some of the crew, such as the engineering team,” Williams said. “There are people working through the night to ensure the safety of visitors. Some will be more involved in navigation and planning and organizing berths in the ports. The higher inland crew will also do the bookkeeping as there is a lot of money spent to make sure everyone has a great time.”
Malia, a custom-built yacht by Greek builder Golden Yachts, has a crew of 21.
Source: Northrop & Johnson
“The best way I can describe them is like swans,” Williams said. “They just slide around.”
Mali’s itineraries are “extremely detailed,” Williams said. The yacht broker and the captain agree on an itinerary that takes into account guests’ preferences, sea conditions and weather forecasts.
But the captain can also consider requests to modify the schedule mid-charter — for example, if guests enjoy a particular location and want to stay longer, Williams said:
“That’s the beauty of chartering a yacht.”
Who books a vacation like this
Malia’s guests tend to be North American, European and Middle Eastern, Williams said.
Typically, they have built their wealth in highly specialized business areas, he said. “It always amazes me how some of the North American customers have built up this amount of wealth from selling things that might seem quite ordinary. But I guess the size of the country means you can become very successful selling something so simple as much as eggs or screws,” he said.
The number and quality of the yacht’s “games” are produced in the price. “This particular owner is all about fun,” Williams said.
Source: Northrup & Johnson
“Sometimes you’ll see the manager – the person paying the bill – charter the Malia for a few weeks and invite different groups over that period. One week, they’ll be with their friends, and then the friends will move on and then their family will join and then their parents.”
But many guests book the yacht for family vacations and celebrations, he said.
“They might be celebrating a birthday or a wedding anniversary, or just a family gathering. On a yacht the size of Malia, you can have the grandparents, the parents and the kids.”
