A Yacht That Changed History
Few yachts in the world can claim to have altered the course of social history. Fewer still can say they hosted royalty, presidents, movie stars and titans of industry — not as fleeting visitors, but as intimate guests aboard a floating palace.
Christina O is not merely a yacht. She is an era.
Stretching over 99 metres and accommodating up to 34 guests in extraordinary comfort, Christina O is today available for charter through Bespoke Yacht Charter, offering a rare opportunity to inhabit one of the most storied vessels ever built. But to understand her magic, you must begin long before Mediterranean sunsets and Champagne receptions — in the dark days of war.
From Warship to World Stage
Christina O began life in 1943 as HMCS Stormont, a Canadian River-class frigate built for the Battle of the Atlantic. She escorted convoys through hostile waters and played a role in Allied operations during the Second World War, including the Normandy landings. It is a remarkable foundation for what would become the ultimate symbol of post-war glamour.
In 1954, Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis purchased the decommissioned warship for a modest sum. Where others saw scrap metal, Onassis saw possibility. He embarked on a visionary transformation that would redefine luxury yachting forever.
At the time, private yachts were elegant but restrained — refined extensions of aristocratic life. Onassis had something entirely different in mind. He wanted spectacle. He wanted theatre. He wanted the world’s most powerful figures gathered not in boardrooms or palaces, but on his deck.
The conversion took years and vast sums of money. The result was not simply a yacht, but the first true superyacht of the modern era — bold, unapologetically lavish, and designed for entertaining on a global scale.
He named her Christina, after his beloved daughter.
The Golden Age of Floating Glamour
Through the 1950s and 1960s, Christina became the epicentre of international high society.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was a frequent guest, often spending extended cruises aboard. He painted, wrote and relaxed on deck, forming a close friendship with Onassis. A library onboard still honours him.
In 1956, the yacht hosted the wedding reception of Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Hollywood actress Grace Kelly — an event that cemented both Monaco’s modern fairytale and Christina’s place in royal lore.
American President John F. Kennedy cruised aboard, as did his wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, whose later marriage to Onassis would intertwine American political royalty with Greek shipping power in one of the most talked-about unions of the 20th century.
Opera legend Maria Callas was another defining presence aboard. Her relationship with Onassis was passionate and complex, and Christina’s salons were witness to both romance and heartbreak.
Hollywood icons including Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra stepped onto her decks. Industrialists closed deals in her bars. Political futures were discussed in her lounges. The yacht was neutral ground — private, secure, and infinitely seductive.
Deals were struck, alliances formed, relationships ignited. Christina O was not simply observing history. She was hosting it.
Legendary Spaces: Theatre at Sea
Much of Christina O’s mythology lies in her interiors.
Ari’s Bar is perhaps the most famous. Its bar stools are upholstered in whale foreskin leather — a provocative detail that perfectly captures Onassis’s audacious personality. The bar itself gleams with warm wood and polished brass, designed as a stage for late-night diplomacy and decadence. It remains one of the most talked-about features in yachting.
Then there is the swimming pool. Lined with a mosaic depicting a Minoan bull, the pool floor hydraulically rises to transform into a dance floor. It is pure mid-century genius — a single space shifting from sunlit leisure to glittering evening gala. Few yachts, before or since, have incorporated such theatrical ingenuity.
The main salon remains richly atmospheric, blending classic detailing with careful modern restoration. There is grandeur here, but not ostentation. It feels layered with memory — a room designed for conversation rather than display.
The Onassis Suite remains one of the most requested cabins on any charter yacht in the world. It is less about square footage and more about presence — about sleeping where history unfolded. Across her 17 staterooms, each cabin has its own character, combining vintage detailing with modern en-suite comfort.
Decline and Resurrection
After Onassis’s death in 1975, Christina entered a quieter chapter. She was gifted to the Greek government and renamed Argo, serving briefly as a presidential yacht. Yet without the charisma and relentless hosting of her original owner, she lost momentum.
By the late 1990s, her condition reflected years of limited use. But crucially, her bones — the strength of her wartime build — remained sound.
A private owner recognised her irreplaceable legacy and undertook an extraordinary, multi-year restoration. This was not a cosmetic facelift but a comprehensive rebuild. Engineers modernised her mechanical systems. Naval architects ensured she met contemporary safety standards. Designers carefully restored her iconic spaces without stripping away authenticity.
The objective was delicate: preserve her soul while allowing her to operate as a fully competitive modern superyacht.
When she re-emerged as Christina O — the “O” added in tribute to Onassis — she was once again ready to command attention on the world stage.
Christina O Today: A Living Legend for Charter
To step aboard Christina O today is to experience something no newly launched yacht can replicate: narrative depth.
And yet she is far from a museum piece.
She accommodates up to 34 guests in 17 beautifully appointed staterooms, attended by a professional crew of around 38. This scale makes her uniquely suited to large family gatherings, milestone celebrations, corporate retreats or destination weddings. Few yachts of comparable pedigree can host such numbers while maintaining intimacy and flow.
Her deck spaces are expansive. Sun loungers line the upper decks. Alfresco dining areas are configured for long Mediterranean lunches or candlelit dinners under the stars. Lounges invite quiet conversation as coastlines drift by.
Modern stabilisation systems ensure comfort at anchor and underway. Updated communications and Wi-Fi connectivity provide seamless access to the outside world — if guests choose to engage with it. A fleet of tenders and water toys brings contemporary adventure to an otherwise classic platform.
Onboard chefs deliver cuisine tailored to preference — whether that means formal multi-course gastronomy or relaxed family-style meals on deck. Service is polished yet personal, reflecting decades of charter expertise.
What distinguishes Christina O, however, is atmosphere. There is a warmth here that cannot be fabricated. Timber panelling glows softly at dusk. Polished brass catches the Mediterranean sun. Spaces feel lived-in, storied, human.
Cruising the Mediterranean in Iconic Style
There is perhaps no more fitting setting for Christina O than the Mediterranean — the waters where she first defined floating glamour.
Embark in Monaco and trace the Côte d’Azur, where she once hosted royalty and statesmen. Cruise to Portofino, Capri or the Greek Isles, retracing routes familiar to Onassis himself. Anchor off Mykonos for a sunset cocktail, or drift quietly in a secluded Ionian bay.
Each itinerary becomes layered with resonance. You are not simply exploring destinations — you are revisiting chapters of a shared cultural memory.
Yet the experience remains entirely contemporary. Morning swims off the stern. Afternoon paddleboarding. Evening celebrations beneath an open sky. The rising mosaic dance floor can still transform the pool deck into a glittering venue for music and champagne.
Christina O adapts effortlessly to the rhythm of modern charter life while retaining her unmistakable identity.
Why Christina O Remains Unrivalled
The global fleet of superyachts grows larger and more technologically advanced each year. Many are faster. Many are more minimalist. Some boast larger spas or beach clubs.
But none possess what Christina O embodies: continuity.
She bridges war and peace. Industry and art. Politics and performance. She carries within her steel hull the echoes of conversations that shaped the 20th century.
Chartering her is not about novelty. It is about significance.
You dine where Churchill once reflected. You dance where royalty celebrated. You wake where legends dreamed. And yet you do so with every comfort expected of a modern luxury yacht.
This duality — heritage and hospitality — makes Christina O extraordinary.
Becoming Part of the Story
Luxury is often defined by exclusivity. But true rarity lies in experience that cannot be replicated.
To charter Christina O through Bespoke Yacht Charter is to do something singular. You are not simply hiring a yacht; you are entering a narrative that has unfolded for more than 80 years.
Perhaps you will host your own celebration on the mosaic dance floor. Perhaps you will gather family across her decks for a milestone birthday. Perhaps you will simply cruise quietly, absorbing the atmosphere of a vessel that has witnessed so much.
When you disembark, you leave not just with photographs, but with perspective. You will have inhabited a piece of living history — not preserved behind glass, but alive and evolving.
The Final Word
Christina O endures because she represents something beyond wealth. She represents vision.
Aristotle Onassis imagined a floating world where power, culture and pleasure converged. Against all odds, that world still exists — restored, refined and ready for a new generation.
For those seeking a charter experience that transcends luxury and enters legend, there is only one Christina O.
And she is waiting.
