It was announced this week that Jennifer Lopez, a superstar, spent her 52nd birthday in style by sailing the Mediterranean with her on-again beau, actor Ben Affleck. In J.Lo’s Instagram pictures, Bennifer looks more vibrant.
The power couple has also been captured on camera in upscale Saint-Tropez, rehabilitating stores in Monaco, and touring the enchanting island of Capri from their 280-foot getaway, Valerie, designed by Lürssen.
Little was known about the 280-foot superyacht before this moment. Valerie, which served as a Ukrainian oligarch’s private getaway for eleven years, is now up for sale for about €110 million, or $130 million.
The Monaco-based Dynamiq Sales & Charter, which is also in charge of the sale, is renting it out for a staggering $1.12 million a week until a buyer is found. The event is thought to have been first scheduled by J.Lo.
The superyacht’s modern, streamlined design is the creation of Norwegian naval architect Espen Ino. He built iconic superyachts including the 426-foot Flying Fox, the 413-foot Octopus built by the late Paul Allen, and the 600-foot REV Ocean, which will soon be the biggest superyacht in the world.
“Valerie is still widely considered as one of Lürssen’s most exquisite yachts,” Singer ino, who resides in Monaco
The yacht’s interior is roomy enough to seat 17 guests in nine cabins, including a lavish master bedroom, and has an impressive gross tonnage of 2,755 tons. When Lopez and Affleck boarded Valerie, her 27 staff members treated them like royalty.
One of the yacht’s many design highlights is its large, private upper deck. A 20-foot swimming pool, a hot spring, and enough lounge chairs to fill an entire football field are all on the roof.
A 10-person dining table with musical cascades that sparkle at night sits just steps away, hidden from prying eyes and paparazzi cameras by tall barriers.
In addition to a helipad big enough for a Eurocopter EC130 or Bell 407, Valerie’s vast forward deck offers a second pool and a semicircle of sun loungers for additional swimming and sunbathing. Golfers can use the terrace as a driving range.
Pascale Reymond and Andrew Langton of Reymond Langton Design in London created the opulent decor. For magnificent ocean views, they specified 7.5-foot ceiling heights and walls of full-height windows.
Unlike the more relaxed outdoor areas, the living spaces have an Art Deco look and feel. The pièce de résistance: real butterflies embedded in metal highlights. The inside has soft leather wall panels—even the elevator is lined with leather—wood flooring with an exquisite inlay, and other elements.
Colani, another astounding aspect of the lounge, is. The device costs about $100k.
Another noteworthy aspect is Valerie’s wellness haven, especially for the physically active Lopez. It has a Hamman, steam room, and state-of-the-art Technogym training equipment produced in Italy. There are a massage area and beauty salon close for after a strenuous workout.
The owner chose an outdoor eating area on the main deck outside the salon as opposed to a stuffy formal dining room. In the round, inlaid, mirror-varnished table with sweeping views of the stern deck, there are 14 chairs available.
The steel-hulled Valerie is propelled by twin 2,700 hp MTU V-16 engines located in a vast engine room with quadruple height, allowing the yacht to sprint from Monaco to Capri before daybreak. At a cruising speed of 14 knots, she can travel 6,000 nautical miles across the Atlantic. These propellers can go at a maximum speed of 20 knots, but at a more leisurely 14 mph, they can travel 6,000 nautical miles across the Atlantic.
Valerie is thought to be in excellent shape thanks to a significant refit in 2019 that included a fresh coat of bright-white hull paint and an overhaul of all systems, as well as a 10-year Lloyds survey completed in May of this year.
According to Maria Dobroserdova, a broker with Dynamiq Sales & Charter, this is a unique chance to purchase one of the most outstanding and beautifully maintained superyachts on the market without having to wait years for a new construction.
J.Lo and Ben might be so in love with the yacht by the end of this week that they will make a payment.