That the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud is a man of refined taste is no secret. How can it be when he has a $400 million Serene yacht with a length of an impressive 439 ft sailing as a testament to his stature? The superyacht is more than its robust exterior, the hefty price tag, and the imposing length. The many elements inside make Serene the masterpiece that it is. One such standout element is a snow room. The special room is chilled to 12 degree farhaneit and it has real snow falling from the ceiling. Along with beating the 110 degree Saudi summers the snowroom is ideal to chill down and jump into the sauna. Fincantieri shipyard’s 439-foot yacht was the first boat to include a snow room when it was delivered in 2011. A few motoryachts like Faith and Ragnar followed suit, but not all can boast a space as wonderfully done as Serene.
This work of Pascale Reymond of Reymond Langton Design stands out among other striking features and a seemingly endless list of amenities. Interestingly, the snow room is a part of Serene owing to her original owner, Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler. Reymond said the deep-pocketed owner wanted a room on his ship where it actually snowed.
‘The clients wanted a place on the yacht where they could enjoy real snow,’ Reymond said. ‘When you think that the client is from a cool country, like Russia, where they are used to spas and ice fountains; it’s quite normal. It is though, quite incredible to see this fresh, beautiful snow on a yacht – and quite surreal too, to look out the window on to sun and people in swimming costumes.’
So incredible is this Italian-built yacht even centibillionaire Bill Gates couldn’t resist her charms and chartered Serene ($5 million per week in 2014) for a few days for a family vacation. Below are Serene’s incredible features that would’ve made the Gates holiday memorable.
What makes Serene Stand out in a sea of superyachts?
Not her massive beam of 60 feet or her seven decks, not even the large 4,500 square meters of interior space, but the utilization of the above makes Serene motoryacht a formidable vessel to beat.
The boat single-handedly puts you in a chilly mountainous milieu and then warms you in a giant internal seawater pool. Considering the large families residing on Serene, the thoughtful MBS also installed a children’s playroom with a climbing wall.
Depending on the party’s need, one of the two helipads converts to another pool or dance floor. Serene is available for charter and brings tons of entertaining activities aboard.
There is an insane “between the decks” slide, an exciting underwater viewing room, and a plethora of toys and tenders. After an action-packed day, rest and rejuvenation can be met at the wellness and beauty center, outfitted with spas and soothing hammam.
Before guests retire for forty winks, they can catch a movie in the outdoor cinema or enjoy music and conversations in the piano room and bar.
How Serene Yacht Landed in the Lap of Middle-Eastern Royalty-
Only a jeweler knows the true worth of a diamond. This saying sums up how the then deputy crown prince of Saudi Arabia purchased the Serene megayacht. Prince Salman was holidaying in southern France in early 2016 when he spotted the majestic luxury yacht off the coast. The magnificent ship not only caught his eye, but MBS immediately dispatched an aide to go and buy it from Russian tycoon Yuri Shefler.
In a matter of hours, the boat boasting two helipads, a submarine, and a nightclub belonged to MBS, with the Russian businessman kicked out. So fond is the royal of his ship that it is decorated with one of the world’s most expensive paintings, Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, purchased for $450 million in 2017 (that’s more expensive than the yacht itself).
