When we see celebrities enjoying lavish vacations onboard party superyachts, we imagine that the world of luxury charter yachts is one of pure glamour and bliss. But behind the stunning design, plenty of these expensive toys hide dark secrets and complicated stories.
Serenity, previously known as Lady JJ, was initially meant to have the destiny of so many other luxurious vessels built by prestigious brands – it was designed for a Russian millionaire, who also happened to be one of President Vladimir Putin’s advisors. Russians are still among the world’s top superyacht owners, so it looked like Serenity would be just another stunning toy belonging to one of these moguls.
But Mikhail Lesin, former press minister and advisor to the president, would only get to enjoy the luxury 180-footer (55 meters) for a few years before he passed away in suspicious circumstances. Heesen delivered the yacht in 2012, and only three years later, Lesin would be found dead in a hotel room in Washington D.C., where he was attєɴԀing a fundraiser. By 2016, his former yacht had already beensoldto a new owner. The exact sum wasn’t disclosed, but the asking price at the time was €37 million ($43 million).
But that’s just part of Serenity’s past, now. A luxury charter yacht, with a very high weekly rate of $375,000, according toYacht Charter Fleet, the Russian official’s former vessel is just as impressive as any other in the same category. It can accommodate up to 12 guests in six staterooms, and the owner’s suite boasts full-height windows, an en-suite marble bathroom, and a walk-in closet. In addition to a jacuzzi, sauna, a bar, and a sky-lounge cinema, Serenity also includes a well-equipped gym with sliding glass doors for open-air workouts.
The luxury Heesen yacht was undergoing a refit right at the time of Lesin’s mysterious death, so it was in top shape for its new owner. In terms of performance, it offers an impressive range of 6,000 nautical miles (6,900 miles/11,100 km) and a cruising speed of 16 knots (18.4 mph/29.6 kph). But behind all of this, Serenity proves that plenty of millionaires’ superyacht stories is controversial.
