The World's Best Superyachts

It is possible to achieve the impossible in yacht design without sacrificing an inch on luxury, as these seven striking superyachts demonstrate.

- Chrissie Mcclatchie

At 180.65 metres in length, Azzam is not only twice the length of a football pitch, she’s also the largest superyacht in the world. Delivered by Lürssen Yachts in 2013, very little is known about the vessel owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Abu Dhabi, apart from the fact that she has top speeds of 30 knots (an incredible feat for her size) and reportedly cost US$600 million to build. Her interior is said to take inspiration from the Empire style of the early 19th century.

Despite their high visibility, many of the world’s largest private vessels remain just that: absolutely private. Others enter the charter market as owners look to offset annual running costs, and charter guests embark on the kind of highly bespoke, one-of-a-kind luxury experience that can start at well over US$1 million per week (see Savannah on page 152).

Defined as a vessel over 30 metres in length, last year there were 5,416 superyachts in the world according to The Superyacht Group’s intelligence division, a number it predicts will rise to 5,659 by the end of 2019. A decade ago, this figure was 3,903. And, while yachts between 30 and 40 metres dominate the seas, accounting for almost 63 percent of the global fleet, at the top end of the market the 90 metre-plus segment is 117 percent larger than it was 10 years ago.

For today’s superyacht owner the journey is as important as the destination, and this is reflected in contemporary yacht design. While there are certain features common to many of today’s new builds: a beach club, swimming pool and tender garage just to name a few, each superyacht is entirely unique; a reflection of her owner’s vision and preferences. Here are seven of our favourites.

Aviva