Yachts come to mind when thinking of the lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous. Celebrities and other wealthy individuals have bought and enjoyed yachts for years, and that trend continues. One celebrity yacht, the Amphitrite, was owned by two different celebrities before being sold again in 2017. 

Learn more about the previous owners of this superyacht, its features, and similar boats owned by other famous people. 

J.K. Rowling bought a yacht once owned by Johnny Depp in 2016

What was once called the Vajoliroja, named by the owner Johnny Depp by blending his two children and his ex-wife’s names, became the Amphitrite before it was sold to a new owner in January 2016. According to The Drive, that new owner turned out to be the famed Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling, who purchased the luxury ship from a businessman who then sold it to her for $28.9 million. 

The Drive also reports that Depp had spent around $7 million renovating his ship in 2008. According to PopSugar, Rowling took the boat for a family vacation and fell in love with it enough to be interested in purchasing it. Amphitrite is a Greek sea goddess, and many speculate that Depp renamed the ship as a tribute to another ex-partner, Amber Heard. 

Less than a year after purchasing the yacht, Rowling listed it for $19.2 million, almost $8 million less than she paid just months before. PopSugar also noted that the ship could have been rented for $130,000 per week instead of purchasing it outright. 

The Amphitrite’s specs and features

According to Variety, the Amphitrite is a 156-foot Motoryacht that features five bedrooms, a home cinema, a salon, a state-of-the-art entertainment system, three decks, and plenty of outdoor seating space. The yacht was built in 2001, but it features plenty of unique and old-fashioned decor that makes it appear like it’s from a different era. Boat International reports that the yacht was designed by Tanju Kalaycioglu and was inspired by the 1930s. 

28,000-liter fuel tanks power the yacht, and it can cruise at a speed of 12.5 knots. It has an estimated range of around 3,200 nautical miles. Plus, the yacht comes fitted with quantum zero-speed stabilizers for a smoother ride. 

Other celebrity yachts

Depp and Rowling aren’t the only two celebrities that have delved into the world of yacht ownership. One of the most celebrity yachts, Venus, was purchased by the late Steve Jobs, but it wasn’t unveiled until a year after his death. It’s now owned and used by his family, and it is registered to George Town, Cayman Islands. Venus is a 256-foot yacht that was first launched in 2012, according to Boat International. 

Bill Gates also owns a yacht, the Sinot Aqua, and it’s completely hydrogen-powered. Hydrogen is cooled to -423 °F when it is in its liquid state, where it can be used to propel the ship. The only byproduct from this process is water, making it a zero-emission process. It has an estimated worth of $644 million. 

Another yacht unlike any other is the Astoria, owned by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. This old-fashioned yacht was built in 1911 and had enough space to accommodate a 90-piece orchestra on its deck. When Gilmour purchased the yacht in 1986, he converted it to a recording studio, where the final three Pink Floyd albums were recorded. Boat International reports that these days, it sits anchored on the River Thames in Greater London.