Time Out loses its virginity on the Necker Belle

When Richard Branson's peeps at Virgin Limited invite you on board his private yacht, the Necker Belle, for canapés on a scorching Spring afternoon in Sydney Harbour, you don't delay with your RSVP.

The $18 million luxury yacht has been undergoing a rather glamorous nip'n'tuck in Newcastle over the past two and a half years, and finally enjoyed an industry-only ‘reveal' last week on Sydney Harbour, where Time Out was among the first to see her enhanced features. The yacht, originally purchased by Sir Richard in 2005, first went under the knife in January 2006. After two and a half years of cosmetic surgery, the Necker Belle has made her debut.

The nuts and bolts of this stunning craft include a lightweight carbon fibre structure, a 38m mast, two caterpillar engines affording her a smooth cruising speed of 12.5 knots. Interior architect Jodie Duddington has captured Sir Richard's personal taste throughout four luxurious guest cabins, a convertible lounge area that can accommodate overnight guests, and a full service bar designed to serve up some of the finest five-star meals you'll find on the high seas. 

Two oversized daybeds can be converted into outdoor tented cabins that beckon partygoers to stay overnight, and large trampoline nettings at the front of this magnificent vessel invite you to take some sun in while dolphins play below. 

The Necker Belle commonly calls the Caribbean home and can be chartered around the Galapagos Island and French Polynesia for a mere $100,000 a week.

We are waiting with bated breath for our next adventure on the Necker Belle, which with any luck will find us in the fine company of the man himself.         

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