If superyachts were rated not by length overall but by the ambition of their owner, the 25-metre Princess 95 Alexandra V would be somewhere near the head of the fleet. First-time superyacht owner John Brendmoe could be forgiven for pottering to the nearest anchorage for a season or two after he bought the yacht last year, but instead he’s had the yacht refitted and is planning a three-year global adventure, mixing charter and private cruising.
The 2009 yacht has been thoroughly reconfigured over the winter, but the project began a long time before that. “We visited close to 30 yachts of 34-metres-plus, and the owner also chartered extensively,” says Neo Yachting broker Nicolas Valin, who helped the owner with the purchase and is now handling charter enquiries. “Alexandra V was the smallest yacht he visited. Initially, we thought we’d need something with a longer range, but John was comfortable with the size of Alexandra. His concept and charter programme could be made to fit Alexandra V, although it means some logistical hurdles to overcome to get her to the different cruising grounds.”
Winter work at Cantieri di Imperia in Genoa included a fresh hull colour, a new interior by the owner’s long-time design partner Helene Hennie, new AV systems and a reshaped flybridge. After an appearance at the MYBA Charter Show in Genoa in May, the yacht is embarking on her first full season of chartering. All the indications are that the initial season in the Western Mediterranean will be a busy one – with Nicolas reporting 51 days of charter booked. There is more to the yacht than a simple upgrade. The crew under Captain Stefano Remotti includes a trained masseuse and spa therapist, while Michelin-trained chef Laurent Dubouil boasts 25 years of superyacht experience. Guests also benefit from the 11-metre Fjord limo tender, can be used as a chase boat on charter.
The global itinerary itself is ambitious. From the Western Med, the plan is for the yacht to visit Croatia and Greece to catch the last of the summer sun this season, with a Caribbean programme due to start next year, and with Thailand, Burma and Vietnam planned for late 2016. It’s a huge logistical challenge, and to assist the planning and execution, EYOS Expeditions is teaming up with the yacht to offer expert local guides and bespoke experiences, dependent on clients’ requests, wherever the yacht is in the world. “It’ll be fascinating to see where we will be in three years,” says EYOS’s CEO Ben Lyons.
For owner John Brendmoe, Alexandra V is just the start of his plans. He wants a fleet of charter yachts, and wants an explorer yacht and a catamaran alongside Alexandra V. “We will have a loyalty programme for charterers. I believe there should be transparency for clients. We have a fixed price – fuel, port fee, tip, it’s all included,” says John Brendmoe. The yacht charters for €59,000 per week. For more images, click here:
• you can read more about Alexandra V’s refit and about EYOS Adventures in the next issue of SuperYacht World, which publishes on June 25.