The Benetti Yacht Calex Is a Private Oasis: Megayacht News Onboard

While superyacht buyers commission custom yachts for a variety of highly personal reasons, they all have one reason in common: Their vision becomes reality. It can be a look, a feel, a particular performance. For the owner of the Benetti yacht Calex, the reason came down to two crucial concepts: privacy, and personal wellbeing.

Having owned a semi-custom 164-footer (50-meter) for several years, the owner, from California, was ready for a fully custom yacht. Calex is significantly larger, at 220 feet (67 meters), with five enclosed decks and a partially shaded sundeck. Undoubtedly, and impressively, the most private place aboard is the upper deck. Here, 1,772 square feet (160 square meters) from about midway on deck forward is solely for the owner. It includes alfresco space—with a gas fireplace—that is about as private as you can get. Regardless of whether guests are on the sundeck up top or crew are in the wheelhouse on the bridge deck, no one can see the seating and lounging area. Additionally, it’s accessible solely from the master stateroom, through curved glass doors.

the Benetti yacht Calex master suite and private deck

Further for his privacy, as well as that of his friends and family, the owner wanted an intimate beach club. It breaks with current trends of having three opening platforms. Instead, a single gullwing door aft flips up, with one side platform opening as well. Since the beach club is also tucked in a bit off the deep swim platform, it cocoons guests in a lovely, relaxing environment. A TV, bar, lounge, and hammam are all inside.

Privacy, of course, equates mental wellbeing. For physical wellbeing, the Benetti yacht Calex has a dedicated gym and yoga area on the sundeck. A hot tub is here, too, with the full deck available to the guests, not just the owner. Additionally, you could argue that the watertoys contribute to physical wellbeing, because some are super-physical while being super-fun. In fact, stand-up paddleboards, a wakeboard, a surfboard, kayaks, and waterskiing gear are all available. So are electric surfboards and e-foils. (If guests would rather take it a little easier, towables await as well.)

Equally noteworthy, the 16 crewmembers and the captain aboard Calex were top of mind for the owner in commissioning the yacht. The team from the Benetti Style Department worked with him on the interior design and configuration, noting how important it was for the crew to have nice surroundings. The furnishings and the rest of the décor in their area below decks complement the maple and walnut décor in the guest staterooms, which are split between the main and lower decks.

While the owner and his own guests have been the only people cruising aboard Calex since delivery last year, charter guests can now book her as well. She’s in the central agency of Northrop & Johnson, with Caribbean destinations this winter being the first ones available. Her weekly base rate for islands like St. Lucia, the BVIs, and the Grenadines starts at $680,000.