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Submarines / Virgin Oceanic / Richard Branson / Boats / Hot Yachts / → All Tags

Richard Branson Isn't the Only Billionaire Playing with Submarines

Yesterday, when billionaire Richard Branson announced the expansion of his Virgin Oceanic program to deep-sea exploration, he joined a very exclusive club. Okay, sure; he's already a part of the private island owners' club, the billionaires with space travel aspirations' club, and even the private club owners' club. Now, however, he can finally join the ranks of submarine owners of the world.

Technically Branson got his first sub last year, with the launch of the Necker Nymph, a 3-person tourist sub that accompanies his catamaran yacht-for-charter, the Necker Belle. Read more on it here, but do note its similarities to an airplane, rather an a conventional submarine. Branson's new sub will instead be a 1-seater with capability to reach 37,000 feet. That's crazy, and Branson is even crazier; he intends to pilot the second of five planned deep dives, and stands as the back-up pilot on the first, Marianas Trench dive.

Heaven forbid something happens to Richard, but we're now wondering what other billionaires count submarines among their toys?

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Celeb Travel / Hot Yachts / Beyonce / Jay-Z / French Riviera / → All Tags

Beyonce and Jay-Z Spend August the Celebrity Way: On a $377,000 Per Week Yacht

If you're a multi-millionaire celebrity with a significant other of the same description, what do you do for vacation during the hot days of late August? Oh, you rent a yacht and go to Saint Tropez on France's Cote d'Azur, of course. Onboard the 177-foot yacht Altitude this week, you'll find Beyonce and Jay-Z soaking up the sun, hopping from Portofino to Cannes to Saint Tropez all to the tune of $377,000 per week.

Beyonce and Jay-Z are getting their money's worth, too. The Altitude boasts six cabins, a gym, and a Jacuzzi. They aren't the only celebs out running around on a rented yacht off the Riviera either; fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana (Dolce & Gabbana) have been motoring their yacht from Sardinia to Portofino and even down to the Aeolian Islands off Sicily so far this summer.

Given a choice, we'd party along with D&G, since their yachting adventure lasts practically the whole season. Who would you rather float around with?

[Photo: INF daily/Gossipcenter]

Celeb Travel / Paris Hilton / Hot Yachts / Yachting / Crime / Drug Travel / → All Tags

Paris Hilton Detained by Airport Police for Pot...Again

Paris Hilton got into a bit of hot water again Friday night when she flew into the Figari Airport in Corsica with pot in her purse. Paris, her sister Nicky, and a few of their girlfriends, flew to the French island via private jet, but didn't plan to stay long as they had a yacht waiting nearby to take them to Sardinia.

But, before the ladies had a chance to make it to their yacht, Paris was stopped by the police after their dogs detected drugs in her bag. They brought her into their offices for questioning but found less than a gram of pot on her so she was released without charges.

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Follow Gerard Butler's Example in Cannes for Hot Yachts and Models

Add Gerard Butler to the list of the beautiful people celebrities who have spent the last week in the South of France. Butler got a little R & R in this weekend after spending much of last week at the Cannes Film Festival, airkissing actresses and slathering on suntan oil.

Thursday night, Gerry suited up for the annual amfAR Cinema Against Aids gala at the Hotel Du Cap Eden Roc in Cap Antibes, France, where Lady Gaga performed after her own romp on a yacht just off the coast. When asked about his lifestyle at the event, he relied, “I’m not exactly Mr. Values. Life is about enjoying yourself and that’s what I do.” We couldn't agree more!

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Hot Yachts / Celeb Travel / Luxury Travel / Johnny Depp / → All Tags

Now You Can Rent Johnny Depp's Yacht, If You've Got an Extra $110,000 Per Week

After playing Captain Jack Sparrow on the big screen, Johnny Depp was so inspired that he bought a 156-foot luxury yacht and redecorated it with the Captain's signature jewel-toned velvet fabric and a Jolly Roger flag.

Over the past few years, Johnny has taken trips to Italy, Florida, Annapolis, Maryland and his own private Caribbean island, Little Hall's Pond Cay, in the yacht. And now you can take your family and friends wherever they want to go, as long as you have plenty of dough. Burgess Yachts is renting Johnny's yacht for €98,000 (approximately $130,000) per week in the high season and €84,000 (approximately $110,000) in the low season.

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Hot Yachts / Yachting / Fashion Travel / Luxury Travel / Lucky Magazine / Boats / → All Tags

When a Birkin Bag Just Isn't Enough: Sail on the Hermes Yacht

Luxury travel is not always about who has the plushest hotel bed or the glitziest gold sinks in their private jet, but more about personally created experiences—a haute couture version of a trip, if you will. One of the final true luxury good brands is Hermes, and in this vein, they will not only make you a Birkin bag, but also a Smart car or helicopter. The latest addition to their travel offerings might be the most intriguing, however; it's a futuristic Hermes yacht.

Like with other Hermes goods, the yacht will cost about ten times what you think it would. The "WHY 58x38"—as it's being called—is a $140 million dollar monster, outfitted with five suites and even solar panels for energy conservation. Thus far, only a life-size model of the yacht has been constructed, by its Monaco-based shipbuilder Wally. Still, the recession didn't hit everyone apparently, as the boat is being ordered by people.

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Tiger Woods / Hot Yachts / Celeb Travel / Ships / Palm Beach Travel / → All Tags

Anchors Aweigh, Tiger Woods! His Yacht 'Privacy' Is Ready To Go

Where in the world is Tiger Woods? Well, he's either still attempting to lay low at his mansion outside of Orlando, or he's en route to North Palm Beach to board his $22 million dollar, 155-foot yacht, ironically named the "Privacy." The Examiner reports that the boat, purchased in 2004 and picked out by Tiger's then fiance, now wife Elin Nordegren, spent the weekend being stocked with supplies and having its name covered up by a tarp thrown over the stern.

Someone doesn't want people to know that he's on the run. And of course Tiger will be hiding out in style. The Privacy sleeps 21 in its many bedrooms with walls of white silk., although Tiger will probably set sail solo. In addition, the boat has an 8-person jacuzzi, a gym, a theater projection system, a gourmet kitchen with espresso maker, BBQ grill, two Vespa scooters, a scuba center, and an elevator.

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Superyachts / Megayachts / Hot Yachts / Yachting / Boating / Dangerous Travel / → All Tags

Somali Pirates to World: You Brought This On Yourselves

If you're like me, you can't wait for the winter yachting season to begin, but before you don your monocle and climb aboard your megayacht, you'd better plot your sun-seeking itinerary carefully. Just last week, pirates kidnapped a British couple from their yacht, the Lynn Rival, as they sailed off the coast of Somalia. As the AP points out, Paul and Rachel Chandler had been sailing to Tanzania when they activated their yacht's emergency beacon on November 23, 2009, and the British navy found their empty yacht on Thursday.

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Hot Yachts / Parties / Yachting / Virgin / Virgin Limited Edition / Richard Branson / → All Tags

Richard Branson Was With Us In Spirit Last Night At Le Bernardin

How do you throw a launch party for a luxury catamaran without the boat or its owner present? Well, if you're Virgin Limited Edition and Richard Branson and his new Necker Belle are unavailable to party, you just down canapes at one of New York City's best restaurants: Le Bernardin.

Surrounded by Virgin's signature red rubber duckies and with visions of Virgin Limited Edition's luxury properties—Swiss ski chalet and Moroccan retreat, anyone?—dancing in our heads, we managed to make it through a few Blue Margaritas at the Necker Belle party last night. Officially to welcome the twin-hulled beauty to the Virgin group, the event also showcased these other small and carefully curated properties owned by Branson through his Limited Edition Label.

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Hot Yachts / Yachting / Richard Branson / Ships / First Class Travel / Virgin / Virgin Charter / → All Tags

Play With Richard Branson's New Toy For $88,000 Per Week

When we aren't out jetting around or hopping a high-speed train, we like to fantasize about that other form of transportation: the almighty ship. So to allay our own curiosity as much as yours, we're spotlighting yachts with either notorious owners or histories...or both. Know of a bootylicious boat? Let us know.

Who doesn't dream of owning a lush private island in the Caribbean? Perhaps Virgin Group head honcho Richard Branson, who has been living the dream since 1979, when he purchased Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands and turned it into a private resort.

If you can't afford to take over the whole island for your vacation, at a cost of $47,000 a day, then how about chartering his new catamaran yacht, the Necker Belle, for a mere $88,000 a week? She'll be fresh from a makover (she used to be the Lady Barbaretta) in February 2010, just in time to catch the end of the rich exodus to the Caribbean in winter.

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Hot Yachts / Yachting / Bernie Madoff / Ships / Crimes / → All Tags

France Has Made Off With Bernie Madoff's 'Bull' Yacht

When we aren't out jetting around or hopping a high-speed train, we like to fantasize about that other form of transportation: the almighty ship. So to allay our own curiosity as much as yours, we're spotlighting yachts with either notorious owners or histories...or both. Know of a bootylicious boat? Let us know.

Anybody in the market for a super deal on a yacht? Because boy oh boy does the harbor in Cap d'Antibes, France have the boat for you: it's Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff's old 88-footer, named Bull. The yacht, only built back in 2007, was seized by French authorities back in April, and now she sits with her propeller chained up and the dock roped off until someone steps up to buy her.

Although she is valued at $7 million dollars, it probably won't take all that much to get off her the yacht broker's hands. Madoff of course registered her in Georgetown, Barbados to tax advantage of their tax haven reputation, but now that she's docked in the South of France, she'll need to be moved by March 2010 or else she'll be liable to French sales tax.

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It's A Great Day For A Sail, On Murdoch's $310,000-A-Week Sailboat

When we aren't out jetting around on LCCs, busing to Baltimore for $1 or hopping a high-speed train, we like to fantasize about that other form of transportation: the almighty ship. So to allay our own curiosity as much as yours, we're spotlighting yachts with either notorious owners or histories...or both. Know of a bootylicious boat? Let us know.

Last month, we featured the $1 Million-a-week yacht charter of the Fontainebleau Hotel owner's 'Mad Summer' boat. Recognizing that this price bracket is far out of reach for many people, hell, all people, we're toning it down to something more affordable.

What do you say you and nine of your friends get together and shell out a total of $310,000 for a week onboard a sailboat? This isn't just any sailboat however, it's Rupert Murdoch's 'Rosehearty,' and she's got an aluminum hull and technical advances to daze the most seasoned seaman.

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