Antonio Ivanisevic is the proud owner and the 1st Officer of the 52m newly-built luxury yacht SCORPIOS which is due to be launched this Spring. Thanks to his passion and dedication, the yacht is expected to be one of the most successful luxury charter yachts on the Croatian market, hosting up to twelve charter guests in six beautiful cabins, while being looked after by a highly-professional and meticulously chosen crew of ten. In the below interview, the owner expresses his true dedication, not only to this magnificent vessel but first and foremost to his customers as well as his home country, Croatia, rich both in natural beauty and history.
Antonio Ivanisevic – Owner of luxury superyacht SCORPIOS
How did you come to work at sea?
Growing up by the sea in Krilo – the birthplace of our yachting industry – I was always passionate about Croatia and its history. But it wasn’t until I started working as a tour guide and Cruise Director for Sail Croatia aboard mini cruisers, that my love for this incredible country grew. For 6 years I had the privilege of showing guests the best of Croatia and its culture. In this role, I saw myself as an Ambassador for Croatia and was always looking for new ways to create memorable experiences for my guests. After many years, taking this passion to the next level just made sense, this is why I’ve entered the luxury yachting sector with Scorpios.
Elegant formal dining area
What is the inspiration behind Scorpios?
We wanted to bring something new to the market; our three guiding words for Scorpios were Luxury, Innovation, and Excellence. I drew inspiration from the many years I have spent around yachts, a prior build, talking to yacht owners, and visiting yacht shows. We were determined to bring even more innovation to the design and create an unparalleled yachting experience.
“We wanted to bring something new to the market; our three guiding words for Scorpios were Luxury, Innovation, and Excellence.”
How is Scorpios Different?
We spared no expense in the design and details of Scorpios. Working with designer Natasha Orlovic – who previously worked for Hot Lab, we have designed a yacht with the guest experience in mind. Knowing how guests use the sundeck, we designed an extra-large sundeck with numerous entertainment options – a jacuzzi, bar, grill area, sunbeds, and outdoor dining table. Our large swim platform is at sea level for guests to enjoy swimming, watersports, and even dipping their feet in the water while sipping their favourite cocktail. We added an extra lounge area here too, so the swim platform becomes a ‘beach club’ feature. And the foldout terrace off the main deck gives guests another unique area to enjoy. We wanted to ensure that Scorpios had plenty of space for guests to enjoy, but at the same time, feels warm and comfortable, like a home away from home.
Saloon
This is the design aspect, but what is even more important to me is the ‘soul’ of the boat – the crew. All the crew are local, have known each other for years, have years of experience in yachting or hospitality, and are passionate about growing within the industry. It’s also a family affair – with me plus my two brothers working aboard. I am passionate about taking care of my crew and creating a positive team culture because I know, ultimately, this impacts the guest experience.
Another way we are different, and standing behind our philosophy of excellence, is that we are working with a hospitality consultant who has 20 years of experience in restaurants and yachts, she is training the crew to ensure the highest standards of service.
And, as part of our philosophy, we are committed to sustainability, from working with local farms and fishermen to using bio-friendly products. I believe all this combines to give our guests the best experience in yachting and Croatia.
What is your family history at Sea?
While it seems like we are new to the industry with our immediate family not owning yachts, I and my two brothers have been working on yachts for years and our family history goes back even further than that. In local history books, our family – Ivanisevic – dates back 13 generations to this area. My great-great-grandfather was the local senator, he invested in the community and infrastructure, including the Krilo Port. He didn’t keep that wealth for himself and in doing so, he left a lasting legacy – to build up your people and community. This is a driving force for me. Scorpios isn’t just about having a luxury yacht, it is about creating jobs for locals, giving back to the community, and proudly showing guests our country.
Alfresco dining area
“Scorpios isn’t just about having a luxury yacht, it is about creating jobs for locals, giving back to the community, and proudly showing guests our country.”
You built Scorpios with the new Luxury Yacht Company – Tramontana, tell us about that.
Tramontana is the company I founded with my business partners, with the vision to build quality luxury yachts here in Croatia. I believe there is a hole in the market to create quality and competitive luxury yachts, this is our goal, and Scorpios is the first yacht to be fully built by Tramontana. The plan is to build for others and grow our own fleet; plans for a new yacht are already underway – but I won’t talk about that yet…
Growing up by the sea, sustainability is important to me, which is why we are looking at building more eco-friendly yachts in the future. Hybrid engines will be the next step, implementing new technologies and innovations to reduce energy consumption and waste. In everything we do, we are looking at the larger picture; as I mentioned above, giving back to the community is also important to us, and Tramontana gives us the ability to provide more opportunities to talented locals. Croatia has a wealth of maritime skills and expertise; Tramontana is our way to showcase this to the world.
Master suite
What keeps you passionate about Croatia and Tourism?
I truly believe Croatia is a unique sailing destination. With its rich history, culture, traditions, food and wine scene, and incredible nature, Croatia is the perfect holiday destination. I’ve been sailing Croatia for years and never tire of seeing our coast and still love creating memorable experiences for my guests. Another aspect that isn’t often talked about is that if you charter a yacht in Croatia, you will find that 99.9% of the crew are Croatian, why is this important? I think it adds an extra level of authenticity to the experience, as no one can show you a place like locals. On most yachts in the Mediterranean, you will probably find an international crew which undoubtedly delivers excellent service, but here, we have people truly connected to the land and sea. They are passionate about service AND showing off their country, and I think this is a truly special and unique experience for luxury yachting.
aerial view of the yacht
Tell us a little more about the Crew
I may be biased, but I believe we have an exceptional crew. We feel very privileged to have Filip Jakir, the previous owner and captain of Tajna Mora as our captain. With his passion and wealth of experience, we are all looking forward to working with and learning from him. I and my brother Daniel have been at sea for years as Cruise Directors, and last year aboard Clase Azul as 1st and 2nd Officer. This year, our younger brother Gabriel joins us too. Gabi has been working on the luxury yacht Dalmatino for the last 4 years and is working towards becoming a Captain. Kristina has a long history in hospitality, for the last 7 years, she has been working in Germany where she became the Manager of a 4-star restaurant. Lara is new to yachts but brings four years of hospitality experience from bars and high-end seafood restaurants. Tina has been working in housekeeping on mini-cruisers and is ready to further her career by joining Scorpios. Our head chef is still to be confirmed, but we have some exciting prospects… we also have a Sous Chef, Ivan, who will support the Head Chef and take care of crew meals. Altogether, we have a passionate and professional team with years of experience in hospitality and yachting. I think there is nothing more exciting than being part of something new; the whole team share my passion and vision, and we can’t wait to get started.
Sailing yacht SCORPIOS
