Behind the scenes with BELLA STELLA's Captain

Captain Nikos Binieris of the 45m (147.6ft) BELLA STELLA tells us about his favourite Greek island, what makes BELLA STELLA so special, and how his crew ensure guests always have a memorable charter.

How long have you been a Captain?

I started my career working on cargo ships and then worked as a Captain on cruise ships, cruising all around the world. I also worked with expeditions and small projects for a few years, including National Geographic on a project for the Gambia River, starting from Dakar, Kunta Kinteh Island. And in 2011, I made the move into the yachting industry, cruising to Greece, Croatia, Italy… everywhere.

What inspired you to become a Captain?

Growing up in Greece, every weekend we’d be in the village with the fishermen. When you grow up like that, you can’t stay away from the sea. I feel lucky to have so many beautiful islands on my doorstep and showing guests all my favourites really is a treat for me as well!

Why did you choose to work on BELLA STELLA?

I first started working on BELLA STELLA in 2012. I like being around people which is why I wanted to work on a charter vessel, and I also had a friend who worked as an engineer here. I left BELLA STELLA in 2019 to work on the National Geographic project but came back again last year [2023] and I am very happy to be back.

She’s had a lot of maintenance recently as she’s an ‘old lady’, built in 1987, and she is looking great. We made some upgrades to move her into a new era, not huge changes but we took advantage of building storage and areas for the crew to make service run even more smoothly. The accommodation stores for the toys has been increased so we can offer more amenities to clients looking for fun on the water.

What’s your favourite feature of the yacht?

I have two. One is the home cinema on the upper deck, and then near to that is the gym with great Technogym equipment. Every morning the clients come here and have space to have a good workout before starting their day.

What’s your favourite experience to create for guests?

We have a very experienced guy that uses drones, so every time we’re in a bay or somewhere beautiful he creates unique videos which we give it to clients as a way to reminisce about their trip. It’s the little touches like that that guests remember.

Do you have a favourite spot in Greece?

It’s hard to pick one as there are so many fantastic places, but my favourite island is Milos. It combines amazing scenery with rocks, secret caves and turquoise waters. It’s also relatively undiscovered compared to many other islands which is appealing for those looking for somewhere peaceful.

What advice would you give to a first-time charterer?

If you’re a party animal, head to the Aegean Islands. But if you like to enjoy quiet life and turquoise waters and smooth sailing, the Ionian Islands.

What do you love about BELLA STELLA?

We have the best crew in the world! She’s a boat that you can rely on – you can’t build a boat like her anymore. She’s steel, so you’re always safe no matter the weather. She’s also extremely comfortable and has high ceilings which you can’t find very easily on a boat of her size. It’s like a house!

We take families, mostly, with kids and grandparents. So we have features for relaxation like the jacuzzi or for adults they like to head to the upper deck and enjoy some wine. But the younger ages need the jetskis, watertoys, SeaBobs and the PlayStation so we need to be able to multitask and have lots of things available.

Each charter, we try to learn about each guest and discover how they like to pass their days so we can cater to that and make sure everyone has everything they need for their holidays.

Do you have any traditions on board?

On the last day of the charter we have Greek night. We try to show the guests how we like to entertain ourselves with music and traditional food. It's always a fantastic evening and a fitting end to the charter.

Based in Greece year-round, BELLA STELLA is available to charter from EUR 150,500 per week. Contact us today to make an enquiry.