This page contains affiliate and referral links. If you charter, book, or buy through them we earn a referral fee, paid by the broker or platform, at no cost to you. We have not adjusted our rankings for the referral rate. Full breakdown on our how-we-make-money page.
Octopus is 126.2m LOA, built Lürssen 2003 for Paul Allen, sold to Roger Samuelsson in 2021, refit at in 2022, and on the charter market since. Asking around Octopus weekly rate as of May 2026, often cited €2.0M to €2.4M per week, peak Mediterranean and Caribbean, plus 25 to 30 percent APA and applicable VAT. She is the second-largest yacht on the open charter market in 2026 behind Flying Fox at 136m, and she is the only 100m-plus charter yacht with a credible expedition capability.
This piece is the rate, the calendar, the refit history, the operational profile, the negotiation points, and what we would change before signing. If you read this and want to book her, you do so through, and the lead time for peak weeks is 9 to 14 months.
Specs that matter
126.2m LOA, 21m beam, 5.9m draft, 9,932 GT. Built by Lürssen at the Rendsburg yard, delivered August 2003. Naval architecture by Lürssen. Exterior design Espen Øino. Interior design Jonathan Quinn Barnett. Twelve guests in 13 cabins after the 2022 refit reconfigured the layout. The 13-cabin count exceeds the 12-guest cap because the structure allows for distinct family groupings and additional staff or security cabins.
Propulsion is conventional diesel. Eight MAN diesels (originally configured as two Caterpillar plus six MTU on delivery,) driving conventional shafts. Top speed. Cruise 13 to 15 knots. Range under cruise is the figure that matters for an expedition-capable yacht: nautical miles. The yacht can cross any ocean without refuelling.
The features that make Octopus an expedition yacht are the part of the spec sheet that distinguishes her from a 126m Mediterranean charter platform. She carries a submarine, the Pagoo, with reported. She carries a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) rated to. She has an ice-strengthened hull rated to. She has a helicopter hangar and two helipads with full certification, the only 100m-plus charter yacht with two certified helipads. She has a recording studio, a basketball half-court, and a glass-bottomed lounge over the bow swimming pool. The features stack into a yacht that is not a normal charter platform.
The 2022 refit and what it changed
The 2022 refit was the precondition for the yacht's return to commercial charter. Paul Allen's death in October 2018 and the subsequent estate sale to Roger Samuelsson in 2021 set up the question of whether the yacht would remain in private use or return to charter (Octopus had been on the market under Allen's ownership for select dates). Samuelsson's brief was charter-active and the refit reconfigured the yacht accordingly.
The refit work included: cabin reconfiguration from the original Allen-era layout to a 12-guest charter-coded layout, full overhaul of the submarine and ROV systems, recoating of the hull and superstructure, engine room overhaul, and a complete interior refresh by. The refit duration was. The yacht returned to charter for the.
The refit's most important consequence for charter clients is the deck-cleanliness of the layout. The Allen-era Octopus had several spaces (the music studio, certain technical labs) that were not configured for charter use. The 2022 refit kept the headline features (the submarine, the helipads, the basketball court) and converted the spaces to charter-credible uses.
The 2026 calendar
As of May 2026, Octopus runs a normal Mediterranean summer plus Caribbean winter calendar. Peak weeks Med (July, August) book 12-plus months out. Peak weeks Caribbean (Christmas, New Year, February school break) book 9-plus months out. Shoulder weeks Med (June, September) are the realistic 6-month-out booking windows. Shoulder Caribbean (January, March, April) similar.
The yacht also offers expedition charters in the shoulder seasons, specifically the November Caribbean repositioning into the Pacific or the spring Med repositioning into the Norwegian fjords. These are higher-rate weeks in absolute terms but operate on a different rate structure and require a specific itinerary brief. We are aware of confirmed expedition charters in the 2026 calendar.
The November and April delivery passages are not normally available for charter. The yacht is being moved, not earning, and the standing position is closed to commercial bookings on those weeks.
Rate, APA, and what to negotiate
Asking is in the rate band, often cited €2.0M to €2.4M per week range, peak, as of May 2026. APA is 25 to 30 percent on a normal coastal Med or Caribbean itinerary. APA rises to 35-plus percent on expedition itineraries, because the fuel burn at offshore cruise is materially different from coastal cruise.
What is negotiable. Shoulder dates, in line with the rest of the 100m-plus market. The submarine and ROV time as included or paid-extra: the central agent has historically offered the submarine as included for a fixed number of dives per week with additional dives at, and the ROV similarly. We would press for a specific included submarine and ROV allocation in the contract rather than relying on the broker's verbal description.
The helicopter operations on the two certified helipads are the other negotiation point. The yacht is helicopter-equipped to host transfers but does not carry an owner's helicopter on a charter week unless one is specifically chartered separately. We have written about helicopter operations in yacht helicopter charter, and Octopus is one of the few charter yachts where the touch-and-go versus certified distinction is settled in favour of full certification.
What is not negotiable. The peak summer rate. The 12-guest cap. The ice-strengthened hull rating, which is the structural feature that makes the expedition charter offer credible (and not something a broker can negotiate down).
Crew and service
Crew complement is around. Captain. The deck and engineering teams include personnel with submarine, ROV, and helicopter-operations qualifications, which is the underlying reason the rate sits where it does. Running these systems requires certified specialists.
The interior team turns over more than the technical crew, consistent with the rest of the charter market at this tier. The chief stew and the chef are, and we would ask the broker for current names and tenure before signing.
The friction
Three things, in order.
First, the submarine pricing transparency. The Pagoo is the headline feature and the rate at which dives are offered as included versus paid is currently negotiated week by week. We would prefer a published baseline (for example, 12 included dives per charter week, additional dives at a stated rate) and would press the broker to settle that in writing before signature.
Second, the expedition itinerary fuel pass-through. On a Mediterranean coastal itinerary, fuel is a normal line item in APA. On an Arctic expedition charter, fuel becomes the dominant APA line item and historically has been the source of mid-charter renegotiation when the brief changes. We would settle the fuel pass-through methodology before signing rather than during the charter.
Third, the helicopter transfer logistics. The two certified helipads are an operational asset, but landing rights at the destinations the yacht visits are not the yacht's responsibility. Charter clients planning helicopter transfers should confirm the ground arrangements at each destination independently. The broker can introduce the helicopter operator but does not guarantee landing rights.
What we have passed on
We have passed on the Paul Allen biography and the Microsoft-era ownership stories. They are extensively covered elsewhere and they have nothing to do with whether the yacht is a credible charter today. We have also passed on the running speculation about the yacht's celebrity guest history during Allen's ownership, which is not material to the current product.
Comparable alternatives
If Octopus is unavailable for your dates, the set in 2026 is:
Flying Fox, 136m, Lürssen 2019. The larger of the two. Twenty-five guests in 11 cabins, the only 100m-plus charter yacht coded for over 12 guests. Asking. Full notes in Flying Fox yacht charter.
Lana, 107m, Benetti 2020. The most-booked 100m-plus charter yacht in the Mediterranean. Twelve guests in 7 cabins. Asking. Full notes in Lana yacht charter rate.
Anna, 110m, Feadship 2018. Twelve guests in 7 cabins. Asking. Full notes in Anna yacht charter.
The honest read: Octopus is the only yacht in the 100m-plus charter set that brings expedition capability. If your itinerary is Caribbean or Mediterranean coastal, Lana or Flying Fox or Anna are alternatives. If your itinerary requires the submarine, the ice-class hull, or the two certified helipads, the only answer is Octopus.
Verdict
Octopus is the right answer if the expedition capability or the helicopter operations matter to your week. She is not the right answer if a Mediterranean coastal cruise at $2M-plus per week is the brief. Lana at a lower rate is the alternative. Book 9 to 14 months out for peak weeks. Settle the submarine, helicopter, and fuel pass-through terms in writing before signature.
If the trip plan includes time ashore in St Barths during the Caribbean window, the team next door at HotelsForKings has the St Barths list for pre- and post-charter accommodations.
Last updated
May 2026. We update this page when Octopus's rate, calendar, central agent, or crew status materially changes.
FAQ
Has Octopus always been on the charter market? No. The yacht was on selective charter during Paul Allen's ownership and was unavailable for most of the 2018-2021 estate period. Following the 2021 sale to Roger Samuelsson and the 2022 refit, she has been on regular commercial charter rotation.
Where is Octopus now?. The yacht follows a Mediterranean summer plus Caribbean winter pattern with occasional Arctic and Antarctic expedition charters.
Can the submarine dive during a charter week? Yes, subject to local regulations and water-depth conditions. The submarine has a depth rating of and is operated by qualified crew. Permits in certain jurisdictions are required and the broker manages those.
What is the difference between Octopus and a normal expedition yacht like Ulysses? Octopus is a 126m commercial-charter yacht with expedition capability. Ulysses at 116m is a dedicated explorer yacht with a different operating model. Octopus carries more guests in more luxurious cabins. Ulysses can operate in harder environments. The trade is between charter comfort and expedition range.
Is Octopus MCA-compliant for commercial charter? Yes, she is MCA-compliant and flagged. The 2022 refit included the recoding work required for the current charter operation.