The yacht was initially named "Christina" and was designed by Thorvald A. S. Tvede, a Norwegian naval architect. It was built by the Canadian Vickers shipyard in Montreal, Canada.
Onassis purchased the yacht in 1954 and extensively renovated and redecorated it, transforming it into the luxurious vessel it became known for. He renamed it "Christina O", adding the "O" to represent the name of his daughter, Christina.