Photo: Facebook/Marine Sifredi
Owning luxury toys that most people can only dream of doesn’t automatically mean an exemption from potential bad deals. Just as a sophisticated yacht isn’t always sold for a jaw-dropping sum just because it has royal DNA.
In contrast with the incredible multimillion-dollar sales taking place regularly on the luxury yacht market, the recently-announced sale of a royal figure’s private yacht seems more like a bad deal. Alpa IV, owned by King Albert of Belgium and his wife, Queen Paola, had a last-known asking price of €1.7 million ($1.7 million), much less than what the King allegedly had paid for it, which was almost €5 million.
Of course, the Alpa IV isn’t one of those large superyachts, and it’s not exactly young either. A Posillipo Technema 92 hull that’s 89-foot-long (27.5 meters), it was built at the Cantieri Navali Rizzardi, Italy, in 2009. Boasting a four-stateroom configuration and a volume of 90 GT, the sleek Alpa IV can accommodate up to eight guests, plus a small crew of three people.
It might not be as flashy as other famous yachts, but its smaller size means a greater cruising speed of 25 knots (28.7 mph/46 kph), with a top speed of 31 knots (35.6 mph/57 kph). That’s also possible thanks to its twin 2,400 HP MTU 16v engines. Plus, at roughly half of that cruising speed, the Alpa IV can cover up to 660 nautical miles (759.5 miles/1,222 km).
It could also be argued that this wasn’t such a bad deal, considering the fact that the Royal yacht had been on the market since last year, asking for slightly more than the final sale price. According to The Brussels Times, the elderly King Albert II (88 years old) and Queen Paola (84 years old) were forced to part with their yacht as part in order to downsize.
It seems that after the King’s son, Phillipe, was handed over the throne, his parents had to deal with a drastic budget cut, ending up with a yearly sum that was much lower than what the former King had allegedly expected. The media also reported that it was hard to find a new owner for the royal yacht, which led to further price drops. In the end, it’s a good thing that the Alpa IV was finally sold, even if at a bargain price.
Of course, the Alpa IV isn’t one of those large superyachts, and it’s not exactly young either. A Posillipo Technema 92 hull that’s 89-foot-long (27.5 meters), it was built at the Cantieri Navali Rizzardi, Italy, in 2009. Boasting a four-stateroom configuration and a volume of 90 GT, the sleek Alpa IV can accommodate up to eight guests, plus a small crew of three people.
It might not be as flashy as other famous yachts, but its smaller size means a greater cruising speed of 25 knots (28.7 mph/46 kph), with a top speed of 31 knots (35.6 mph/57 kph). That’s also possible thanks to its twin 2,400 HP MTU 16v engines. Plus, at roughly half of that cruising speed, the Alpa IV can cover up to 660 nautical miles (759.5 miles/1,222 km).
It could also be argued that this wasn’t such a bad deal, considering the fact that the Royal yacht had been on the market since last year, asking for slightly more than the final sale price. According to The Brussels Times, the elderly King Albert II (88 years old) and Queen Paola (84 years old) were forced to part with their yacht as part in order to downsize.
It seems that after the King’s son, Phillipe, was handed over the throne, his parents had to deal with a drastic budget cut, ending up with a yearly sum that was much lower than what the former King had allegedly expected. The media also reported that it was hard to find a new owner for the royal yacht, which led to further price drops. In the end, it’s a good thing that the Alpa IV was finally sold, even if at a bargain price.
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