A Century of Sea Change
Like the rest of the world, yachts have seen remarkable transformations in design and technology in the last 100 years. As our list shows, the shapes and sizes range widely depending on the decade of their launch. The streamliner-look of the 1920s gave way to the stacked wedding-cake design of the last half of the 20th century, while the last 20 years have seen more futuristic shapes. What all these yachts share, however, is their owners’ passion to create yachts that are unique, often breathtaking and, most importantly, majestic. Here are our 25 favorites in chronological order.
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'Delphine' (257 Feet 9 Inches) 1921, USA
Image Credit: Wikipedia Delphine is the original 1920s oceangoing queen. Rumored to have once hosted President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, she was commissioned by American automobile magnate, Horace Dodge and built by Michigan shipbuilding company, Great Lakes Engineering Works in 1921. At 258-feet, Delphine remains the largest yacht ever built in the US that is still in operation. She is also the largest active steam-driven yacht in existence. The two original 1,500-horsepower steam engines were re-equipped with two modern water-tube boilers during a 2003 refit, which provide 18 metric tons of steam per hour. Surviving a stint in the US Navy during World War II, several fires and multiple owners, Delphine is today fully restored to her 1920s glory, including original teak on the main deck and a revived Tiffany-designed interior.
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'Talitha' (247 Feet) 1929, Germany
Image Credit: Photo: Javier Rullan Ruano/YouTube Talitha is one of the world’s first superyachts with an exceptional pedigree. Originally penned by naval architects Cox & Stevens, leading designers of their day, she was built by F. Krupp in Kiel, Germany. First known as Reveler, she was delivered in 1929 to Russell Algar, chairman of the Packard Car Company. A string of high-profile owners ensued, including Sir John Paul Getty, Jr. in the 1930s, son of one of the richest men in the world at the time. Getty commissioned an exterior and interior redesign by late superyacht designer Jon Bannenberg and, in 1993, a full reconstruction was completed at the Devonport shipyard in Plymouth, U.K. Regular refits since, including a 1999 newly installed wheelhouse, has made Talitha successful as a popular charter yacht.
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'Savarona' (446 Feet 9 Inches) 1931, Germany
Image Credit: Wikipedia Launched in 1931, Savarona was built for an heiress, enjoyed by royalty and starred on the big screen. Built by Blohm & Voss for Emily Roebling Cadwalader, granddaughter of Brooklyn Bridge engineer John Roebling, 446-foot Savarona was featured in the German science-fiction film Gold. She was bought by the Turkish government in 1938 and leased to Turkish businessman Kahraman Sadıkoğlu in 1989, who spent $45 million refurbishing the yacht. The original steam turbine engines were replaced with modern Caterpillar diesels, but the original 282-foot gold-trimmed staircase remains. Today, Savarona is the official presidential yacht of the Republic of Turkey.
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'Shemara' (212 Feet, 2 Inches) 1938, Great Britain
Image Credit: Wikipedia Within a year of being built in 1938, 212-foot Shemara was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and used throughout World War II as a training vessel for anti-submarine warfare. Following the end of her service, she was returned to her owner Bernard Docker, who entertained high society aboard her decks. Later in life, Shemara endured long periods of neglect until current owner Charles Dunstone acquired her in 2010, and began the long road back to refurbishment. Alongside much of the original teak and steel exterior features, Shemara is now fitted with a Rolls-Royce diesel-electric system including two electrically driven azimuthing pods and a bow thruster.
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'Christina O' (325 Feet) 1943/1954
Image Credit: Wikipedia Possibly one of the most eminent superyachts of all time, 325-foot Christina O didn’t begin life in the spotlight. Built in 1943 by Canadian Vickers, she served as a frigate in World War II until 1954 when Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis bought her as war surplus for a mere $34,000. He spent $4 million on thea refurbishment, and then entertained the world’s elite on board, from Maria Callas and Grace Kelly, to Jack and Jackie Kennedy, prior to Aristotle marrying Jackie. Named after Aristotle’s daughter, 325-foot Christina O enjoys a bronze-edged swimming pool with a mosaiced dance floor that rises at the push of a button. The stools in Ari’s Bar retain the original leather upholstery.
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'La Sultana' (214 Feet 56 Inches) 1962, Bulgaria
Image Credit: Wikipedia A Bulgarian passenger ferry turned Soviet spy vessel, 214.5-foot La Sultana has a checkered past. Built in 1962 for operations in the Black Sea, she was absorbed into the Russian fleet during the Cold War and sent to the North Atlantic for unofficial reconnaissance on the United States and United Kingdom. In 2015, La Sultana completed a seven-year refit which saw the addition of a raised bow, seven guest cabins across six decks, and a diesel engine installed to drive the original propeller. Several spying instruments were also discovered, including a radioactivity detector and thick aluminum insulation across the entire boat. The original push button steering controls are still in operation.
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'Highlander' (164 Feet) 1986, Netherlands
Image Credit: Wikipedia Built by Feadship to a Jon Bannenberg design with De Voogt naval architecture, 164-foot Highlander was commissioned by American media mogul Malcolm Forbes in 1986. The yacht’s historic guest list reads like a Who’s Who of Hollywood stars, from Elizabeth Taylor to Robert De Niro. Two bathrooms in the master suite are offset by six guest cabins. Those lucky enough to charter this piece of yachting history also have use of Forbes’ original cigarette boat, now re-painted in jet black with a bold red stripe.
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'Al Salamah' (456 Feet 10 Inches) 1999, Germany
Image Credit: Lürssen At the time of its construction in 1999, 456-foot Al Salamah was the third largest yacht in the world. The build began at German yard HDW in Kiel, but was completed by Lürssen in Bremen, the only yacht builder at the time capable of meeting the owner’s demanding timeline. Al Salamah was commissioned by the late Saudi Arabian crown prince, Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz. Estimated to be worth in the region of $200 million and accommodating 36 guests, the ample amenities include a cinema, a fully equipped onboard hospital, two full-time beauticians, a business center and a spa.
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'H' (ex-NEOM) (311 feet) 2000, Netherlands
Delivered in 2000, the 311-foot H remained the largest Oceanco yet built and the largest yacht built in Holland until the delivery of Kaos (ex-Jubilee) in 2017. .Originally named Al Mirqab, she was a highly private yacht under the ownership of the Qatar royal family, before ex-politician and co-owner of Formula One Force India team, Vijay Vittal Mallya, took ownership in 2006. The lavishly outfitted yacht, which includes a helipad large enough for a twin-engine helicopter, Elton John’s baby grand piano, a full medical suite and triple engines each delivering 10,000 horsepower, was seized by the Maltese government in 2017 over unpaid maritime bills. NEOM was sold by auction to her current owner in 2018.
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'Rising Sun' (453 Feet) 2004, Germany
Image Credit: Photo: Courtesy of Lürssen Built for Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison in 2004, and currently owned by business mogul David Geffen, Lürssen’s Rising Sun is another Jon Bannenberg design success story completed two years after the designer’s death. Even with her 453-foot length and 7,841-gross tonnes volume, Rising Sun achieves an impressive top speed of 28 knots. The owners were impressed enough with the speed to build a suspended, tube-like walkway so visitors can see the four MTU 20V 8000 M90 diesel engines providing the power. A bank of full-height curved windows run along the entire length of the superstructure, flooding the interior with natural light and giving the yacht a striking exterior profile.
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'Dubai' (531 Feet 5 Inches) 2006, Germany
Image Credit: Bigstock Superyacht Dubai was first commissioned by Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei in 1995 to be built in collaboration by German shipyards Blohm + Voss and Lürssen. But she was not completed until 2001 by Platinum Yachts when current owner, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, took over the project. The exterior was by British studio Winch Design. The yacht is reported to have cost in the region of $400 million to build. Dubai was the largest yacht in the world until 2010, when she was replaced by Roman Abramovich’s 533-foot Eclipse. Dubai’s amenities, spread across eight decks, include a helipad, two 33-foot chase boats, a squash court and 20 jet skis.
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'Maltese Falcon' (289 Feet) 2006, Turkey
Image Credit: Perini Navi The legendary Maltese Falcon broke the mold of yacht design when launched in 2006. Perini Navi’s 289-foot, three-masted schooner was the result of her adventurous owner, the late Tom Perkins, and naval architect Gerard Dykstra’s radical design idea. The show-stopping Dynarig concept, now coined the Falcon Rig, catapulted Maltese Falcon to becoming the world’s most instantly recognized yacht, not to mention one of the most complex and largest sailing vessels ever built. The contemporary and computer-controlled sail system is based on freestanding carbon masts and yard-arms into which the sails furl. This system allows for easy sailing in all sea conditions. Famous charterers include Tom Hanks, Hugh Jackman and Google-co founder Larry Page.
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'Eclipse' (533 Feet) 2009, Germany
Image Credit: Wikipedia Aside from stealing the title of world’s largest yacht from 531-foot Dubai by a mere 1.5 feet, Eclipse is an exercise in amenities. Delivered to her owner Roman Abramovich in 2009, the yacht features a 52-foot swimming pool within an extensive beach club, two helipads and a helicopter hangar under the foredeck. The 533-foot yacht is powered by a diesel-electric system driving azimuthing pods, one of the first of its kind. Eclipse retained the title of world’s largest yacht until the arrival of 590.5-foot Azzam in 2013. Designed inside and out by Terence Disdale, Eclipse took five years to build and is reported to have cost in the region of $590 million.
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'Chopi Chopi' (262 Feet) 2013, Italy
Tasked with an experienced owner’s brief for a private yacht on which to spend long family holidays, CRN delivered with Chopi Chopi. The largest yacht built by CRN at the time of her 2013 launch, the 262-foot Chopi Chopi remains the Italian yard’s flagship. A 656-square-foot owner’s suite with private terrace is complemented by a helipad capable of landing a three-ton helicopter. The interior ceiling heights are in excess of seven feet. But the focus of the design is on comfortable outdoor living, realized by a large beach club with an adjoining sauna, hammam, spa with a treatment room.
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'Azzam' (590 Feet) 2013, Germany
Image Credit: Lurssen/Klaus Jordan At a whopping 590-foot, Azzam has held the title of world’s largest yacht since her launch in 2013. Azzam was built by German yard Lürssen in a record three years for Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the current President of the United Arab Emirates. Alongside a 95-foot main saloon, Azzam carries a submarine and its own missile defense system. Two gas turbines and two diesel engines propel the yacht through the water more than 32 knots.
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'Black Pearl' (350 Feet) 2018, Netherlands
Image Credit: Tom Van Oossanen The 350-foot Black Pearl is only the second yacht in the world to be fitted with Dykstra’s DynaRig carbon masts and sailing system. Delivered by Oceanco in 2018, its eye-catching black sails span 9,514 square feet and can be set in a record seven minutes with the push of a button. The hybrid propulsion system combines wind power with two electric propulsion motors, and its controllable pitch propellers generate enough energy to support the yacht’s hotel load. A waste heat-recovery system is just one of the onboard features that helps to realize the owner’s vision of a “zero-impact” yacht.
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'Excellence' (262 Feet) 2019, Netherlands
Image Credit: Guillaume Plisson for Abeking & Rasmussen Built for an experienced serial owner, American automobile magnate Herb Chambers, the Winch-designed 262-foot Excellence was delivered in 2019. She takes her design inspiration from Motor Yacht A, which Chambers at first didn’t care for, but then began to love. The piercing reverse bow (that mimics the beak of an American eagle) and triple-height glass-fronted atrium give her curb appeal, but has also led to the yacht being likened to a spaceship. Driven by the desire to have a connection to the outdoors, the design rests upon a symbiotic relation between the indoors and out, and was ultimately successful, partially due to the use hundreds of square feet of curved, mirrored glass panels.
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'Flying Fox' (446 Feet) 2019, Germany
Image Credit: Lurssen Yachts Flying Fox is designed to cater for every conceivable need, for the owners and anyone else who can afford to charter her. At 446 feet in length, she’s the largest superyacht on the charter market, available for $4 million a week. Everything about this yacht involves multiple choices. Designed by Espen Oeino, Flying Fox has the largest transverse pool to ever be featured on a yacht, and gives guests the choice between hot or cold, saltwater or fresh. Two helipads cater for the onboard VIP-configured H175 Airbus helicopter and another helicopter. A 1,300-foot two-decked spa includes a cryosauna, hammam and relaxation room with a fold-down balcony at sea level. The dive center is equipped with a three-person decompression chamber, and the large sundeck converts into a dance floor by night. Manned by 54 crew, the open-air galley has five different types of ovens and two teppanyaki grills.
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'Artefact' (262 feet) 2020, Germany
Image Credit: Courtesy Nobiskrug Built by the Nobiskrug shipyard in Germany, Artefact is owned by a tech entrepreneur who from day one insisted his superyacht be as green as possible. The world’s largest 262-foot boat by volume (2,990GT) was meticulously planned to be a diesel-electric design innovation. Artefact has big battery banks and runs its pods (small rotatable propulsion units) with electric motors. The yacht can draw power from any part of the grid, using its power mix – batteries, generators and solar cells. The futuristic façade designed by Gregory C. Marshall grabs attention for its use of 8,073-square-feet of glass weighing 70 tons, while the Zen interior penned by Reymond Langton enjoys straight-grain dark walnut floors, taupe ripple fiddle-back sycamore walls, zero door thresholds for wheelchair access and a Tai Chi room with extra ceiling height for holding a sword above the head.
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'Viva' (308-feet) 2021, Netherlands
Image Credit: Courtesy Feadship Commissioned by a serial charterer of Feadship yachts, Viva was built and delivered by the Dutch yard in 2021. The US owner is reported to have prioritized the custom yacht’s low environmental impact and high cruising efficiency, keeping it in line with his previous 203-foot Feadship. Viva features a diesel electric hybrid propulsion system matched with a waste treatment plant and heat recovering systems. Exterior designed by Azure Yacht Design and Feadship Studio De Voogt, the striking façade is dominated by large swathes of glass and painted in a pearl-white livery. A 46-foot beam allows for the inclusion of the largest tender and longest hull doors ever seen on a Feadship. The interior, penned by Peter Marino, has been described by the shipyard as having an open beach-house style in keeping with the owner’s “less is more” philosophy.
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‘Victorious’ (278 feet 8 inches) 2021, Turkey
Image Credit: Courtesy AK Yachts Some owners want a superyacht so badly, they buy a shipyard in which to build it. At least, that’s what car-enthusiast Vural Ak, founder of Intercity Rent A Car (Turkey’s largest car rental firm) and founder of shipyard Ak Yachts did to see the build of 278.8-foot Victorious through. The largest new build to come out of Turkey is an explorer fit for world circumnavigation with Jacuzzis, a steam room and cinema on board. Ak shunned a conventional yacht layout to accommodate his needs, replacing sun deck loungers with an enclosed gentleman’s snug with open fires, humidor and glass-fronted wine cellar. The main deck is occupied by a children’s playroom, commercial-sized galley, tiered cinema, and five of the yacht’s twelve guest suites. The owner’s suite forms part of a dedicated owner’s apartment on the bridge deck. When exploration beckons, three tenders are on offer, including a 39-foot full-height catamaran tender.
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‘Tatiana’ (262 feet) 2022, Turkey
Image Credit: Courtesy Bilgin Yachts Launched in 2020, the new flagship yacht from Bilgin Yachts heralded the arrival of cutting-edge, metal-hulled Turkish-built superyachts. With an internal volume of 1,689 gross tons—more than twice that of Bilgin’s previous flagship—Tatiana is defined by long overhangs and a sweeping sheer line penned by Unique Yacht Design. But it’s the 1,200-square-foot lower deck beach club with its two fold-down sea terraces that steal the limelight. The centerpiece is a 30-foot long, freshwater swimming pool. A second glass-bottomed pool on the main deck bathes the beach club below in dappled sunlight. When the shell doors are closed, guests can pamper themselves in the spa that enjoys a hammam, massage room and wet bar with a backlit floor.
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'Infinity' (384 feet), 2022, Netherlands
Image Credit: Courtesy Oceanco Infinity, Oceanco’s most recent delivery, is the largest motoryacht ever built in the Netherlands. It was delivered to its owners in Spring 2022. The exterior by Espen Øino International is almost ship-like, including seven decks, with the upper four comprising a layered superstructure, punctuated by a set of radomes and mast on the top of the yacht. Its traditional-looking profile ends with a long open foredeck that includes a helipad. The 54-foot beam gave interior designers Sinot Yacht Architecture and Design, partnering with David Kleinberg Design Associates, many thousands of square feet to work with. Oceanco didn’t release any images of the interior, but said that it will consist of accommodations for up to 16 guests, an extensive wellness area with spa, sauna, gym and yoga studio, and what it called “best-in-class” crew quarters.
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'Nord' (466 feet) 2021, Germany
Image Credit: Courtesy Lurssen Nord was announced in 2015 but didn’t hit the water until November 2020 when she conducted sea trials in the Baltic Sea. The 466-foot yacht by Lürssen features interior design by Italian studio Nuvolari Lenard. Boasting many top-tier amenities, the yacht includes a sports and diving center on the lower deck, multiple tenders ranging in size up to 50-feet and a large swimming pool. The two helipads support the yacht’s long-range cruising capabilities for autonomous exploration, and a retractable hangar means a helicopter can slide neatly into the superstructure for storage when not in use. A generous 20 staterooms accommodate 36 guests across six decks, while a sleek aft-sloping superstructure gives Nord an individual profile on the water.
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'Ahpo' (378 Feet), 2021, Germany
Image Credit: Lürssen Ahpo’s proportionate lines and a mast slightly reminiscent of an exhaust stack of a ’60s ocean liner are distinguishing features of the Lürssen launch. But the interior is where the boat really shines. The owner wanted a multilevel apartment for himself and his family, so the design team created a “family suite,” consisting of three staterooms, and a palatial main suite with sea terraces on both sides. Up a staircase is the owner’s private salon, offering panoramic views. The interior is a tapestry of whites, pale-colored woods, stone and omnipresent curves, including the ceilings. The mix of natural illumination and classic-but-slightly-out-there design makes for a fun but elegant celebration of the good life. That’s most apparent in the spa, with a round, ceramic-tiled pool in the center of the lower level and relaxing seating all around. The hammam is Arabic-influenced, with tiles on the wall, a central white fountain and twinkling LED stars above.
