From weddings to birthdays: How OceanEvent realises events with a superyacht feeling on the high seas

Starnberg is an idyllic town at the northern end of the turquoise-coloured Lake Starnberg and is known for its picturesque surroundings with first-class property locations. Here, around 1000 kilometres from yachting hotspots such as Saint-Tropez and Cannes, OceanEvent, a company specialising in exclusive and tailor-made events at sea, has set up shop. If you have a special party or celebration in mind, OceanEvent founder Christian Mühleck and his team of six are the right people for you. Whether it's an intensive week of partying with a visit to the hottest nightclubs around the Mare Nostrum and with your 50 best friends on board or a stylish yacht cruise for an 80th birthday and with 100 invited guests - the possibilities and the range on offer are diverse. Unlike regular superyacht charter bookings, customers are hardly limited in terms of the number of guests. "We have also organised corporate events for over 2,000 guests," explains Christian Mühleck. "Conferences, entertainment and evening events are included and, of course, customised for the customer."

The birth of a vision

The story of the extraordinary event agency begins with a passion for the sea and a fascination for extraordinary experiences. At the age of 19, Christian Mühleck obtained his sailing licence and immediately fell in love with water sports. His childhood dream of being a captain became reality by chance. An encounter with a yacht owner changed his life, and several years as a skipper on larger charter yachts followed. "A customer who rented the boat for 14 weeks at a time and changed guests twice a week finally gave me the idea of my own agency," Christian Mühleck looks back. "We had a great time on board, and I was also responsible for organising the supporting programme and excursions.

One day it occurred to me: what works on a small scale could also work on a large scale." This was followed by intensive research and the realisation that the niche was unoccupied. "So I quit my job as a captain and founded OceanEvent. He started slowly as a one-man show with just a few corporate clients who trusted him and let him get on with it. The first orders came from pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies and automotive groups. "It was big business and really fun because we hardly had to pay attention to the budget and were able to create fantastic programmes. My customers and their guests were delighted," Christian Mühleck looks back.

His charter agency has now realised over 250 trips. The team of experts takes care of all aspects of the event: from selecting the right ship, logistics and catering to the entertainment and decorations. No detail is left to chance. Around 40 per cent of OceanEvent customers charter ships for private parties. 60 per cent are exclusive corporate events such as annual conferences, team-building measures or incentive trips as a motivation and reward for employees and business partners.

Even the most unusual wishes are realised by OceanEvent

In order to be able to offer this type of charter trip, an excellent network is essential. The Upper Bavarians are familiar with many shipping companies and currently have 320 ships in their portfolio that can accommodate between 36 and 6,000 passengers. This means that even mega events can be realised on more than ten decks. It goes without saying that superyacht-style ships are not available for major events in this category. "In these cases, we use cruise ships that we book exclusively and for which we create the itinerary and event plan together with the customer," says Mühleck.

Locally knowledgeable and well-connected event partners in the countries visited help with the preparation of the programme and the realisation of even the most unusual wishes. This could be VIP tickets for a concert by a superstar. Fancy candlelight dinners in a museum or on a private beach. Or booking a hip DJ for the on-board party. Even berth requests in prime locations are possible. "Our network is our trump card," says Christian Mühleck confidently. As requests for both corporate and private events usually involve voyages lasting three or four days, OceanEvent books the shipping companies' longer weekly slots and splits them up into shorter periods. As a reliable partner of many shipping companies, the charter professionals can therefore offer their customers attractive conditions at the best time to travel.

Yachtliner charter with 100 guests for 700,000 euros

The prices of yacht liners and boutique ships differ significantly from charter yachts. For example, a week on a yacht liner such as the 110 metre long "Emerald Sakara" for up to 100 guests costs around 700,000 euros, including all drinks, meals and tips for the 76-strong crew. In return, guests receive five-star-plus service in superyacht style and with exactly the destinations that best suit the season and the customer. Rome-Bonifacio-Capri-Catania? But of course! "My many years of experience as a captain help me to work out the itineraries. I still know quite a few dream spots and know which bay or harbour is worth a detour," says Christian Mühleck.

If you look at the weekly rates of PYC charter yachts for up to 36 guests in comparison, you will realise that, depending on the ship, between two and four million euros per week are incurred for significantly fewer family and friends on board. "Many of our private customers who celebrate birthdays or weddings are delighted with their trips with us, because they always have their loved ones close by on the ships. They celebrate together, and yet everyone can retreat to their suite and enjoy some peace and quiet. Everyone then comes together again for lunch, dinner or the shore excursions we organise. The party never disperses, as is often the case with celebrations on land," says the OceanEvent founder, emphasising the advantages of this type of charter. The boats also come to beaches that are inaccessible. More privacy is not possible.

Planning begins two years before the desired date

To find the right ship and the perfect voyage for your own celebration or company event, Christian Mühleck recommends starting preparations around 1.5 to two years before the desired date. Choosing the right yacht or cruise ship is crucial to the success of an event at sea. The choice ranges from classic square-rigged yachts such as the "Sea Cloud Spirit" to gigayachts and cruise ships with several thousand cabins. A great deal of planning is required to harmonise the ship, customers and desired cruise area, including the range of events. According to Christian Mühleck, this is an endeavour that is always worthwhile. Shared moments at sea are always unforgettable.

Who has the choice ...

OceanEvent has around 320 ships in its portfolio, with the charter professionals mainly drawing on the offerings of shipping companies. The selection ranges from yacht liners à la "Emerald Sakara" to cruise giants with up to 2,800 cabins. The selection also includes ships that will not embark on their maiden voyage until 2026. These include exclusive yacht liners such as the 220-metre-long three-master "Orient Express Silenseas" with 53 suites that have an average area of 70 square metres. Those who book the presidential suite of the world's largest sailing ship have an impressive 1415 square metres and an adjoining private terrace of 530 square metres for their own use. The sail area of the floating superlative is 4500 square metres. The 207-metre-long "Four Seasons I" from the Canadian hotel chain of the same name, which will be taking exclusive trips with a maximum of 190 guests from 2026, can accommodate slightly more guests. If you want to invite even more friends or family on a birthday or wedding cruise, you can charter the 190-metre-long Ritz-Carlton yacht liner "Evrima" with a passenger capacity of 298 guests. The prices of the ships vary considerably, depending on the supporting programme booked, the itinerary and the culinary offerings.