This German Masterpiece Was Built as a U.S. Billionaire’s Fifth Bespoke Superyacht

Most of the time, when a superyacht is being built for a billionaire, it’s a discrete process, even a secretive one, which leads to a lot of speculation in the media. But there are some rare cases in which the builder is free to officially announce the future owner of a new build. This was the case for Arience, born as Excellence V.

In 2012, when Excellence V was delivered, there were no rumors and no controversy over its ownership. Everybody knew that it was Herb Chamber’s new toy. Chamber is a well-known name in the U.S. car dealership world and a legendary one in the Boston area.

Chambers founded a company that would eventually include 60 dealerships, and which became one of the most successful of its kind in the U.S. The billionaire himself is known for collecting luxury cars, including a rare, 1995 McLaren F1, which he sold in 2017 for a whopping $15.62 million.

Chamber is also what they call a serial yacht owner. All of his boats were named Excellence, and he went for a bigger and bolder model every time. His long-term collaboration with the German shipyard Abeking & Rasmussen also stood out in a world like that of luxury yachting.

The German builder has brought to life four superyachts for the automotive billionaire. One of them was Excellence V, now renamed Arience, and the latest one was the mammoth 80-meter (262 feet) Excellence, his current pleasure craft.

There was no actual Excellence IV prior to that, as a result of a complicated project that was eventually scraped off. But Excellence V showed off its name proudly. At the time, it was introduced as the largest-volume yacht in the 60-meter (200 feet) size category. As the owner himself had stated, the overall surface is more important than length.

Boasting an interior volume of 1,632 GT, Excellence V was as spacious as a much bigger, 70-meter (230 feet) yacht, while keeping the advantages of a shorter size in terms of harbor accessibility and flexibility.

If you were flying in a helicopter above it, you could admire its cascading decks, with all of the luxurious amenities for socializing and having fun in the open air, including a huge jacuzzi. Even after almost a decade, the yacht has kept its distinctive dark blue hull and sophisticated interior style.

Both its naval architecture and interior design by the acclaimed, London-based Raymond Langton, got high praise at the time. Excellence V was the winner of the International Superyacht Society Awards for “Best Power 40-65 meter,” and was a finalist for several other prestigious awards.

The impressive volume was carefully used to create a perfect party boat because all of Chambers' pleasure craft were also successful charter yachts. Excellence V was designed to welcome up to 12 guests across six cabins, and all of them got to enjoy plenty of space and great views. That’s because all of the guest cabins were located on the main deck, while the master suite offered full privacy on the upper deck.

As you’d expect with such a luxurious yacht, we’re not talking about a simple master suite, but of an entire private master deck. This includes an enormous bedroom with panoramic views, a generous terrace with its own jacuzzi, and plenty of lounging space, plus a separate bar, on the aft deck.

The cabins on the main deck also make it easier for guests to access the main salon, with a formal dining area and a sophisticated bar. When they want to switch to al-fresco dining, the bridge deck welcomes them inside a spacious dining area, plus multiple spots for lounging.

There are bars everywhere onboard, including the beach club. It also has a fabulous folding sea terrace, for those who want to be as close to the water as possible. They can also take in the stunning views while working in the waterside gym. Afternoons are perfect for watching a movie in the elegant cinema on the lower deck. In the evening, dazzling lights turn the yacht into a party scene.

No matter the time of the day, the sun deck is one of the most popular areas on board. The jacuzzi takes center stage – it’s not only huge, but also comes with a tasteful waterfall and a swim-up bar. Two MTU engines of 2,000 HP each, keep the yacht cruising smoothly at 13 knots (14.9 mph/24 kph) while advanced zero-speed stabilizers prevent any unpleasant motion at anchor.

Six years after its launch, Excellence V was put on the market. The car dealership billionaire moved on to the new, enormous Excellence (which was supposed to be the ultimate expression of what the name symbolizes) while his former yacht became Arience.

It was sold for approximately $70 million in 2019 and has been operating as a successful charter yacht ever since, asking for $600,000 per week.