If you’ve been following megayachts for a while, no doubt you’re familiar with the name John Staluppi. For those of you new to spotting, Staluppi is an ardent yachtsman who has christened many a megayacht in his day, all bearing the names of James Bond flicks: Octopussy, Moonraker, The World Is Not Enough, you name it. His latest delivery, the 163-foot Casino Royale, not only keeps the Bond theme going, but delivers it in spades (no pun intended).
The first hint you’re in for a shaken-not-stirred experience lies immediately inside the doors from the main aft deck. Check out the roulette wheel design in the photo above. It’s even more impressive close up, with intricate inlays of stainless steel, marble, and other stones as well as wood.
In fact, there’s an enormous amount of impressive stonework aboard this Christensen. Instead of carpeting being underfoot throughout the saloon and dining room, the sole is entirely made of marble, and it continues forward through the guest lobby along the starboard side and even into the galley on the port side. (Let’s just hope the chef doesn’t spill anything wet or otherwise slick underfoot.) Note the intricate rope-like inlays defining the saloon’s sole above, much the way a Persian rug or custom carpet would.
Not only does this amount of stone mark a first for Christensen, but it also does for Staluppi. Those of you who know his yachting background probably recall that the luxurious details aboard Octopussy and Moonraker were executed with specialized coring materials to keep weight down, since each boat was intended to be a record-setter in the performance department. (And they were, achieving 52 knots and nearly 67 knots, respectively.) But since Staluppi wanted to emphasize decor over speed with Casino Royale, weight savings wasn’t as much of an issue. As a result, the more than 800,000-pound-displacement, all-fiberglass yacht, fitted with twin 12V 4000 Series MTUs, tops at “just” 17 knots.
Speaking of the MTUs, anyone who doesn’t ordinarily visit the engine room would be remiss to repeat the behavior aboard Casino Royale. The plethora of chrome here is dazzling, literally and figuratively. Since Staluppi is also a car collector and owned several car dealerships in years past, he knows a thing or two about detailing, and he had a specially selected team work with Christensen’s craftsmen to ensure his yacht’s engine room would be a showpiece. Though you can’t tell in this view, even the fire extinguishers got the polished accents.
But back to the Bond theme. Check out the staircase, located in the central lobby. It’s adorned with backlit glass panels that feature the famous gun-barrel spiral seen in every Bond flick, with silhouettes of Bond babes posing inside them. There are similar designs, this time with Bond himself, on the elevator doors, which allow Staluppi, his wife Jeannette, and guests to access all deck levels, including the sundeck. More Casino-esque elements await up there, in the form of two tables faced with the ace of spades and the Jack of spades.
Recognizing that carrying the secret agent theme throughout every room onboard would be overkill, the Staluppis worked closely with Christensen’s team to fashion guest-friendly, comfortable spaces. The four guest suites are beautifully appointed with rich fabrics and high-gloss mahogany wood, and the backlit onyx bar in the skylounge is so well executed that it’s sure to be a favorite of everyone who boards. Three plasma TVs in the skylounge–one forward, one in each aft corner–keep the emphasis on entertainment.
As I mentioned a few months ago, Staluppi said this project was “the most customer-friendly and enjoyable experience I’ve ever had.” So it probably comes as no surprise that he’s going to be a repeat customer of Christensen’s, presently planning another build.
Until that one debuts a few years from now, here’s more of Casino Royale.
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