Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt may have named his superyacht Whisper, but she certainly makes a bang wherever she sails. Credit that to the grandeur etched into her DNA by former owner, billionaire Shahid Khan, who originally commissioned her as the floating palace Kismet. Today, the Whisper yacht is making waves due to its own celebrity status and the celebrity guests who have chartered the 312-foot vessel. One of the greatest NBA players of all time, Magic Johnson, has chartered Whisper and stopped over in Sète, France, last weekend.
The Lürssen-built vessel was moored at the Orsetti dock managed by IGY Marina on July 27th for a refuel. In a green twist, Whisper discreetly took in a whopping 80,000 liters of cooking oil to power her engines, according to French outlet Midi Libre. The Whisper yacht will be cruising to the very stunning billionaire paradise, St. Tropez, next, with minimal impact on the environment owing to the fuel choice.
Not only will Magic Johnson soak in the wonderful vistas with his family, but he will also do so with minimal impact on the environment. The only thing impacted significantly will be his wallet, as the Whisper yacht, with all its luxuries, can be chartered for a whopping $1 million a week. But that’s only peanuts for this billionaire, worth $1.5 billion according to Forbes.
The 65-year-old took his family to enjoy the mesmerizing Mediterranean with stops in Cannes, Ibiza, Mallorca, and now St. Tropez. The fun-loving family is soaking up every moment aboard Whisper, dancing the night away at a Club 32 disco party under the stars. It’s not just about glamor; they’re showing how to travel in style, together, and responsibly, especially when the itinerary takes you throughout the Mediterranean.
Whisper yacht was filled to capacity with the biofuel HVO, and this reduces CO2 emissions by 90% compared to conventional diesel. From Sète, she glided toward the Côte d’Azur with minimal environmental impact. Johnson, who clinched five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, made the most of the yacht’s expansive foredeck, which doubled as a private basketball court. The crew even filmed him shooting hoops, not in a stadium, but aboard a superyacht, merging his love for the game with the yachting lifestyle.
Whisper sleeps 12 guests in 7 cabins and is packed with lavish amenities: three full lounging and dining areas, a full-service spa, two retractable sea terraces, a gym, and a cinema room. There’s also a jacuzzi on the sundeck and a hammam for unwinding. A vacation fit for a billionaire, Magic Johnson and his fun-loving family truly lived the Med dream. No stranger to chartering the most beautiful boats each summer, the former Lakers superstar was spotted in 2023 aboard the 295-foot Phoenix 2, renting it for a cool $1.5 million a week.
