The 16-guest superyacht was designed and built by Italian CRN yard with interiors by François Zuretti
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Luxury small-ship expedition operator Aqua Expeditions is to expand its fleet with the new seven-suite Aqua Mare, which will be the first superyacht to sail in the Galapagos Islands.
“Ever since I left Ecuador in 2006 with the clarity to build my own business, I have wanted to return to the Galapagos Islands with our very own luxury expedition ship,” said Francesco Galli Zugaro, founder and CEO of Aqua Expeditions. “It has been 15 years since we ventured to Peru as a family and then onward to Asia to finally come full circle back to where it all started in the iconic destination that is the ‘Enchanted Islands’.”
Designed and built by Italian CRN yard with custom interiors by François Zuretti, Aqua Mare will host up to 16 guests in seven individually designed suites, including the 80-square-metre Owner’s Suite, which will be the largest accommodation of its kind in the Galapagos Islands.
At 50 metres long and 640gt, the four-deck-high Aqua Mare offers 30 per cent more indoor volume than most yachts in her size class. Onboard highlights will include shaded and open sun decks, a six-person jacuzzi, an outdoor barbecue area, an early morning workout zone and indoor dining venues. The vessel will also feature a Beach Club at the aft of its lower deck, which will have a hydraulic opening panoramic beam-to-beam window – the only one of its kind in the Galapagos.
Onboard menus designed by award-winning Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, who has previously created Amazonia-inspired dishes for Aria Amazon and Aqua Nera. This time, Schiaffino will take inspiration from the Coast to the Pacific to deliver a Peruvian Japanese Nikkei-inspired menu.
“There are some nice ships in the Galapagos Islands, but there is nothing like our Aqua Mare,” said Galli Zugaro. “She caught the attention of our son Massimo during one of those lockdown days in Singapore while we were searching for yachts to purchase, and we knew immediately he had found something special.”
Aqua Mare will be staffed by 16 crew members, including two naturalist guides who will lead twice-daily expeditions in two custom-made, military-grade black rib tenders with central steering consoles. The vessel will also be equipped with double kayaks, paddleboards and snorkelling gear.
Setting sail on 6 May 2022, Aqua Mare will offer a choice of two highly personalised seven-night itineraries exploring the Archipelagos’ East and West regions, as well as two 14-night voyages.