JOY lights up the luxury yacht charter market

The exquisite, fully-customised 70m (229' 8") Feadship is described by her designers as "a masterful collaboration between two yachting powerhouses, Bannenberg & Rowell" and the prestigious Dutch yard which brought this truly pioneering concept to life.

JOY was the vision of a first-time superyacht owner who sought something "totally different to every other yacht" that would be available for luxury charter.

While all Feadships are pure custom creations, JOY enjoyed the advantage of being the product of "a fresh perspective", as Feadship reported at the time of its launch. The radical exterior styling with its unusual concave lines brought with it a raft of challenges for the yard in terms of construction, fairing and painting, while inside, the discerning client was exacting in all his wishes for true alfresco living and leisure.

A five-deck wonder, JOY is a splendid addition to the global charter fleet and is already mesmerizing guests with her curvaceous lines and the artistic use of glass, substantial deck space and cleverly craft indoor/outdoor zones.

Dickie Bannenberg, son of the late, great Jon Bannenberg who excelled in every facet of design, from yachts to prestige hotels, and is considered responsible for the revival of the yacht design profession in the 1960s, was thrilled to work on the project – a first for his firm.

"It has been a great pleasure to work with an owner who was keen to bring something new to the superyacht world in the same way as my father did from the early 80s onwards with Feadship and others," comments Dickie Bannenberg at the launch ceremony. "While our design studio has an excellent reputation for interiors, including 12 for Feadship owners, JOY is the first visible exterior design of a new era for us."

Bannenberg & Rowell's styling is bold and striking, with the extensive use of glass contrasting with the sculpted shapes of the superstructure. JOY boasts dramatically lowered bulwarks partially lined with glass to create an open-concept cruiser – delivering unobstructed views to the sea from almost every perspective.

The elongated foredeck features a recreation space with basketball court so guests can sharpen their shots while friends cheer them on from the comfort of a well-shaded lounge section.

At the rear, the transom door transforms into a canopy to cover the sizable swim platform.

With eight cabins, an elevator servicing three of the five decks plus an array of facilities dedicated to health and wellbeing, such as a fully-equipped gym, spa room, on board masseuse and Beach Club, JOY is a study in the new era of luxury lifestyle, where health rather than wealth is the main objective.

Studio Indigo was responsible for her lavish interior that includes an extremely flexible cabin layout of eight suites to accommodate up to 12 guests in sheer comfort. Accommodation consists of two VIP suites and three additional guest staterooms.

The master suite is forward on the private owner's deck with generous his 'n hers bathrooms and sublime 270˚ views through the curved windows. Two double guest cabins and the owner's private lounge also occupy this deck.

On the main deck are the full-beam VIP suite and two doubles, while on the lower deck are the remaining double and twin suites.

An impressive cantilevered timber spiral staircase wraps around a glass elevator connecting each deck. Unique sculptured pieces of art further enhance the sensory experience, creating a fascinating interplay with the 250 types of timber and stone used within.

The décor throughout comprises impeccably chosen pieces of art, soothing colour schemes in pastels and marine-tones, custom-made furnishings and everywhere, visually stimulating finishes combined harmoniously with a deft and delicate hand.

Inside spaces lead seamlessly out to aft-deck areas through large glass doors, creating air-conditioned 'winter gardens'. On the main deck aft, a table for up to 14 guests provides dining sheltered from the elements while still enjoying uninterrupted views – an impression of space and gracious living more akin to a luxury cruise liner than a 70m superyacht. Opened up, the area becomes a large party space. On the owner's deck, a similar arrangement creates an informal lounge area within the winter garden.

According to lead designer, Mike Fisher, his team was inspired by the sleek profile to create a natural flow between the interior and exterior spaces facilitated by the layout. "To further enhance the feeling of space, a clever use of finishes, materials and styling makes the exteriors feel like they are an extension of the interior spaces. Every living area has windows looking out onto the wide walkways, making the rooms feel much larger than they are."

For onboard technology at guests' disposal, JOY has the obligatory state-of-the-art audio visual system, Sky TV, satellite TV, Kaleidoscope system.

Not content to wow luxury yacht charter guests with her interior attributes, JOY boasts an exceptional array of watertoys, including an 8.5m Novurania chase tender with 300hp engine and 6.2m Pascoe rescue boat with 180hp engine. There are also two three-metre Williams jet-tenders for fast and fabulous on-water fun, an inflatable slide, waterskis, a wakeboard, tows, inflatable kayaks, snorkelling gear, fishing equipment and more.

The deck forward of the owner's suite can also be configured for games, with a two-metre-high safety net, creating an outside sports area for volleyball, football and basketball.

The Beach Club converts to a disco room or party zone with plush seats, coloured LED lighting, and massive TV, while massage and beauty treatments are offered by the on board therapist, and a spa area with steam room and shower is located on the lower deck. There's a dedicated gym on the bridge deck aft.

Her highly experienced and talented crew of 17, among them a Michelin-starred Chef, is led by Captain Rory Hogan. All were chosen for their skills and polished professionalism, dedicated to making each and every luxury yacht charter aboard JOY as remarkable, memorable and unique as the vessel herself.

For further details about the eye-wateringly beautiful new Feadship JOY and other luxury charter yachts in the Mediterranean please contact one of the expert team at the Luxury Charter Group.