Adnan Khashoggi, a Saudi billionaire who made his fortune in the arms trade was one of the wealthiest men of the 1980s. His immense wealth, estimated to be $4 billion (to offer some perspective Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, the richest person in the 80’s had a net worth of $20 billion) , was aptly represented by a luxury vessel that could easily be considered the most opulent of its time. Nabila superyacht set the standard for the magnificent yachts that followed.
Indeed, Khashoggi walked so rulers, billionaires, and tycoons could run, and he did it with his 282-footer Benetti masterpiece delivered in 1979. Named after his only daughter, this was his second yacht (he bought his first yacht at 18) that made superyacht history, presenting a level of grandeur that astonished the world. From politicians and world leaders to Hollywood glitterati and individuals with questionable ethics, nearly every one of Khashoggi’s interests found themselves aboard this five-deck vessel. Let’s take a closer look at Nabila, the epitome of luxury yachts, whose awe-inspiring magnificence remains unmatched decades later.
Nabila: Novel, Nonpareil, and Noteworthy-
The Italian shipyard Benetti was tasked with bringing the 282-foot luxury vessel to life. Thanks to the legendary designer Jon Bannenberg, Nabila was not only glorious and ahead of its time but also incredibly self-sufficient, boasting amenities like a three-chair hair salon and even a hospital with an operating theater. According to New York magazine, this pleasure craft, with its 11 suites named after precious gems, was packed with every luxury money could buy.
The yacht was adorned with gold and diamonds; one room featured sumptuous chinchilla bedspreads, and another showcased enormous marble bathtubs with gold hardware. Nearly every room was covered with chamois leather.
A walk into the saloon revealed a crystal-encrusted piano, a gift from celebrated American pianist Władziu Valentino Liberace to Khashoggi’s wife. It is said that there were 100 rooms on the vessel, making it impossible to describe the grandeur of the craft fully. However, one cannot help but be in awe of the owner’s suite.
Unlike anything else, this sanctuary of the flamboyant arms dealer featured extravagant elements like a tortoiseshell ceiling, a king-sized bed with buttons for every whim, a spacious dressing room filled with mirrors, an onyx-lined en suite featuring a scallop-shaped onyx shower with 13 nozzles that took a year to construct, and a serene spa area complete with a barber chair.
The suite extended to a TV room, an office, and an informal lounge, ending at the owner’s private elevator that whisked him up to his exclusive sun deck. Let alone Larry Elisson and his Musashi superyacht, even Jeff Bezos might not enjoy this level of extravagance aboard his $500 million Koru megayacht. The sundeck was a haven of privacy with a bar, games, lounge, a swimming pool concealed behind a bullet-proof glass, and a hydraulic lift that could elevate the sun bed higher than any prying eyes, bringing it closer to the sun for maximum effect.
Perhaps the most astonishing feature of this hedonistic owner’s bedroom was a secret compartment, allowing Khashoggi’s discreet guests to slip away in the early hours without being seen (his wife had a separate suite at the other end of the expansive deck).
The amenities of the Benetti yacht included a cinema with an 800-film library, a patisserie, and a galley that could stock supplies for 100 people for a three-month period. Hosting a party for nearly 400 guests was no big deal on this pleasure craft. His 48th birthday bash aboard the Nabila megayacht went on until the early hours of the morning, with a parade of Dom Pérignon, caviar, and venison, attended by stars like Brooke Shields, David Niven, and Stewart Copeland. The affluent Saudi tycoon, worth an estimated $4 billion at his peak in the early 1980s, was known for throwing several such lavish parties.
Nabila was as powerful as it was pretty, cruising at 17.5 knots and capable of crossing the Atlantic twice without refueling. The mammoth vessel boasted fourteen diesel tanks, holding a total of 136,000 imperial gallons of fuel, allowing it to travel a cool 8,500 miles
While some claim it is nearly impossible to determine the value of this ship, it is said to have cost Khashoggi $85 million at the time. The cost to the Benetti shipyard, however, was even greater, turning out to be a disastrous project for them. Despite providing the Saudi businessman with a floating palace, Benetti struggled to stay afloat after delivering the yacht. It was owing to a ruthless contract that Nabila motoryacht forced the yard into bankruptcy in 1984.
This prized asset, belonging to the man who splurged $250,000 a day to maintain his lavish lifestyle, was seized by the Sultan of Brunei after Khashoggi defaulted on a $50 million loan in 1985. Nabila became collateral and subsequently changed hands, altering her fate and that of Khashoggi, the Great Gatsby of the Middle East.
