These days Onassis' legendary yacht Christina O is available to rent
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It was Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis who began the private yacht craze. He bought the Christina O, a former Canadian navy frigate, in 1954 for $34,000 and spent a further $4 million refurbishing it. The charmer famously seduced a long line of beautiful women, including Maria Callas, Greta Garbo and Jacqueline Kennedy, in his stateroom. Famous guests were treated to the height of opulence, cared for by a crew of 60, three chefs, two hairdressers, a masseuse, maids and even a small orchestra.
The yacht, which once played host to the likes of Frank Sinatra and Winston Churchill, was restored for a cool $50 million in 2001 by a syndicate which now charters it out to wealthy individuals. Today it boasts a Steinway piano, a hydraulic swimming pool - the bottom of which rises to become a dance floor - and a master suite containing a painting by Renoir.
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