First Impression: Annaliesse

Editor's Note: Annaliesse was sold to a private owner and taken off the charter market in March 2007. See our exclusive blog report about the sale by clicking  here.

It’s not every day that I get to step onboard the world’s most expensive charter yacht. That’s exactly what the 280-foot motoryacht Annaliesse is, with a weekly base rate of about $840,000 for 36 guests, or about $29,000 per person with 25-percent expenses included.

That’s more than $4,000 per person, per day, or about $175 per person, per hour, for those of you doing the math at home.

I toured Annaliesse at an industry-only charter yacht show in 2005. (I have yet to step onboard her newer, same-price sistership, Alysia, but I understand they are identical.) Annaliesse is, as you would expect, an impressive sight. The sheer scale of the yacht dwarfs pretty much everything else in the marina, and just thinking about all the effort and machinery required to run her left me exhausted.

She’s like a cruise ship in some ways, with corridors full of staterooms and an entrance lobby that’s about the size of many you’ll find in land-based resorts. Her spa area—which takes up about a third of the entire bottom deck and is the onboard area many brokers find the most impressive—rivals those you’ll find in New York, London, and even Paris. There’s a round Jacuzzi in its center, with lounge chairs fanning out around it like petals on a flower. Beyond, there’s room after room of massage areas, hairdressing stations, and other treatment setups to soothe whatever ails you. I could’ve stayed for a week and not experienced it all.

The fact that the sundeck bar is split into two sections with enough barstools to accommodate 25 people was the thing that really brought home for me that this yacht is not so much about boating as it is about entertaining. If you have a large group (and a fat wallet), then this definitely will be a terrific platform for your charter. I can’t speak to the level of service onboard, but given the fact that so few yachts in this size range even exist, I have to believe Annaliesse is setting the standard.

To view more photos of this super-size stunner, go to www.liverasyachts.com. —Kim Kavin