Covid-19 boosted yacht sales, hence this Italian US$600 million concept inspired by ancient Rome and the shark – see inside the Prodigium designed by Pierpaolo Lazzarini
While cruises took a hit in 2020 – hello, Diamond Princess – superyacht brokers like IYC and charter companies like Boataffair have had a strong year, with the wealthy trading their luxury resort holidays for on-board quarantines
Rome-based Lazzarini Design Studio has unveiled its latest megayacht concept, one inspired by an animal and Roman architecture: the Prodigium.
The yacht could take about 28 months and around US$364.5 million to build if the design was executed, designer Pierpaolo Lazzarini said. As a result, Lazzarini predicts the ship could retail for around US$607.4 million.
“Yachts are actually considered one of the most hygienic and safest places to be under any circumstance,” said luxury yacht firm IYC in a news release in March. “The diligent efforts from crew members around the clock ensure that each yacht is thoroughly cleaned and sanitised prior to and throughout every trip.”
As a result, the wealthy have been resorting to superyacht charters as a way to isolate for up to several months at a time during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are witnessing a double digit increase in terms of booking requests from clients who are looking to switch from a hotel stay to a yacht vacation,” co-founder and CEO of rental company Boataffair, Adrian Walker, told Travel and Leisure in March.
