MAKE RESERVATION

Throughout the history of humanity, man has created many wonders of the world, grand material artifacts, monumental feats of creation. Each embody the spirit, mood and ethos of its epoch. There is the Great Wall of China, The Pyramids in Egypt, the Acqueducts of ancient Greece......and The Christina!

His hospitality was legendary, his charm - mythical, his prowless - unstoppable, his power - formidable, his fortune - unsurpassed. Aboard the
The Christina - Aristotle Onassis was at home. She was the focal point for his entertaining - and the epicenter of the world's jet set. Parties aboard the Christina were among the most lavish and celebrity-studded ever. Not to have gone up the gangplank of the Christina at least once produced a major inferiority complex for international socialites, movie stars, heads of state and business tycoons, Elsa Maxwell, the famed society columnist of the 40's and 50's observed.

Bigger, bolder, more magnificent than even Cleopatra's barges, the Christina was luxury and opulence personified. High society, the power elite and the jet-set intimately embraced culture, refinement and classic elegance as the rules of the day. It was an era when space flight began, television emerged from its adolescence and transatlantic flight was becoming the norm. The Christina was a potent symbol of the prosperity and economic boom that was enjoyed by industrial countries after the war. She began her life in 1943 as the Canadian frigate, the Stormont, a convoy escort. Onassis purchased her, in 1952, for just $34.000 and converted her into the most modern, elaborate and sumptuous private yacht that the world has ever seen at the cost of over $4 million dollars. Named after his beloved daughter, she was a sleek 325 foot shimmering white masterpiece proudly displaying the Onassis signature - the yellow funnel. Light on her feet, she weighed in at over 1,450 tons while cruising at 18 knots and if you floored it, she'd do 22.

She was the site of the most noteworthy escapades of the age. In 1959, after Contessa Castelbarco's famous annual Venetian ball, Onassis courted opera diva Maria Callas - the most celebrated woman of her era - much to the chagrin of her husband and his own wife. After the cruise, "It's all over" the diva told her husband, "I love Ari" And in 1968, he celebrated the wedding of the century to Jackie "O" in splendid luxury on the Caribbean. The Christina could be seen dominating the port of Monaco below the Onassis headquarters. Greta Garbo dropped in often from her French Riviera Villa in next door Cap d'Ail. She proudly laid off Onassis' private Greek island, Skorpois, in the Ionian Sea when the owner was in residence.

Fit for the gods, the Christina's accommodations were unsurpassed. Spanning her massive stern, enhancing her graceful lines, was the open lounge deck. Its centerpiece was the bronze bordered pool inlaid with mosaic frescos of ancient Crete. A system of fountains with colored lights danced on the water in the pool, mirroring the colors as the mosaic. To the delight of the guests -with the push of a button, the bottom raised to the deck level for an instant dance floor. In the summer of 1967, one of the high points of Senator Edward Kennedy's trip to arrange for Jackie's marriage was the "bouzouki party" on the pool deck.

Through gleaming Japanese lacquered doors was the 35 X 20 foot Game Room. It was richly panelled in oak and accented by a beamed ceiling. La Callas practised her famous roles in Bellini's Norma and Rossini's Armida and Frank Sinatra tinkled away the hours at the grand piano while visiting the Cannes Film Festival for his film, Kings Go Forth with Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood, in 1957. Frequent guests, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton relaxed in front of the fireplace covered in deep blue gemstones and guarded by two bronze Yuan dynasty lions. Surrounding the fireplace were library shelves filled with English, French and Greek leather bound volumes. It contained noteworthy titles, such as Sir Arthur Evans' treatise on the palace of Knossos on Crete and the complete works of Sir Winston Churchill, given to Onassis as a gift from the author himself. Thick Turkish rugs from Smyrna, Onassis' birthplace, covered the floors. Portraits of the Onassis family, El Greco's "Charcoal Burner," and other fines objets d'art graced the walls.

The most famous spot on the ship sat forward, "Ari's Bar" where at a cocktail party in 1957, the young John F. Kennedy met Sir Churchill, who was a frequent guest throughout his retirement in the 60's. The former prime minister had know the Senator's and future President's father Joe Kennedy, former ambassador to Britain in the 40's. The bar was covered by a glass top over a lighted replica of the sea that had tiny models that displayed the development of ships and shipping throughout history. On the wall was a map with the daily position of the Onassis fleet. Stocked with the finest aperitifs and vintages, the circular bar was adorned with footrests and handholds of ornately carved and polished whales' teeth collected by Onassis' whalers. The stools were covered with the foreskin of a whale which led to Onassis' favorite diddy to the likes of Ava Gardner, Marlene Dietrich, and others- "Excuse me Madame, Did you know you are sitting on the world's largest ....!" Through double doors was The Children's Room. Murals by Ludwig Bemelmans, Onassis' accomplished artist friend from Hollywood, provided a fanciful atmosphere for Christina and Alexander. The play area featured tiny bright yellow tables and chairs and Christina's collections of dolls with original Christian Dior wardrobes. A long corridor, "protected" by two huge bronze mythological falcon-like birds lead to the guest apartments. Each air-conditioned and soundproofed suite contained a bedroom, living room and a palatial gold fixtured bathing salon. They were named after Greek islands-Lesbos, Corfu, Ithaca, Rhodes, Andros, Crete, Chios, Santorini and Mykonos. Preferred by VIP's, the Ithaca Suite hosted Marilyn Monroe, in 1955 on her visit to Monaco, Eva Peron, while she was en-route to her villa on the Italian Riviera in 1954, and John Wayne, while visiting Cannes in 1955 among others. Rising majestically upward connecting the decks was the graceful spiral staircase. During the day, the bright sunlight streamed in through the windows and played around the gleaming marble banisters.
Onassis held court in the main deck circular banquet size formal dining room a myriad of honored guests. J. Paul Getty was feted during his holiday to the south of France in 1956. From her christening to his death in 1974, Onassis graciously received his most important shipping clients, King Saud and the Saudi Royals. During there several performances in Monte Carlo, Dame Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev dined aboard the yacht. Providing an elegant ambience, oils by Mareel Vertes, the famous French painter, graced the walls depicting the Onassis family at play. They playfully depicted the four seasons of the year. The formal silver was designed by famous Parisian silversmith Tetard, the white and gold china was of Bavarian porcelain, the crystal glassware by Baccarat. Fresh bread and oranges were flown in daily from Paris and his villa in Greece, respectively. Forward of the dining room was an enormous reception hall with a raised stage for orchestras and entertainment. It was used for formal parties of up to 200 guests including this century's most famed wedding receptions - Princess Grace and Prince Rainer of Monaco in 1954 and in 1968 - Jacqueline Kennedy became Jackie "O". Additional, there were several other lounges, including a movie theatre. One flight up was Onassis' private domaine. This full deck suite was richly appointed with a sitting room, master bedchamber, bathing salon and dressing room. Oak panelling, a Louis XIV desk, gold sabres - a gift from King Faud, antique Turkish duelling pistols, El Greco's priceless "Virgin Mary", a bejewelled jade and ruby Buddha made by the jeweller of the czar adorned the suite. Onassis' cream and sea-green bedroom was decorated with authentic Venetian furniture, and a collection of Greek, Russian and Byzantine icons. The exquisite bathroom was of marble from Siena and copies exactly the bath of King Minos in ancient Crete. The bathtub is blue, white and gold mosaic and the fixtures are gold. It was possible to fill the tub with four different types of water-hot fresh, cold fresh, hot salt and cold salt. Adjoining the bathroom and bedroom was Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' favorite place - the large dressing room with wall to wall mirrored wardrobes, a sofa and dressing table. Complimenting the sheer luxury of the yacht, The Christina boasted state of the art technology and mechanics. The radar and generators systems were the most sophisticated ever installed on a private yacht. The telephone system, with 42 on-board extensions, provided world-wide service. The upper and lower boat decks offered a plethora of toys - a small white Fiat, an Italian amphibious seaplane, four Chris-Crafts, a hi-speed hydrofoil, two kayaks, two smaller speedboats, a 30 foot sailboat and two lifeboats. All were served by a huge, self-contained crane. Safety was paramount, the bridge was equipped with an electronic porthole control panel, an automatic fire alarm system and the latest high-precision radar and navigation system. There was a small hospital, complete with x-ray and surgical equipment, an operating room and backup electrical system. Onassis personally selected the crew. A team of 65 multi-lingual, experienced attendees pampered the yacht and guest. From her sea trails to his death, Onassis' real home was the Christina. Being at sea, in control, privacy assured, enabled him to be the master of his own destiny. His first wife, Tina Livanos, heiress to another famed shipping fortune and mother of his children, said "the yacht is his real passion. He is almost like a housewife fussing over it, constant looking to see that everything is impeccable". "You could smash up a $20,000 speedboat into pieces and not a word would be said, but spit on the Christina's deck and you where out of a job" a crew explained. And the legend lives...The Christina O is now available for select Corporate Charters. For details, feel free to contact us.