Xtreme Vogue London Desk: Judith Benjamin
Channel the glamour of old-school Hollywood on your next sailing holiday by cruising on the historic boat that once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
Named Kalizma, the luxury superyacht first let down her sails in 1906.
The 45m- (148ft) long vessel went on to serve in both World Wars under the Royal Navy before being ushered into the celebrity world, hosting Taylor and Burton’s A-list pals and members of royalty.
Now, in the latest chapter of the vessel’s colourful life, she’s available for charter via yacht-hire firm SamBoat.
Prices start at €19,300 (£16,400/$20,800) to charter Kalizma from her base in Valletta, Malta, with a skipper in tow.
Above is Kalizma, the historic boat that once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton
The boat is now available for charter via yacht hire firm SamBoat. Above is Taylor and Burton on board in 1968
The vessel, built by Scottish yacht builders Ramage and Ferguson, was originally commissioned as a private yacht for a businessman.
In World War One, the yacht – then called HMS Minona – served in the Auxiliary Patrol Fleet of the British Royal Navy. Almost two decades later, she was used throughout World War Two as a base ship for the Deep Sea Rescue Service in Campbeltown in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
Taylor and Richard – a couple that famously married and divorced twice – chartered the boat on a trip to the western Mediterranean in 1967, according to the yacht’s brochure.
The Hollywood actors, who co-starred in the 1963 film Cleopatra and the 1966 movie Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, ‘fell in love’ with the boat during the trip. They went on to purchase it and rename it Kalizma after their daughters Kate, Liza and Maria.
Elizabeth and Richard first chartered the boat on a trip to the western Mediterranean in 1967
Hollywood actors Burton and Taylor’s impressive oeuvres include starring roles in the 1963 film Cleopatra and the 1966 movie Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
After they bought the boat, Taylor and Burton renamed it Kalizma after their daughters Kate, Liza and Maria
Prince Rainier III and American playwright Tennessee Williams were among the VIP guests that Taylor and Burton hosted on the vessel
The yacht’s brochure notes that the boat ‘was a haven away from the prying eyes of the media and the world’.
Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace Kelly, of Monaco, and American playwright Tennessee Williams were among the VIP guests the couple went on to host on the vessel.
This likely contributed to her reputation as ‘one of the greatest superyachts in Hollywood history’, says the boat’s brochure.
The vessel, built by Scottish yacht builders Ramage and Ferguson, was originally commissioned as a private yacht for a businessman
The 45m- (148ft) long vessel served in both World Wars under the Royal Navy before it was ushered into the celebrity world
Kalizma was refitted in 2020. A statement notes: ‘She has been restored in a manner that ensures her soul is unaltered and her heritage resurfaced’
Refitted in 2020, Kalizma boasts luxuriously decorated rooms across four decks and several portraits of its former celebrity owners as a reminder of its glamorous past.
On the lower deck, there are four guest cabins with bathrooms, as well as crew accommodation. Moving up to the main deck, you’ll find a bar and salon, a dining room and a kitchen. Continuing upwards, the owner’s suite is found on the upper deck (or boat deck) along with a stylish outdoor terrace with a dining table and a lounge area.
Meanwhile, the upper bridge deck is home to the captain’s cabin, the chef’s cabin and another bathroom.
Kalizma can accommodate up to 10 guests and 10 crew, including the captain
Kalizma boasts luxuriously decorated rooms across four decks and several portraits of its former celebrity owners as a reminder of its glamorous past
Prices start at €19,300 (£16,400/$20,800) to charter Kalizma from her base in Valletta, Malta
It’s said that the boat ‘was a haven away from the prying eyes of the media and the world’ for Burton and Taylor
For those wanting to explore the underwater world during their cruise, there is snorkelling equipment and diving gear onboard
Kalizma travels at a cruising speed of 10 knots (11.5mph) and can accommodate up to 10 guests and 10 crew, including the captain.
She also houses two tender boats as well as a variety of water toys, from jet skis to water skiing equipment. For those wanting to explore the underwater world during their cruise, there is also snorkelling equipment and diving gear onboard.
A Sonos music system and smart HD televisions with Netflix and Amazon Prime offer more entertainment.
A statement notes: ‘She has been restored in a manner that ensures her soul is unaltered and her heritage resurfaced.’
