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Billionaires Arrive on Yachts in St. Barts for Holiday, No Russian Oligarch in Sight

There is one place to be for the end of the year if you’re a billionaire with a yacht: the Caribbean Island of St. Barts. And people like Diddy, Jerry Jones, Bernie Ecclestone, and more are already there, mooring their luxury yachts for their annual holiday.
Jerry Jones' Bravo Eugenia Yacht 10 photos
Photo: YachtsInternational.com
Force BlueRising SunRising SunBravo EugeniaVava IIDiddy on Victorious YachtDiddy on Victorious YachtDiddy on Victorious YachtGalaxy Yacht
One thing about yachts and why people love them so much is that they give you the freedom to have a floating luxury hotel anywhere you go. And for the end of the year, the rich and famous usually head off to St. Barts.

The billionaires have already started to arrive on the island, some of them just before Christmas, planning to stay there until the New Year. Among them are Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, and former chief executive of the Formula One Group Bernie Ecclestone.

However, people didn't fail to notice the island seems a bit less crowded this year, because the "traditional" Russian oligarch superyachts are gone. But it's far from empty.

Now we’ll be taking a look at some of the most luxurious of them, starting with music mogul Diddy, who arrived on a 279-ft (85-m) expedition motor yacht called Victorious.

Diddy on Victorious Yacht
Photo: Instagram / Diddy
It was built by the AK Yachts shipyard in Turkey and can accommodate up to 12 guests in eleven guest suites. It has a helipad and includes a lot of entertainment options, including a heated swimming pool, a cinema, an aft deck jacuzzi, a basketball court, a cocktail lounge, and more. It has also space for up to 22 crew members to cater to your every need. The massive superyacht belongs to Turkish entrepreneur and car fan Vural AK and it’s available for charter. In the winter season, the superyacht has a price from $950,000 to $1,000,000 per week, plus expenses.

Meanwhile, 92-year-old billionaire Bernie Ecclestone brought his 230-ft (70-m) Force Blue yacht, which he reportedly bought in 2021 from former business partner Flavio Briatore for €7,490,000 (around $7,962,000 at today's exchange rate). It can also accommodate up to 12 guests in six staterooms fully equipped with a spa, a gym, lounging, and sunbathing areas, a cinema, a DJ station, disco-lighting, and a swim platform, alongside a number of water toys.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones brought his 357-ft yacht called Bravo Eugenia, which he got in 2019 from Dutch ship maker Oceanco. He named it in honor of his wife, Eugenia Jones. It has a helipad, a gym, a swimming pool, a spa, a beach club, and several jet skis and other water toys. It has enough space for 14 guests and 30 crew members. And we must mention that, unlike other billionaires' vessels, this one focused on reducing its impact on the environment with a green design that makes it more fuel efficient.

Rising Sun
Photo: Lurssen
David Geffen, the founder of Dreamworks, arrived in St. Barts on Rising Sun, a Lurssen motor yacht built for Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation, in 2004. Geffen bought the vessel in 2010, and it includes a basketball court, a fully equipped gym, a sauna, a wine cellar, and many other amenities across its 82 rooms. The vessel is also the place to be for A-listers, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, and more. The massive yacht has enough space to accommodate 18 people overnight, with 45 crew members to attend to all the guests.

Video game developer Dave Hagewood is the proud owner of the luxury superyacht Galaxy. Coming from the famous Italian brand Benetti, the yacht boasts lavish staterooms, a big swimming pool, a gym, and a cinema, among its many amenities. Hagewood bought the vessel in 2021 and gave it a complete refit with the help of Monaco Marine and GM Group and a bespoke interior from Njord by Bergman Design House. It has enough space for up to 14 guests and the 184-ft (56-m) yacht is a regular in St. Barts.

Billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli obviously brought Vava II, which is also one of the hottest spots for celebrities. Just over the summer, Richie Akiva threw a huge party for Bertarelli on the yacht in Saint Tropez, the equivalent of St Barts during summertime. With a length of 318 ft (97 m), the massive superyacht offers places to sleep for up to 36 guests and 34 crew members to make sure everyone there is comfortable and relaxed. Estimated at $150 million, there aren't many details out there about its interior and amenities, but it's also a regular in St. Barts, as just last year it welcomed Leo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos for the New Year's Eve party.

Vava II
Photo: Boat International
Some of the most famous superyachts that are not present in St. Barts this year are Roman Abramovich's Eclipse, and his former yacht, Le Grand Bleu, which now belongs to another Russian tycoon, Eugene Shvidler.

In the upcoming days, the island will fill with more celebrities and other high-profile names. The list will probably include Leo DiCaprio, Jeff Bezos, Drake, and many others.

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Editor's note: Gallery includes official pictures of the superyachts

About the author: Monica Coman
Monica Coman profile photo

Imagine a Wenn diagram for cars and celebrities. At the intersection you'll find Monica, putting her passion for these fields and English-Spanish double major to work. She's been doing for the past seven years, most recently at autoevolution.
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