Serene is one of the world's largest private superyachts. Photo from APS NZ/ NZH
New Zealand Welcomes One of World’s Biggest Superyachts
January 22, 2015…New Zealand--One of the world's biggest superyachts, M.Y. Serene, arrived in Auckland in the early
morning of January 20th to the surprise and delight of early bird wharf strollers.
The vessel, owned by Russian vodka tycoon Yuri Schefler, is longer than a rugby field and is the largest such vessel
ever to visit New Zealand.
Serene’s visit was arranged by Asia Pacific Superyachts New Zealand and is viewed as a huge coup for support industry
and luxury tourism. The firm’s managing director, Duthie Lidgard, reported APS NZ is providing services for the vessel
during her stay, reporting: “She is now berthed at Auckland's Wynyard Wharf - the 134m M.Y. Serene is too big for the
dedicated big boat marina. The $423 million Serene is the biggest superyacht to visit this country.”
M.Y. Serene is more expensive and 15m longer than the superyacht, motor yacht ‘A’, also owned by a Russian tycoon and
attracting intense interest during her stay in New Zealand last summer.
Providing support for M.Y.A during her visit, founding director of APS NZ, Jeanette Tobin, commented: “Getting such a
high-profile vessel as M.Y.A to New Zealand was a coup for the superyacht support industry and for luxury tourism.
Following superyacht A’s stay her yacht managers spoke to their counterparts on ‘A’ about their visit and plans then
were made for Serene’s visit here.”
Ms. Tobin said the busy Auckland Anniversary Weekend, Seafood Festival and busy cruise ship season created challenges
finding space for the 8200-gross tonne vessel, which makes a splash wherever it arrives around the world.
The Grand Cayman Islands-flagged Serene was built in Italy and launched in 2011 and reportedly took three years to
build. As reported first by local newspaper, The New Zealand Herald, in a recent article… ‘Serene is about 18m longer than the latest and biggest superyacht New Zealand billionaire Graeme
Hart has ordered from a shipyard in Norway. The yacht (Serene) is owned by Yuri Schefler, a vodka tycoon who is
understood to be holidaying in New Zealand for several weeks.’
The article included details from yacht charter websites showing the vessel has a helicopter hangar, two helipads and a
submarine hangar. There is an underwater viewing space and 12 luxurious staterooms for 24 guests who are tended by up to
52 crew members. The owner's suite boasts an exterior hot tub on its terrace. This stateroom has a centred oversize
California king bed, full walk-in dressing area and spacious ensuite bathroom. It has its own lift which links to a "sea
cabin" on deck two, with a private swim platform. Behind the owner's suite are a salon, lounge bar and library with a
fireplace.
There's an internal seawater swimming pool, a hot and a cold Jacuzzi plus jet stream swimming pool on the sundeck. The
vessel - more than three times as long as Fuller's biggest ferry in Auckland - also has a cinema, a library and an
indoor climbing wall for kids’.
The article also reported, ‘According to supermoney.com, the vessel last year was the fifth-most expensive superyacht
afloat, costing US$330 million to build’, adding Serene can be chartered at times… ‘Last August Microsoft founder Bill
Gates and family were spotted off Sardinia after hiring the boat for a week.’
Regarding the superyacht’s visit, Ms. Tobin said, “Spending by the party and crew during the visit will be huge - into
the millions of dollars. It is likely to cruise around the coast but will be spending some time in Auckland. Other
superyacht owners who visit enjoy the relaxed lifestyle and quintessentially Kiwi pastimes such as hunting and fishing.”
Offering concierge services to superyachts for the past 12 years, Ms. Tobin observed, “The tourism side of the business
has boomed in the past year.”
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