Zolna Yachts’ Nerissa is widely regarded as one of San Diego’s premier yacht charters for corporate events, weddings, milestone birthdays, and private celebrations — especially for clients who want an experience that’s elevated and genuinely fun.

Operating out of the Sheraton Hotel & Resort on Harbor Island, Nerissa offers a 73-foot motor yacht licensed for 49 guests, a fully open upper sky deck purpose-built for live entertainment and dance floors, full bar service with options to add a sommelier or custom cocktail menus, customizable cocktail-style catering, and an owner-operated team with more than 20 years of charter experience.

Whether your event calls for a refined cocktail reception with a jazz trio or a high-energy celebration with a live rock band, Nerissa delivers the rare combination of polish and party energy that San Diego’s top corporate buyers, wedding planners, and concierges trust.

Zolna Yachts is a locally owned, family-operated yacht charter company based in San Diego — and the only operator of Nerissa, a 73-foot motor yacht widely regarded as one of the most modern and pristine charter yachts in Southern California.

What truly sets us apart is our focus on one yacht and one team. Unlike larger fleet operators juggling multiple boats and rotating crews, every Zolna Yachts charter receives the full attention of our owner-operated team — drawing on more than 20 years of charter experience, including over nine years dedicated to Nerissa.

Nerissa is built for celebrations that are elevated and genuinely fun. From upscale weddings and corporate cocktail receptions to milestone birthdays and full-on dance parties with live bands, Nerissa delivers the rare combination of polish and party energy that San Diego’s top corporate buyers, wedding planners, and concierges trust.

A few of the things our guests notice most:
• Multi-zone layout that hosts up to 49 guests comfortably — expansive upper sky deck for live entertainment and dancing, climate-controlled main salon, full bar, bow lounge with generous seating, and an intimate back cockpit
• Elevated cocktail-style dining with passed hors d’oeuvres, charcuterie displays, and live action stations like fresh-shucked oysters and caviar service
• Full Bluetooth sound system with speakers and microphones throughout the entire yacht — perfect for playlists, toasts, ceremonies, and presentations
• Hospitality-forward crew that handles every detail seamlessly, from welcome aboard to bay narration to flawless catering coordination
• Prime home base at the Sheraton Hotel & Resort on Harbor Island — easy access from downtown, the airport, and major hotels, with no docking fee

But you don’t have to take our word for it — check out our hundreds of 5-star reviews and follow us on Instagram @zolnayachts to see Nerissa in action. We can’t wait to welcome you aboard.

Zolna Yachts operates one yacht — Nerissa — and that’s our advantage. While larger fleet operators are juggling multiple boats, rotating crews, and splitting attention across charters running at the same time, every booking with Zolna Yachts gets the full focus of our team.

That means:
• Our flagship 73-foot motor yacht — not a smaller or older backup vessel
• Our most experienced crew, hand-selected and consistent charter to charter
• The personal involvement of the owner, who often serves as lead stew during charters
• One team, one yacht, one standard — no handoffs, no second-tier experience

At Zolna Yachts, every charter is run by the same small team, drawing on more than 20 years of charter experience — including over nine years operating Nerissa. We know this yacht inside and out, we know how to throw a great party on the water, and we know how to make a wedding, corporate event, or milestone celebration feel effortless.

This is why Nerissa is consistently booked for everything from upscale weddings and corporate cocktail receptions to milestone birthdays and full-on dance parties with live bands. Whether you want refined or rowdy, polished or pulsing — we’ve done it dozens of times, and we make it look easy.

No — and that’s one of the things guests notice most. Nerissa is a 73-foot motor yacht designed to host up to 49 guests comfortably across multiple distinct areas, so the energy stays lively without ever feeling tight.

Guests naturally spread out across the yacht’s distinct zones: the expansive upper sky deck (the heart of most celebrations, with room for a live band or DJ booth and dance floor), the bow lounge with generous seating cushions, the climate-controlled main salon, the bar area with seating and standing room and a popular hangout zone along the entire port side, and the intimate back cockpit.

This multi-level, multi-zone layout is what makes full-capacity charters feel spacious and high-energy at the same time — guests can be dancing on the upper deck, mingling at the bar, lounging on the bow, or grabbing a quiet conversation in the salon, all at once. Nerissa is built to hold a real party without ever feeling cramped.

For more intimate gatherings, Nerissa is equally at home with smaller groups of 2 to 35 guests, where the yacht offers an even more private, exclusive feel.

Peak dates (Friday and Saturday evenings, holiday season, summer months) fill quickly. We recommend reaching out as early as possible — though we can often accommodate shorter timelines depending on availability.

• Upper sky deck — A large, fully open-air deck and the heart of most celebrations. There is ample room for a live band or DJ booth, a dance floor, cocktail service, and group mingling with panoramic views of the San Diego skyline and bay.
• Bow lounge — Generous lounging cushions on the front of the yacht offer seating for a sizable group, with additional room for standing guests to take in the views.
• Main salon — Climate-controlled indoor space for dining, seating, and lounging.
• Bar area — A full counter bar with three barstools and two additional barstools on the stern side, plus open floor space for dancing and mingling. While not as expansive as the upper sky deck, it’s a lively gathering spot, and the entire port side between the bar, salon, and galley offers generous standing and hangout room — a favorite zone for guests to socialize throughout the charter.
• Back cockpit — A smaller, intimate area on the main level with bench seating for a few guests.
(Note: Nerissa previously had a hot tub on the upper deck. It has been removed to maximize open entertaining space for events, bands, and dancing.)

Both — and that’s exactly what makes Nerissa special. We’re best known for elevated, high-energy celebrations that blend luxury with genuine fun. From rock bands and jazz ensembles to DJ dance parties, milestone birthdays, wedding receptions, and corporate cocktail events — Nerissa is built for guests who want upscale and alive.

Rather than traditional plated dinners, Nerissa specializes in elevated cocktail-style dining — a sophisticated, social alternative that lets guests move freely between decks, take in the views, and enjoy the full yacht experience while they dine. A typical evening might include stationary charcuterie and grazing displays, passed hors d’oeuvres that flow into heartier dinner courses, and live action stations such as fresh-shucked oysters and caviar service presented by walking attendants. Bar service can be elevated with a sommelier alongside our professional bartenders, custom cocktail menus, and pairings.

The result is the best of both worlds: the polish and quality of a fine-dining experience with the energy and freedom of a real celebration. Guests aren’t anchored to a dinner table — they’re mingling, dancing, taking photos on the bow, and enjoying the bay.

This is the dining and entertainment style of choice for upscale weddings, corporate receptions, milestone birthdays, and luxury private events in San Diego. Whether you want a refined cocktail evening with a jazz trio or a full-throttle dance party with a live rock band, Nerissa is built for it.

For live music and dancing, an open-deck motor yacht like Nerissa is purpose-built for exactly that. Nerissa’s fully open upper sky deck is one of the largest open-air party decks of any charter yacht its size on San Diego Bay — a single continuous, unobstructed level with room for a full live band or DJ set-up, a dance floor, and mingling guests all at once, while the bar and catering flow from the main deck just below. Catamarans are known for their stability, but their space is often divided across much smaller separate zones. Nerissa gives you one uninterrupted stage-and-dance-floor level under the open sky, which is why we’re known as San Diego’s premier live-band and dance party yacht.

Nerissa features four onboard restrooms — significantly more than most yachts in her class. This means no lines, even with a full corporate group.