A gorgeous 99-meter super-yacht that has witnessed one of the most high-profile romances of the 20th century has gone on sale for a whopping USD 32 million.
'Christina O' is not just a luxury yacht but is the palatial setting where Greek billionaire shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis married Jackie Kennedy, the former wife of US President John F Kennedy.
Now the vessel which played host to the creme de la creme of 1950s high society -- including Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and John Wayne -- has gone on sale for USD 32 million, CNN reported.
Known for its lavish parties, the elegant ship may well be called the "Love Boat," for its notorious on board romances -- and even a royal wedding, it said.
In 1956 Prince Rainier of Monaco and US screen siren Grace Kelly held their wedding reception on the boat, which accommodates 36 guests in 18 sumptuous staterooms.
Onassis' own love affair with opera singer Maria Callas also played out on board, as they cruised exotic locations across Europe in the company of Hollywood stars Greta Garbo, Bette Davis and Margot Fonteyne.
However, the affair ended abruptly when the tycoon courted Kennedy's widow, Jackie, later marrying on the very same yacht in 1968, near his private island of Scorpios.
"Aristotle Onassis saw Christina O as a powerful symbol of his growing business empire," said Nicholas Edmiston, chairman of the yacht company Edmiston, which plans to sell the vessel mid-August.
"It really was the last word in opulence and many personalities were attracted by its ability to offer them some privacy, not just by its magnificence."
It's been quite a journey for the boat which began life in 1943 as a World War II surplus Canadian frigate.
A decade later, Onassis bought the boat for just USD 34,000, gutting the interior and spending USD 4 million -- the equivalent of USD 45 million today -- converting her into one of the luxurious super-yachts in the world.
In 1975, Onassis died and the yacht was left to his daughter, Christina, in his will. She in turn bequeathed it to the Greek government as a presidential yacht.
More than 20 years later, the tired-looking vessel was restored to its former glory, and now boasts an art deco dining room where Maria Callas and Frank Sinatra used to perform, an atrium with onyx pillars, and a mosaic pool which converts into a dance floor.
