On board O'Pari: Golden Yachts' new 95m flagship superyacht

When Greek yacht builder Golden Yachts unveiled its 85-metre charter star O’Ptasia back in 2018, it's then flagship was received with high praise, clinching several awards and a full charter book to back up the hype. Those in the know, however, knew that Golden Yachts wasn’t going to stop there and already had a bigger, grander and more feature-rich project in build that would further elevate the yard’s status. Enter, O’Pari.

Launched last year, this 95-metre charter-ready super cruiser is not just the yard’s latest flagship vessel but builds on the experience gained from the 13 vessels constructed before her under the Golden Yachts name.

Like most of the Golden Yachts fleet, O’Pari was designed and built specifically for the charter market. For shipyard chairman and founder, Paris Dragnis, a proud Greek with Hellenic maritime heritage as part of his DNA, building a new and bigger O’Pari was the obvious next step in the yard’s evolution. “You cannot aim for new horizons until you have the courage to leave known shores,” he says. “Our aim is to build yachts like this. I imagine them in Greek waters, the birthplace of naval mastery, with every detail taken care of to the utmost perfection. These yachts not only offer their guests an excellent stay, but the serenity of Greek nature too.”

This fascination for all things Greek runs deeper than the guest experience on board and was also stamped on the design of the vessel long before construction began. Longtime design partner Studio Vafiadis was once again drafted in to continue the line of Golden Yachts with its familiar style of elegant proportions and flowing guest spaces. “I would define the exterior design as being like the Hellenistic philosophy of the ‘Apollonian’ and ‘Dionysian’ spirits,” explains Stefano Vafiadis.

He continues: “This combines rational thinking and order together with emotions and instincts. The straight lines of the decks are geometrical and give a cadence to the overall look, almost like a musical base. The remaining edgy and sportive curves are the most joyful part of the project, adding that little extra something to the character of O’Pari.”

The extra 10 metres that Vafiadis had to play with compared to O’Ptasia’s 85-metre overall length translated into more balanced guest spaces, larger deck areas and a multi-faceted beach club that takes the seaside resort philosophy to the next level. Most of all, this additional breathing room allowed the studio to finetune even the smallest details. “For example, the lowered bulwarks with glass railings on the aft lounges or enlarged glazings on the profile are details which you might not immediately notice. Other design solutions such as hiding the life rafts under a stylish fibreglass hatch really make O’Pari stand out from previous projects.”

Other exterior design features are more obvious, such as the huge longitudinal swimming pool on the bridge deck aft, touch-and-go helipad on the foredeck and the sleek mast structure that splits the sundeck into two sections. Separated by a bar and dining area, guests can retreat to the sundeck during the day for a dip in the forward Jacuzzi, or end their night with a screening of the latest films under starlight in an outdoor cinema setting that can be arranged by the crew.

Beach life

When anchored in one of the many tranquil Aegean bays, life on board often concentrates around the beach club area of any boat, and things are no different aboard O’Pari. In fact, this space is designed to be used not only on sunny days at anchor, but also offers a full wellness set up adjacent to the welcome bar and seaside lounge. “The beach club is vast and has a very nice system of sliding glazings that makes it even more enjoyable, creating the feeling of being on the water but providing the comfort of air conditioning if needed. A welcoming and enjoyable spa is located right next on the forward portion of the beach club with a massage room and a steam room available for guests with beautiful onyx marble, mosaics and relaxing lighting effects.”

The beach club leads out onto an expansive five-metre swimming platform which allows for an elaborate beach setup with enough remaining space for diving and watersports preparations. A louvre-style swim ladder leads guests into the water and makes for elegant water exits.

Step inside

For the interior, the Mediterranean once again served as inspiration for Vafiadis’ design. Defined by a contrasting theme with universal appeal, those on board are treated to deckhead heights of 2.9 metres and a gross tonnage of just over 2,700, all of which has been utilised to enhance the guest experience. The design of guest spaces establishes a balance between shapes, light and colours with curved wood panels and recessed mood lighting setting the scene.

“Light is possibly the most important aspect of interior design today,” says Vafiadis. “Glazings are vast and, in some cases, stretch from deck to ceiling, offering a huge amount of day lighting and removing the boundaries of interior spaces. Thanks to special lighting design features and strip LEDs, we were able to sculpt and define the materials and shapes.”

The materials Stefano speak of include mother of pearl, onyx and various precious woods that define each cabin in a different style.

Drifting off

Where guests are often presented with a hierarchy of cabins on board charter yachts, Studio Vafiadis levelled the playing field in the race for the best quarters by supersizing most of the guest suites to VIP status. “Many of the cabins which are located on the main and upper deck should be considered as VIPs, while a second full-beam master cabin on the main deck is bigger and more luxurious than on any previous boat by Golden Yachts.”

With a total of nine double and four twin cabins, the master suite – complete with an ensuite ‘as wide as a spa’ according to Vafiadis – stands out on the upper deck with a wrapped-around panoramic view through windows that enclose the forward part of the stateroom.

Work of art

Another trend throughout the interior, and keeping with the unapologetic Greek theme, is some 70 pieces of artwork that decorate the guest spaces. Together with Athens-based art advisor Anna Chatzinasiou, Golden Yachts’ Vasilis Dragnis curated an art collection that was created just for O’Pari. Sourced from around the world, many of the pieces are by the hands of Greece’s most notable artists and focus on the relationship between humans and nature, adding a personal touch to each cabin.

For O’Pari charter enquiries contact: Popy Kaia - Atalanta Golden Yachts

+30 2109910722

popykaia@atalantagoldenyachts.com