Johnny Depp sells his yacht Vajoliroja to impress Amber Heard during their relationship (Photo Credit – Koimoi)
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Johnny Depp once made a serious “walk the plank” decision back in 2016—selling his beloved 156-foot yacht, Vajoliroja, to win over his new wife, Amber Heard. But wait, this was no yacht. This floating mansion was Depp’s treasure chest—one he had to part with because Amber wasn’t having it.
The yacht, purchased in 2007, wasn’t just about luxury for Depp. It was his statement piece. And no, it wasn’t a “look at me, I’m Johnny Depp” flex. It was a love letter to Vanessa Paradis and their kids, Lily-Rose and Jack. Vajoliroja—a mashup of their names—was a floating family heirloom. But when Amber boarded, things got… tricky.
A source spilled the tea, saying, “Johnny loved that yacht. But he bought it for Vanessa. And Amber is still jealous of her.” Oof. Can you imagine trying to compete with a yacht as a symbol of your partner’s past? No wonder Amber wasn’t exactly ready to start sailing into those memories.
This wasn’t just an “Oh no, my wife doesn’t like my boat” moment. Depp was in financial trouble, and the boat was a casualty of his high-octane lifestyle—$500K a month on wine, anyone? Add in the messy divorce from Vanessa, the Amber drama, and the wreckage of his finances, and it became clear: the yacht had to go. And go it did, in a move that felt like an emotional gut punch for Depp.
But this wasn’t your average yacht, folks. Vajoliroja was a vibe—a floating mashup of Edward Scissorhands meets Pirates of the Caribbean. Instead of sleek, modern luxury, Depp bought the pre-owned yacht Anatolia and transformed it into his eccentric masterpiece. The refit? Over $7 million. The result? A funky Art Deco pirate wonderland with crushed velvet, silk, antiques, and gold-plated everything. Think of an opulent gypsy caravan that just happened to float.
When Depp and Amber tied the knot, the boat got a makeover too—now named Amphitrite, after the Greek goddess of the sea (because why not?). But even the name change couldn’t save it from being put on the auction block to pay for Depp’s increasingly questionable spending habits. Enter J.K. Rowling, who fell head over heels for the boat’s eccentric charm and scooped it up for a cool $24 million.
And just like that, Vajoliroja became Arriva—a new name for a new owner. Rowling eventually sold it at a loss, and the yacht continued to sail under mysterious ownership. But it still has that signature Depp quirk—lavish but totally over the top, with custom pirate stationery and velvet-lined everything.
Depp once asserted, “Money doesn’t buy you happiness, but it buys you a big enough yacht to sail right up to it.” Well, maybe not anymore. The Vajoliroja saga might be over, but it’ll always float in Depp’s history as a quirky chapter of high-seas drama. And honestly, it’s hard not to look back and wonder: What would the pirate king of Hollywood do next?
