10 Reasons to Charter the Yacht Kismet: Megayacht News Onboard

It’s no exaggeration to say there’s a lot to take in upon boarding the yacht Kismet. A 400-footer (122-meter), she ups the ante as a visual spectacle throughout her interior. A threepeat for the owner and Lürssen plus Reymond Langton Design, she’s a “cathedral of design,” according to the studio. Owner Shad Khan—who further owns the NFL team Jacksonville Jaguars and the English football club Fulham—the yard, and the designers pushed the boundaries of creativity. Accommodating 12 passengers and with 37 crew, she stands six decks high. She commands a similarly high weekly charter rate, starting at €3 million (about $3.18 million) through Cecil Wright. If you crave the incredible but didn’t get aboard during September’s Monaco Yacht Show, here are nine reason you’ll want to charter the yacht Kismet—and won’t be disappointed.

Each deck not only has its own décor, but also evokes the unforgettable style of a specific place. For the main dining, for example, the main design brief was the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles. The hand-painted ceiling in the main saloon (above) pays homage to the famed Hercules Salon in the palace, too. The grand staircase, meanwhile, is reminiscent of the Quattrocento (15^th-century) period of Venice, Italy, with a Murano glass chandelier. Once you reach the upper deck, the crisp whites of furnishings and walls set a Nikki Beach scene. “She is a journey where all your passion and senses are challenged,” explains Pascale Reymond, co-founder and managing director of Reymond Langton Design. “The main idea is that, as the vessel is very large, the owners and guests should find their way and recognize each area by the design, and they should experience many different journeys.”

Typically, charter guests don’t enter work spaces. When you charter the yacht Kismet, however, not only can you, you’d be remiss not to do it. Specifically, a glass-lined passageway takes you straight through the engine room. It bears the apt nickname the Tron corridor, for its blue-and-white LEDs and interactive displays of data. You might just spot a crewmember or two within the engine room, too.

At one end of the Tron corridor, you’ll arrive at the cinema/sunken observation lounge. Effectively, you step from the space age to the Jazz Age of the 1920s. Test your knowledge of fish species as they swim by the three huge windows straddling the waterline. For another type of entertainment, settle into the sumptuous seating as a 150-inch screen flips down in front of the glass. All that’s left to do is dim the lights and pass the popcorn.

Those of you familiar with Kismet’s same-named predecessor,  a 312-footer (95-meter) from 2014, surely remember her video wall. It was two decks high, soaring up through an atrium. Similarly, the current Kismet has two video walls. Situated at opposite sides of the saloon entry, they rise to the upper deck through individual atriums. Glass panels rim the edges of the upper deck’s floor as well, preserving the visual effect from below. During your charter, the screens can create whatever ambience you like. Try your current anchorage’s seascape during the day, for instance, followed by a nighttime cityscape as you enjoy music from the player piano.

An onboard spa experience ranks highly among many charter guests. Multiple soothing experiences are possible when you charter the yacht Kismet. The amenities in the vast wellness center on the lower deck are extraordinary. So, too, are the crewmembers who specialize in different types of massage and other treatments. Choose among a Thai massage room, a cryotherapy room, a yoga room (with a juice bar), a sauna, a hammam, a beauty/barber salon, a cold plunge pool. Be sure to indulge in reflexology while stretched out on one of the heated lounges in the Balinese-inspired relaxation lounge (pictured) as well. Even a partial stone sole in the lounge is for reflexology. Of course, an ample gym, complete with an opening platform right above the water, is nearly as well.

Charter guests seeking a smaller environmental footprint will especially appreciate Kismet’s engineering. When Khan began discussing building this larger yacht, he wanted “a cleaner yacht,” according to shipyard CEO Peter Lürssen. The conversations explored the possibility of operating solely on batteries. Although the yard has built hybrid yachts previously, Kismet is its first to offer running on electric propulsion. Under diesel power, she cruises up to 18 knots. Under electric power, meanwhile, she can travel for 15 minutes—more than adequate for repositioning. The Lürssen team also applied waste-heat recovery—using the heat that various systems give off into the air—more extensively to warm pool water and other creature comforts.

The owner’s suite occupies more than half of the interior guest space on the upper deck. Opulent is the watchword for the bedroom. Glossy walnut paneling and an abundance of gold hues appear throughout. Light the large gas fireplace opposite the bed before retiring to stargate through the ample skylight directly above. In the morning, step outside to a recessed space (with a hot tub, sunning, and dining areas) to enjoy the view, too. Arguably the best views, though, come from the private black-and-red office, accessible directly one level up. The interior area boasts 180-degree views, while spacious side decks let you enjoy more of the vistas. Three further full interior rooms comprise the owner’s suite. Firstly, a beauty room caters to hair, nails, and skin treatments. A pantry is perfect for helping yourself to snacks or drinks. Finally, a boudoir channels the fashion icon Coco Chanel as a feminine mini-retreat.

Arriving in style for a charter aboard Kismet is possible thanks to the touch-and-go foredeck helipad. Notably, the same helipad transforms into a pickleball court with special netting. Similarly, it can convert for shooting some hoops, compliant with NBA dimensions and equipment. Conceivably, you could toss around the ol’ pigskin, too, just without the goalposts. Be sure to ask the crew while you’re at it about their Kismet Olympics. From what we’re told, a rousing tug-of-war is included.

Lest you forget who the owner is when you charter the yacht Kismet, a few things will remind you. A gleaming, leaping jaguar nestles against the bowsprit. Just above, a football (the American kind) tops the bow jackstaff. There’s a similar football atop the flag mast. Be sure to indulge in a game of Monopoly in the games area in the saloon, too. One of the pieces is—naturally—a football. Yet another piece is a replica of Kismet herself.

Just as it’s no exaggeration to say that Kismet is massive, it’s no exaggeration to say that her 37-person crew makes cruising magic. They are well versed in high levels of entertaining, every corner of the yacht, and every destination she visits. Equally important, the captain and purser aboard the previous two Kismet yachts still work with Shad Khan, as his direct representatives. They oversaw the build of the current Kismet as well, adding to a two-decade-long relationship with him.

Cecil Wright cecilwright.com

Lürssen lurssen.com

Reymond Langton Design reymondlangtondesign.com

LOA: 400’3” (122 meters)

Beam: 55’9” (17 meters)

Draft: 14’5” (4.4 meters)

Guests: 16 in 8 staterooms (12 guests for charter)

Engines: 2/4,830-hp MTUs and 2/600-kW Reintjes/Schorch units

Range: 6,000 nautical miles at 12 knots

Builder: Lürssen

Stylist: Nuvolari-Lenard

Naval Architect: Lürssen

Interior Designer: Reymond Langton Design