Photo: Tom van Oossanen for Superyacht Times (Composite)
Most millionaires have a summer house, whether a small log cabin or a Swiss chalet. But Jeff Bezos is no "most millionaires." Jeff Bezos is the world's third richest man, with a net worth estimated at over $150 billion as of this writing.
Jeff Bezos is a man accustomed to the best of the best, in the most literal sense. His latest "toy," sailing megayacht Koru, estimated at more than $500 million without the equally impressive shadow yacht that carries all its gear and toys, is the best example of that.
And Koru is about to kick off a summer of fun for Bezos and his rich, super-famous friends while probably doubling as the venue to host an over-extended summer-long engagement party. That's a very long-winded introduction to saying that Koru is going into operation full-time after a very controversial and challenging build, extensive sea trials, delivery, and its maiden journey, which turned into a pre-honeymoon month-long cruise for Bezos and his fiancee Lauren Sanchez.
Bezos and Sanchez are now in Capri, having only stepped off the vessel in the last month to have dinners or attend galas on land. Billionaire Oprah Winfrey, aka the Queen of Television, and her good friend Gayle King joined them for a luncheon date. According to one celebrity e-zine, having Oprah onboard is just the beginning of the summer festivities: "they'll be celebrating all summer with several groups of their famous friends coming aboard."
Just don't call it a billionaires' club. Even though Oprah is one of the richest people in showbiz, with a net worth of $2.5 billion, she's not even close to Bezos' record-breaking financial achievements. But when it comes to popularity, reach, and credibility, few other celebrities carry Oprah's weight. Bezos is rolling with the A crowd, and he has just the boat for it.
Bezos took delivery of Koru earlier this year and then, in May 2023, set out on the maiden journey, accompanied by Sanchez. Koru had been under the microscope before for of its gigantic proportions, innovative technology, its reported price tag, and the fact that it's the biggest sailing yacht in the world (and one of the few new builds), but it somehow became even more of a paparazzi magnet after delivery.
Looking at it, it's not difficult to understand why: Koru is enormous, but it's also beautiful in a way in which no other motor yacht could ever be. A three-masted schooner of 127 meters (417 feet) in total length, with a design inspired by Oceanco's Black Pearl, another superb example of modern naval engineering inspired by the past, it features a black hull with a white superstructure, white masts, and white sails.
In a further nod to the vessels of yore, it features an oversize figurehead carved out of a single piece of polished wood, bearing a striking resemblance to Sanchez herself. Koru sails accompanied by Abeona, the world's largest shadow yacht, so a proper superyacht to other rich seafarers, designed and built by Damen Yachting.
Even those who hate cruises for whatever reason will admit that, if they must, there can be no better place to spend the summer than Koru. Especially if it's packed with A-listers.
Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez Host Oprah on Superyacht, Still Pack on the PDA https://t.co/Gq0nzhMaU9
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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