Inside a Russian Billionaire’s $300 Million Yacht

Known as the “A” — the mega-yacht features luxuries most of us can hardly dream up, like a glass-bottomed pool built atop a disco or a plush room with walls covered in stingray hides.

The boat, designed to be longer than a football field by the legendary French designer Phillipe Starck, cost $300 million to build.

“The design is unique, it’s not beautiful but it’s interesting,” observed Norm Ronnenberg, a maritime lawyer in the Bay Area. ( I don’t know if he is jealous, but I think it’s beautiful )

Among other extravagances, the ship has a $60,000 bannister, a master bedroom that opens only to a fingerprint and a secret room designated specifically for “nookie.”

The yacht’s owner is Andrey Melinchenko, a 38-year-old Russian businessman who made his money in banking, fertilizer and coal. Forbes magazine currently puts Melinchenko’s net worth at $4.4 billion.

Wall Street Journal’s ‘s Robert Frank takes an exclusive tour of Andrey Melnichenko’s 394-foot mega-yacht.