Benetti fans, mark your calendar for the Monaco Yacht Show. That’s where its latest megayacht, the 190’3” (58-meter) Illusion I, will make her yacht-show debut.
Illusion I was commissioned for both private use by her Europe-based owner as well as charter. That’s why the guest accommodations are flexible. One of the three twin staterooms has a pullman, for example. Should extra guests come aboard, the upper-deck cinema can convert to a stateroom, too. A double and a VIP complement these, the latter comprising nearly the full 35’4” (10.8-meter) beam. The main-deck master aboard Illusion I does as well, of course. The full-height glass you see forward brings in plenty of light here.
Illusion I has full-height glass in the dining area and saloon, too. The gunwales are further lower than usual, for better effect. Dining here should be especially nice, since the table is situated fully aft. More casual dining takes place one deck up. Illusion I has a bar on both of these decks, too, inviting everyone to linger for the rest of the evening.
The owner of Illusion I had a good deal of input into the styling and interior design of the four-deck megayacht. He tapped Mingarelli & Green to collaborate with Benetti on both. While the company is only a few months old, Lady Tina Green (the “Green” of Mingarelli & Green) was design director of the London company Argent. She has also designed five other megayachts, including ones owned by her and her husband, Sir Philip Green. Mingarelli & Green selected black walnut paneling to alternate with parchment-paper panels in guest areas aboard. Illusion I also features abundant marble, Lalique crystal inserts, leather, stingray skin, and mother of pearl.
We’ll have a Megayacht News Onboard report, complete with photos, on Illusion I following the yacht show. In the meantime, bookings are being taken for her upcoming charter season in the Bahamas and Caribbean. Illusion I is available via the central agency of Camper & Nicholsons, for a weekly base rate of $350,000. From her beach club to her tender garage and on up to her sun deck, she’s sure to attract some interest. The part of the sundeck near the mast can be enclosed with sliding glass doors. The area remains bright, thankfully, partly due to six skylights.
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