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Maldives Resort Commissions Custom-Made Yacht
Over the years a number of upscale hotels have made high-end boats available for the use of guests, but never before has a residence commissioned its own luxury yacht – until now.
Step forward the St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, which recently took ownership of Norma, a stunning custom-made Azimut Flybridge 66 yacht.
The first Azimut model to be specially-commissioned by a hotel, the 3-bedroom yacht is said to be one of the world’s most technologically advanced vessels designed for cruising.
The 20.7-metre yacht features three-cabins fitted with elevated, luxury furnishings, indoor/outdoor lounging and a dining area. Norma can host up to 8 guests for day trips, and sleeps 6 for overnight stays.
Day excursions can include trips around the 26 jaw-droppingly beautiful atolls of the Maldives, where guests can enjoy activities such as snorkelling, diving, dolphin and shark spotting, or sunset cruises.
Guests can also charter Norma for transfers to and from Male Airport. About a 5-hour journey, rates for such a luxury trip across the Indian Ocean start from a cool $14,000.
The name Norma, is a nod to the 1884 Nourmahal yacht —named after the heroine in a Thomas Moore poem – which was purchased by John Jacob Astor IV, founder of St. Regis hotels.