ocean vision yacht cost to build

• CruiseMapper
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Cruise Ship Cost to Build

How much does a cruise ship cost to build and how much is the per berth price. See here the largest cruise shipbuilding cost, and of the most expensive cruise ship in the world. You'll see what is the cruise ship cost per day by following the link to the vessel's "itinerary-schedule-position" page at our cruise tracker . This page is integrated with our surveys on the newest ships , ship construction , and drydock refurbishments .

Our unique survey here features, besides covering all the world's major cruise lines ships, also the building cost of cruise ships like MS The World (privately owned floating neighborhood) and of the ominous RMS Titanic . These are not just money questions, but also much fun cruise vessels stuff. And this is why we'll try to give you the best and most accurate answers here - all in one place, on a single page.

After some concise explanations, we give you the list of the world's best passenger cruise ships cost to build by line (operator). This is a huge help since you don't have to search the Internet anymore for a particular ship and its building cost.

How much does the most expensive cruise ship cost?

The cost of building a cruise ship generally depends on the vessel's size, the building shipyard (labor prices, taxes, quality of service), the onboard features (facilities and amenities) and finally - on the economy itself. Lines price the cruise ships building cost by the number of beds (the marine term is "berths").

The most fun fact of all in this category is the berth price of one of the world's most expensive big cruise ships - the most famous Cunard liner RMS Queen Mary 2 (2004-built), with a berth cost of over USD 300,000 - the industry's highest-ever considering its volume/GT tonnage. The main culprits:

• the QM2 shipbuilder is STX Europe (Saint-Nazaire shipyards in France)
• high-quality materials
• unique ship design (this classic ocean liner required around 40% more steel than a standard passenger ship)
• and finally, the QM2 ship size itself - length 1,132 ft (345 m), width 135 ft (41 m), height 236 ft (72 m) and weight of 151,400 tons. QM2 is also the fastest cruise ship in the world - max speed 35 mph (56 kph) and service/operational speed of 30 mph (48 kph). In comparison, one of the world's largest cruise ships Oasis of the Seas cost per berth is "merely" US$240,000 for its immense weight of 225,300 tons.

Some info on one of the world's most famous passenger ships ever - The World cruise ship.

• Operated by ResidenSea, this top luxury residential ship (construction cost USD 266 million) offers a one-bedroom apartment at a modest price of around US$2000 per night. Purchasing an apartment on board this ship is a quite different matter.
• The World cruise ship apartment cost (if some of the current owners decide to sell) is a pretty big suitcase deal - the lucky buyer will say a big "goodbye" to USD 2 million to over 15 million (depending on size and deck location) and a hearty "hello" to a ship cabin property of respectively around 620 ft2 to over 4300 ft2.
• Additionally to this "initial spending", the lucky owner will be charged an annual maintenance fee ranging from USD 60,000 to USD 0,5+ million, again depending on the property.

How much does the world's most expensive cruise ship cost? The Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas ship cost to build is USD 1,4 billion, closely followed by its sister the Allure ship - USD 1,2 billion. And while speaking of 1,2 billion dollars, and just in case someone asks "what is the cost of the most expensive yacht in the world". The world's most expensive cruise yacht costs the exact amount of money, and it's a private property of Roman Abramovich. For its 558 ft in length (170 m) the owner of the Chelsea Football Club paid the same USD 1,2 billion, while the yacht's actual construction cost is "only" USD 485 million. But the fun doesn't stop there. A week-long charter of the Eclipse Yacht costs the USD 2 million, but a 5000 ft2 (465 m2) master suite is included in the price, along with all the 70+ crew, 2 helicopter pads, 11 guest staterooms, 2 swimming pools, 3-speed boats, and naturally - a small submarine. About the security? How does a defense system capable of launching missiles sounds to you?

What was the cost of the RMS Titanic ? Back in 1912, the Titanic ship cost to build was USD 7,5 million (current dollar value ~USD 400 million/2021). Sadly, this huge investment in the world's first mega cruise ship (tonnage 46,300 GT) turned out to be a real disaster - the Titanic ship sailed only once and never finished its "bigger than God" voyage.

How much do cruise ships cost?

All the world's big to biggest cruise ships cost in millions of US dollars, ordered alphabetically by the name of the cruise company operating the vessel. And only in this article - the building cost of cruise ships per berth (bed).

Next time you'll know exactly for how much (as a percentage) you rent a costly cruise ship accommodation on your budget-priced or luxury ship vacation. Not to forget, there are also food, service, entertainment and numerous amenities and activities that are usually included in your fares/ticket prices.

In our world's current economic situation of uncertainty and stagnation, most cruise companies prefer to renovate ships rather than building new ones. The cost of cruise lines refurbishments and ship renovation programs may reach close to half a billion dollars.

Among the most mind-boggling examples of huge fleet-upgrade spending are Holland America's SOE ("Signature of Excellence") program (budgeted USD 450 million) and Carnival's Fun Ship 2.0 upgrades and ship enhancements (total budget USD 800 million). Generally, such renovations include either major refits and improvements ("upgrades" of older vessels with the company's signature facilities, amenities, and programs) or regularly scheduled drydock refurbishments.

Another famous example is the "Fun Ship 1.0" upgrades of all old Carnival Fantasy-class fleet - 8 ships, USD 250 million. RCCL's Celebrity Cruises started its over USD 200 million one-ship-per-year renovation program in 2010 (including 4 Millennium-class liners).

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The Real Costs of Owning a Superyacht [Complete Guide]

November 25, 2019 1:00 pm

Owning a  superyacht  is a status symbol available only to the world’s wealthiest individuals and corporations. Although there is no strict definition, the Red Ensign Group Yacht Code is applicable to “motor or sailing vessels of 24 meters in load line length and over…and which, at the time, is in commercial use for sport or pleasure and carries no cargo and no more than 12 passengers 1 .” There are currently just over 10,000 superyachts in the world with around 200-250 new builds delivered each year. The vast majority are  motor yachts , with sailing yachts counting for less than 20% of the total. The world’s largest private vessel, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s 180m (590-foot) AZZAM,  cost $600 million to build when it was delivered in 2013. Eight of the ten most expensive luxury acquisitions of all time were superyachts.

Purchase Cost

Buying a new or used superyacht will most likely cost the buyer several million dollars. Pricing varies widely based on the yacht size, age, and other factors such as builder, guest capacity, speed, range, and more. The market is worldwide and extensive. Any potential buyer would be well-advised to engage a professional, certified broker to guide them in the selection of their dream yacht and through the myriad of complications in making the purchase.

• • Financing the Purchase
• • Immediate Post Purchase Costs

Operating Costs

In years past, owners and their brokers would work on 10% of the purchase price as an estimate of annual operating costs, but the vast range of yacht size, operating location, and usage profile makes this approach less useful without giving the question more thought. Building a budget for a yacht requires consideration of the following elements:

Crew – Salary, payroll taxes, recruitment fees, uniform, health insurance, food, and travel for vacation and repatriation are all crew-related costs. A good guide for salary costs is published by Dockwalk magazine every year based on an extensive survey of the crew and placement agents. Using their most recent article as a guide, a crew of eight full-time crew on a 150-foot yacht will cost over $650,000 per year in salary alone. Get a complete crew cost breakdown.

Dockage – Unless the owner plans to spend the year at anchor, then keeping the yacht in a marina incurs a significant cost. Dockage is normally sold per foot of the yacht’s full length and per night, although contract rates for longer periods may be available. High-quality marinas in peak seasons are currently running in the $6-8 per foot per night range. Electricity, fresh water, and waste removal are all additional costs to be considered.

Fuel – The captain or engineer should be able to provide the fuel consumption per hour at any given speed, so if a yacht owner knows roughly how much he wants the boat to travel, then he can estimate the total fuel consumption and budget the fuel cost. There is also the fuel cost for generators, particularly at anchor. A typical 150-foot motor yacht cruising at 12 knots will consume in the region of 150 U.S. gallons per hour. At today’s fuel prices, that’s going to be close to $500 per hour. 500 hours per year will give us the main engine fuel budget of around $250,000. To this, we must also add the generators’ fuel consumption at anchor plus any additional cost for tenders.

Communications – Everyone onboard, crew and guests, want to remain connected to their social media, streaming services, and email. The technology available in this area moves fast and with 5G coming online, near-shore costs will likely come down. For those who want broadband speed while offshore, costs are high and depend on the upload/download speeds required. Start with an estimate of $4-5,000 per month and work from there. Additional communications costs include satellite TV subscriptions, crew cell phone costs, mail, freight, and more. Get a complete communication cost breakdown.

Maintenance, Consumables, and Other Operating Costs – Having considered crew payroll, marina costs, fuel, and internet, the budget will start to materialize. One must take all other costs into account, such as hull insurance, liability insurance, maintenance and consumables, warehousing, safety and survey costs, upkeep of the navigation outfit, computing support, car rental, and more.   

Looking for more details?

Receive the complete Cost of Yacht Ownership Guide including:

• • Offsetting Expenses With Charter
• • Superyacht Financing
• • Budget Development + More

This should not be considered a financial guide. For a more accurate estimate, contact Clive McCartney .

1 Red Ensign Group Yacht Code Section A 1.2(1) 

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Costs of food provisions will vary dependent upon how eloborate food Preferenaces are

Location will play huge factor in food provisons and thing may have to be folws into remorte locations.

Crew is one of the largest expenses on a superyacht and critical to the owner’s enjoyment of their vessel. As the largest crew agency in the world, we know crew. Our cost calculator contains customized crew lists for yachts ranging from 80ft to 600ft with salary information based on our reference verified salary data.

Our users also have the ability to completely tailor the crew list to the specific needs, schedule and requirements of their vessel. Each yacht is unique and may have specific owner requests in addition to the yacht’s safe manning requirements.

Management of the supplemental crew costs and strategic budgeting can help avoid significant overspend on categories such as food and uniform. This tool contains default values based on our industry expertise and recommended budget for an efficiently and safely run superyacht.

To learn more about each crew position in detail, including salary ranges, please visit our yacht department directory .

Drag the sliders to modify your results. These are not linear scales and we expect most yachts to operate within the 20-80% window. Above 80% and below 20% costs increase or decrease at exaggerated levels and we only see numbers in these levels in very rare circumstances.

This sunburst diagram is interactive. You can click into each block to see the expense break down and mouse over each block for more details.

Our chart of accounts displays seven major categories, 20 sub-categories plus a further 80 detail categories for a total of 107.

Our yacht operating cost calculator is now on it’s third major revision. We start with actual yacht expense data from our yacht management accountants and then generate formulas to extrapolate out the budget for a wide range of yachts. We have been providing accounting services to large yachts for the past 18 years.

Our operating cost calculator is tuned for yachts from 80 to 600 feet. We find operating variables create the largest variances for yachts smaller than 100 feet and larger than 250 feet. We have tested the numbers the most in the range from 100 to 250 feet.

Our budget calculator factors in the fuel burn for a range of engine sizes typically seen installed on yachts by length. By dragging the green “fuel dockage” slider to the right you will increase the projected fuel burn rate and therefore the budget cost for fuel. Our default position would be for a typical displacement fuel burn. Position the slider in the 60-80% range for fuel projections for planning hulls.

Our default values produce a budget number that we believe is generous to run a yacht to a high standard. Perfect is a very expensive word to use in the yachting industry where standards are already high. Moving the crew and maintenance sliders to 80% will provide an “industry best” quality of crew and give them the maintenance budget to operate to a very high standard. If you need to go over the 80% area then you may have unusually labor intensive equipment on the yacht.

Yes, our yacht operating cost calculator can output a budget suitable for this situation. Adjust the owner use to 2 (minimum value), owner slider to 0, crew slider to 10%, Administration to 10%, Fuel and Dockage to 0, Maintenance to 10% and then Capital Repairs to 0. This will remove all of the large charges associated with owner use and vessel movement but leave the essential base maintenance and insurance in place.

Lift on and float in yacht transport is a popular way to transport yachts across large ocean passage. The yachts that this service certainly applies to are ones that may not have the motoring range or structural integrity for blue ocean cruising. The cost of transporting a yacht twice per year is put into our budget once the “Fuel Dockage” slider hits 75%. If your yacht has the range we recommend self-sufficient ocean passages whenever possible. Whilst the transport companies sell their services based upon reportedly well oiled operated schedules the reality is that your yacht may stay waiting for pickup for a week or more with no compensation due. When factoring in all secondary factors of self-sufficient passages (increased fuel, maintenance, potential storm damage, crew time off, extra delivery crew) compared with transporting your yacht (insurance, potential loading / unloading damage, loss of schedule control, no work whilst underway, crew flights, crew accommodation) we believe that there is a 100% premium associated with float in transport and a 75% premium with lift on transport compared with self-powered.

Abandoned yachts crash in value. We recommend that even if you are trying to sell your yacht that you use the yacht for a minimum of two weeks per year so that systems are tested and working every six months. There is nothing worse for a yacht than not being used. If you truly are not going to use the yacht then you should sell it immediately for the first genuine offer as every dollar you put into maintenance will not be recovered at the time of the sale.

We did not build this version with sailing yachts in mind. Early in our development of this version we decided to exclude sailing yachts as a few of the major cost drivers scale very differently for sailing yachts compared with motor yachts. For example: To calculate paint costs we reviewed the surface area of over 100 large yachts and created a formula for painted surface area to length. Sailing yachts just don’t scale in a consistent way. Similarly crew numbers don’t scale in the same manner that they do for motor yachts. If there is sufficient demand we may build a sailing selector switch into a future version of this tool.

We hate to hear when yacht owners were told by their broker to factor in 10% of the purchase price to operate the yacht. This over used saying is sadly right occasionally (particularly for newer yachts in the $20-30M range)… but just because a broken watch tells the right time twice a day you shouldn’t rely upon it to tell the time. As yachts get older their capital value decreases but their maintenance costs increase. There is no way that a fixed 10% of purchase cost rule can be true… if your broker told you this rule then you need a new yacht broker… we know some good ones. 😊

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How Much Does a Cruise Ship Cost? [SOLVED] Ranked by Ship & Line

By jeremy camosse apr 2021.

You may be surprised at the difference in ship cost between cruise lines! It may surprise you which line has the most expensive and cheapest cruise ships?

How much does a cruise ship cost? We love this question! Below, you'll find a deep dive into cruise ships by cost . From the most expensive cruise ship in the world, to the cheapest.

We've analyzed cruise lines to find how much a cruise ship costs based on multiple criteria.

Included, you'll find ship cost by brand and per cabin to account for difference in ship size. We also explore the difference in the cost to build a cruise ship over time

There's a clear trend in increasing ship cost by decade ! Additionally, we look at the total asset value by fleet and by holding company . It's truly amazing how the industry is so very consolidated!

Don't get us wrong. A ship's price tag is just one consideration.

There are plenty of factors that come into play when searching for the perfect cruise. How new is the vessel? How big is it? What class does it belong to? What features does it have? And, of course, how much does a cruise ship cost ? We cover all of these in other blog posts. For now, we'll explore ship cost in depth.

Cost by Cruise Line

How much does a cruise ship cost to build, by Line?

Above, you'll find a graph showing the average cruise ship cost by cruise line . The chart shown represents the actual cost to build a cruise ship for the specific brands shown.

Which company spends the most per vessel? That would be Royal Caribbean! On average, RCCL writes a check for $669 million for each new ship!

Size Matters

You may be a bit skewed from the info above. It looks like Royal Caribbean is clearly the most expensive. But, the above chart doesn't take into account size. Obviously a ship that can hold 5,000 passengers will be more expensive than a ship with 500. Royal Caribbean has the biggest ships. It's not overly surprising that they're also the most expensive!

This graph above gives us an idea of not just "cost," but also grandiosity. Royal's ships are the biggest and most costly .

To get a better idea of "value" as opposed to "price tag," you'll want to consider ship size . We're one step ahead! Check out the infographic below for average cost to build a cruise ship based on size. Specifically, we analyze cost verse number of staterooms.

Cruise Ship Cost by Cabin

How much does a cruise ship cost by stateroom?

This chart shows average cost by cruise cabin. That allows us to account for ship size and "normalize" the cost data. When buying an apartment building, you'd mostly like value it based on total number of units. Each apartment will command $X in rent. Similarly, each cruise cabin generates $Y in revenue.

It's no surprise that the smaller ships rise to the top. These brands are considered "premium lines." The drastic differences in price are obvious. Seabourn ships have cruise staterooms valued at more than 5x the cost of cabins on Pullmantur!

Why did we use cabins as a proxy for size?

Great question! There are a few metrics we could have picked. Passenger Capacity or Tonnage could have worked as well. Both have merits as well as deficiencies. We chose "cabins" due to its direct impact on revenues generated.

To get the most of this analysis, you'll want to compare ships with a similar quantity of cabins. Compare SAGA and Fred Olsen ships. The average roughly the same number of cabins per ship. SAGA spends over 2x the amount on a per cabin basis!

The data won't completely represent the full picture. Celebrity has massive ships carrying over 3k passengers and also the Xploration with a capacity of 16 cruisers! To avoid this issue you'll want to check out our complete list of ships by cost below.

Cost Increase Over Time

Below, find the increase in cruise ship cost over time

We also looked at how much does a cruise ship cost to build today vs. in the past ? We expected an increase and were not disappointed! The chart below shows the average price tag of ships throughout the decades.

The blue bars show actual dollars spent. The green line depicts "cost in today's dollars." These figures were derived using an average inflation rate of 3.22%.

It's clear that prices have grown significantly ! Both in terms of actual dollars and inflation-adjusted costs.

Even with the current speed bump in the industry, we expect this to continue. Vessels are continuously adding capacity and extravagant (read "expensive") features. The average cost per cruise ship is quickly approaching one billion dollars !

Cruise Line Fleet Value

Total value of all ships by cruise line.

You may have counted almost 30 cruise brands included above. Don't be fooled . There aren't that many big cruise companies out there. The chart below is likely to surprise you. The list of cruise companies is much smaller. Two companies (Carnival & Royal Caribbean) own nearly 75% of the entire industry !

Many passengers have sailed Oceania or Cunard and had no clue they were owned by NCL or Carnival. It's always entertaining to hear a passenger make fun of "Carnival" as they proudly book their next Seabourn vacation. Carnival Corp. owns both brands!

These major cruise lines know what they're doing. They want to own every cruise passenger , whether they're cruise budget is $1,000 or $10,000!

Most Expensive Cruise Ships

Which Cruise Ships Cost the Most?

Of course we had to include a list of the most expensive cruise ships ever built . Here are the Top 25 biggest price tags ever commanded by cruise ships. The "billion+ dollar club" is a significant portion of the list.

We also include the owning cruise line. You'll find one cruise line in particular is writing the biggest checks!

ALLURE OF THE SEAS

#1 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Allure of the Seas cost to build?

Royal Caribbean spent $1.5 Billion for the ship in 2010.

That represents a cost of $2.13 Billion when adjusted for inflation!

The ship weighs in at 225k gross tons and is one of the largest in the fleet. Per tonnage, the ship cost Royal Caribbean $9,447 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the Allure of the Seas cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,745 staterooms. That equates to roughly $775k per cabin , when adjusted for inflation!

STAR OF THE SEAS

#2 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Star of the Seas cost to build?

Royal Caribbean had a $1.88 Billion price tag for the ship, which will be delivered in 2025.

The ship weighs in at 251k gross tons and is one of the largest in the fleet. Per tonnage, the ship cost Royal Caribbean $7,496 (per GT).

It's also interesting to look at the Star of the Seas cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,805 staterooms. That equates to roughly $670k per cabin !

OASIS OF THE SEAS

#3 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Oasis of the Seas cost to build?

Royal Caribbean spent $1.3 Billion for the ship in 2009.

That represents a cost of $1.8 Billion when adjusted for inflation!

The ship weighs in at 225k gross tons and is one of the largest in the fleet. Per tonnage, the ship cost Royal Caribbean $8,160 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the Oasis of the Seas cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,742 staterooms. That equates to roughly $670k per cabin , when adjusted for inflation!

HARMONY OF THE SEAS

#4 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Harmony of the Seas cost to build?

Royal Caribbean spent $1.35 Billion for the ship in 2016.

That represents a cost of $1.7 Billion when adjusted for inflation!

The ship weighs in at 228k gross tons and is one of the largest in the fleet. Per tonnage, the ship cost Royal Caribbean $7,615 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the Harmony of the Seas cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,747 staterooms. That equates to roughly $631k per cabin , when adjusted for inflation!

NORWEGIAN EPIC

#5 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Norwegian Epic cost to build?

Norwegian Cruise LIne spent $1.2 Billion for the ship in 2010.

The ship weighs in at 156k gross tons and is one of the largest in the fleet, although significantly smaller than the RC ships on this leaderboard. Per tonnage, the ship cost NCL $10,924 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the NCL Epic cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,114 staterooms. That equates to roughly $805k per cabin , when adjusted for inflation!

On a "per cabin" and "per tonnage" basis, the NCL Epic is the most expensive ship on this list!

SYMPHONY OF THE SEAS

#6 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Symphony of the Seas cost to build?

Royal Caribbean spent $1.35 Billion for the ship in 2018.

The ship weighs in at 228k gross tons and is one of the largest in the fleet. Per tonnage, the ship cost Royal Caribbean $7,350 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the Symphony of the Seas cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,759 staterooms. That equates to roughly $608k per cabin , when adjusted for inflation!

WONDER OF THE SEAS

#7 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Wonder of the Seas cost to build?

Royal Caribbean spent $1.35 Billion for the ship in 2022.

That represents a cost of $1.5 Billion when adjusted for inflation!

The ship weighs in at 237k gross tons and is one of the largest in the fleet. Per tonnage, the ship cost Royal Caribbean $6,408 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the Wonder of the Seas cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,867 staterooms. That equates to roughly $529k per cabin , when adjusted for inflation!

OVATION OF THE SEAS

#8 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Ovation of the Seas cost to build?

Royal Caribbean spent $1.1 Billion for the ship in 2016.

That represents a cost of $1.4 Billion when adjusted for inflation!

The ship weighs in at 169k gross tons. Per tonnage, the ship cost Royal Caribbean $8,377 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the Ovation of the Seas cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,091 staterooms. That equates to roughly $676k per cabin , when adjusted for inflation!

ICON OF THE SEAS

#9 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Icon of the Seas cost to build?

Royal Caribbean spent $1.3 Billion for the ship in 2023.

That represents a cost of $1.35 Billion when adjusted for inflation!

The ship weighs in at 251k gross tons. This is the largest cruise ship in the fleet. Per tonnage, the ship cost Royal Caribbean $5,396 (per GT) in today's dollars. That's least expensive per GT of any ship on the list.

It's also interesting to look at the Icon of the Seas cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,805 staterooms. That equates to roughly $482k per cabin , when adjusted for inflation!

UTOPIA OF THE SEAS

#10 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Utopia of the Seas cost to build?

Royal Caribbean spent $1.3 Billion for the ship in 2024.

The ship weighs in at 237k gross tons. This is one of the largest cruise ships in the fleet. Per tonnage, the ship cost Royal Caribbean $5,700 (per GT) .

It's also interesting to look at the Utopia of the Seas cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,824 staterooms. That equates to roughly $478k per cabin ! That's the cheapest per cabin cost of any ship on the list!

MSC WORLD EUROPA

#11 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the MSC World Europa cost to build?

MSC spent $1.15 Billion for the ship in 2022.

That represents a cost of $1.3 Billion when adjusted for inflation!

The ship weighs in at 206k gross tons and is one of the largest in MSC's fleet. Per tonnage, the ship cost the cruise line $6,286 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the World Europa's cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,626 staterooms. That equates to roughly $492k per cabin , when adjusted for inflation!

MSC SEASHORE

#12 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the MSC Seashore cost to build?

The ship weighs in at 169k gross tons. Per tonnage, the ship cost the cruise line $7,632 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the MSC Seashore's cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 2,270 staterooms. That equates to roughly $570k per cabin , when adjusted for inflation!

DISNEY FANTASY

#13 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Disney Fantasy cost to build?

Disney spent $950 Million for the ship in 2012.

The ship weighs in at 130k gross tons. Per tonnage, the ship cost Disney Cruise Line $9,912 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the Disney Fantasy's cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 1,250 staterooms. That equates to roughly $1 million per cabin , when adjusted for inflation. That's the most expensive cost per cabin of any ship on the list!

DISNEY DREAM

#14 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Disney Dream cost to build?

Disney spent $900 Million for the ship in 2011.

The ship weighs in at 130k gross tons. Per tonnage, the ship cost Disney Cruise Line $9,688 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the Disney Dream's cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 1,250 staterooms. That equates to roughly $1 million per cabin , when adjusted for inflation. Along with the Disney Fantasy, this represents the most expensive cost per cabin of any ship on the list!

FREEDOM OF THE SEAS

#15 Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World

How much did the Freedom of the Seas cost to build?

Royal Caribbean spent $800 Million for the ship in 2011.

That represents a cost of $1.2 Billion when adjusted for inflation!

The ship weighs in at 154k gross tons. Per tonnage, the ship cost Royal Caribbean Cruise Line $8,079 (per GT) in today's dollars.

It's also interesting to look at the Freedom of the Seas' cost per cabin. The ship has a total of 1,817 staterooms. That equates to roughly $687k per cabin , when adjusted for inflation.

On average, a cruise ship costs $763 million, when adjusted for inflation. To get this approximated cost to build a cruise ship, we analyzed 243 active and ordered vessels. Each respective purchase price was adjusted for inflation prior to our average.

The Star of the Seas is the most expensive ship ever built in terms of "actual dollars." The price paid by Royal Caribbean was $1.88 Billion and the ship will be delivered in 2025. When comparing "today's dollars" the Allure of the Seas tops the list at an adjusted purchase price of $2.1 Billion.

Royal Caribbean clearly leads the cruise industry with the most expensive ships. Next in line is Disney followed by Costa than NCL. The entire ranking chart can be seen above.

Seadream Yachts has the least expensive cruise ships. Yet, the cruise line has a much smaller capacity and relatively high cost per stateroom. When accounting for size, the cheapest cruise ships are owned by Pullmantur.

In actual dollars, ships have increased based on the following costs per decade: 1970 - $43M; 1980 - $37M; 1990: $119M; 2000: $276M; 2010: $433M; 2020: $697M; 2020+ - $870M. Our graph also shows this increase in normalized dollars spent.

Carnival Corporation is by far the largest with 45% of the cruise industry in terms of ships owned. The company owns nine cruise brands and a combined 94 ships. The total asset value of these based on actual dollars spent is $74.2 billion. The chart above shows the owned brands and this line compared to others.

We hope that the above is extremely helpful in answering, how much does a cruise ship cost to build?

If you enjoyed learning about the most expensive cruise ships in the world, you'll love to explore the largest cruise vessels ever built. Please check out our post, Largest Cruise Ships in the World .

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Average Yacht Prices | 40, 50, 60, 70, 100 feet + Helpful Examples

How much do yachts cost? Let’s look at yacht prices per size.

SELECT SIZE ⇩

Note: We will look at yachts that are a few years old. Very few people buy brand-new yachts as the price comes down a lot after only a few years.

How much is a small yacht? Let’s start at 40 feet length.

40 Foot Yacht Cost

A 40-foot yacht can be found used for around $200,000 and new models can cost as much as a million dollars. There are always lots of used yachts for sale around 40 feet in length, which makes them more attractive to first-time buyers.

Technically, a yacht begins at 23 feet. However, yachts that size will more often be referred to as boats.

A 40-foot yacht is a great option for looking for relative simplicity and plenty of comfort and capability. This size is great for day trips in the Caribbean dedicated to speed boating or simple cruising.

The size remains manageable, but the vessel can be updated with extra living spaces and amenities as desired, with a more affordable price than larger options.

The maintenance prices will remain lower as well.

Make sure you are considering the age of your yacht. Even if it is on the smaller end, it will be more expensive if it is new and custom-built to your wants.

Even if you think a 40-foot yacht is the cheapest option, these small factors make for a sliding price scale.

You might find that a smaller, new, custom yacht is more expensive than an older, simpler, larger yacht. One benefit of an older yacht is that it should have the improvements and equipment that make it comfortable to operate and will not have those additional costs.

For  sailboat prices specifically, check out this article .

Our Pick: Viking 42 Convertible: Cruise and Fish (2014)

Price: $895,000

• Cushioned seats
• Underwater lights
• Flybridge fiberglass hard-top
• Recent engine and service
• Joystick control
• Cockpit shade with poles, freezer, and step-up box
• Custom chairs
• Coach roof overhang to provide shade
• home theater setup
• Freshwater wash area
• Cockpit freezer and drink box
• Forward-facing viewing windows in deckhouse

Here’s a great example of a yacht with differing ages and year models. It has twin diesel engines, 600 hp each, and cruise at 35 mph (pretty fast!).

Yacht Price Examples for Three Other 40-50 Foot

• 42-foot Grand Banks 42 Classic; trawler-cruiser style yacht; twin diesel, 350 hp each, cruising speed is 13 mph. Price: $370,000 for 2004; $124,500 for 1986; older ones for less
• 45-foot Sea Ray 450 Sundancer or Sedan Bridge; single or twin diesel, about 1,000 hp total; cruising speed about 26 mph Price: $472,000 for 2012 twin-engine
• 41-foot Back Cove Downeast; single diesel 715 hp; cruising speed is 26 mph Price: $619,000 for 2016

50 Foot Yacht Cost

50-foot yachts are  normally owner-operated, so you wouldn’t need to pay for a crew. Now we are around the size of 2-bedroom yachts.

They can provide more living space giving the owner flexibility for more guests and making it a more permanent residential option. With more space comes the opportunity to install more amenities as well.

The biggest difference between the 40-foot vessel and the 50-foot is the accommodations.

Expect three-cabin layouts, which give plenty of space for rest. The opportunity to create guest rooms, owners’ suite, and entertainment spaces are better with these yachts.

Our Pick: Hatteras GT54 Convertible Sportfish

The price for the 2017 model of this used yacht starts at $2,249,000. 

This yacht is 53′ 10″ long and weighs 75,000 pounds! It has twin diesel engines, 1,300 hp each, cruising speed of 35 mph.

It has a 1200-gallon fuel capacity with three staterooms. It sleeps up to 6 people, so it is perfect for entertaining without being so large to the point where maintenance becomes very difficult. It is known for its great propulsion rates and is very smooth and agile.

It specializes as a fishing boat but allows plenty of room for guests. In addition to the three staterooms, it has a large salon deck, a spacious galley, and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.

Yacht Price Examples for Two Other 50 Foot

• 51-foot Azimut Magellano 50; express cruiser; twin diesel engines, 425 hp each, cruising speed 16 mph Price: $670,760 for 2013
• 52-foot Carver C52 Command Bridge; twin diesel engines, 600 hp each; cruising speed 18- 26 mph Price: $1,149,000 for 2017; $1,750,00 for 2021 with bow thrusters, gyro-stabilizer

How much is a large yacht? Let’s  step up to 60 foot.

60 Foot Yacht Cost

Now we’re looking at 2-bedroom yacht prices. A yacht in this range approaches the upper end of the owner/operator criteria.

This means that owners need to decide whether they can handle this size yacht on their own or if they need to hire outside help from a crew.

If you’re thinking of buying a boat this size, the cost may not be an issue, but understand that adding crew members adds substantial extra expenses! Crew salaries start at around $3K /mth for junior members and $10K for captains and experienced crew members.

This size is great for longer travels beyond day trips and adds more and more space for extra amenities. Hosting guests becomes easier.

Here are some examples:

Our Pick: Hatteras M60

The average base price for this model is around $2,995,000.

The Hatteras M60 is great for someone who wants the luxury of a larger yacht but still wants to be an owner-operator. The deck’s layout below and above is spacious, with a large salon and a full master suite. It can be customized to order with hardwood floors or specific carpeting and amenities like TVs, a bar, a full kitchen, etc. It is a motor yacht, meant for pleasure cruising.

It has twin diesel engines, 1135 hp each; cruising speed is 28 mph.

Yacht Price Examples for Two Other 60 Foot

• 64-foot Schaefer 640; express cruiser; twin diesel engines, 625 hp each; cruising speed 25 mph Price: $1,299,000 for 2017
• 60-foot Sunreef 62 Sailing Catamaran; twin diesel engines 110 hp each; cruising speed 10 mph Price: $990,000 for 2009

70 Foot Yacht Cost

We’re now looking at 3-bedroom yachts. Once you reach this size yacht, it is almost guaranteed you will need a crew to help operate it. A crewed yacht is very different from an owner-operated yacht.

This is just shy of the superyacht category, so if you settle on this size, know you are almost there!

As previously mentioned, as the yacht size gets larger, so do the number of factors that make the purchase more layered and complex.

When yachts reach this size, the interior layout begins to change more drastically. They often have a spacious main deck perfect for dining and entertaining guests, whereas below, the yacht would likely have four or more cabins and crew quarters.

With more rooms comes more cost and more opportunity to customize the space to make it your own.

Here are some great options for this size:

Our Pick: Hatteras GT70 Convertible Sportfish

The 2017 GT70 model runs around $4,500,000, but keep in mind the extra costs of maintenance, furnishing, and a cabin crew to help it run. It’s great for a long vacation and far-away destinations.

The GT70 convertible sportfish is known for its speed and agility, and high propulsion power. It has twin diesel engines, 1900 hp each; cruising speed over 30 mph.

It is 70′ 6″ with 2,140-gallon fuel capacity. The inside is lavish, with a galley, a huge salon, and five staterooms.

Yacht Price Examples for Two Other 70 Foot

• 75-foot Hatteras Motor Yacht; sport cruiser; twin diesel, 1800 hp each; cruising speed 28 mph. Price: $4,375,000 for 2017
• 74-foot Ocean Alexander Motoryacht; twin diesel, 1150 hp each; cruising speed 24 mph. Price: $1,895,000 for 2011

100 Foot Yacht Costs (and up):

You are officially in the superyacht range.

These yachts come in all styles and shapes, allowing for cruising along coastlines or focusing on watercraft and speed boating.

Since this is likely the peak size boat for practical use, you can expect a lot of additional costs for hiring a crew, maintenance, docking, as well as stocking your boat full of amenities. 

You’re likely to spend the bulk of your costs furnishing this size boat as bigger yachts typically are sold without furniture. The previous owner will want to hold on to designer furniture and other expensive interior.

Check out these great  examples of 100-foot yachts .

Our Pick: 143′ 04″ Virtus 44

This model cost around $20,189,000.

This mega yacht is anyone’s dream.

It is home to a fully integrated beach club with room for a pool deck, floor-to-ceiling windows in the main salon, a hot tub on the top deck, five staterooms, an 8-person crew, and room to sleep ten guests.

It has room for water toys and other gadgets, with a layout that keeps them purposefully hidden from the outside world. It has a 12-knot cruising speed and 16-knot max speed,

Other 100+ Feet Yachts Price Examples

• 98′ 5″ AB 100 Price: $8,843,260 for 2018
• 161′ 04″ Acico Nassima Price: $17,933,000 for 2012

How Much is Yacht Insurance?

Insurance on a yacht is around 1% of the purchase price per year. It can go higher if you have lots of expensive designer furniture. This can add up over the years. It’s often cheaper to insure a sailing yacht but the price range is still within the 0.7-1.3%.

What Other Expenses Do Yacht Owners Face?

Harbor fees is another expense for yacht owners. It’s also a yearly fee that varies but as a rule of thumb, you can expect to pay around $100 per foot per year, depending on how popular the marina is. You will also have to be on a waitlist if you want a good location.

How Much Does a Luxury Yacht Cost?

A super yacht fall under the category of “luxury yachts” or “mega-yachts”.

The world’s largest private vessel belongs to the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s Azzam. It is 590 feet long and costs $600 million to build!

It is outliers like these that increase the price average for yacht owners, perhaps scaring potential owners when they start their research.

As a luxury yacht price guide, however, we need to look at averages.

Currently, the average superyacht costs $275 million. This does not even account for maintenance costs, either.

Superyachts are large and luxurious, needing a professional crew to help them run. They are designed to emphasize comfort, speed, and longer expeditions – depending on the yacht builders.

They might have:

• swimming pools,
• water toys,
• diving and fishing poles,
• fully furnished rooms,
• helicopter landing pads,
• and smaller support vessels

Just to name a few amenities. They are truly the epitome of the elite.

What Size Boat is Considered a Yacht?

The normal yacht length starts at around 23 feet, and can extend hundreds of feet.  If the boat meets 23 feet, it can be considered a yacht.

A boat does not need luxury features to be considered a yacht.

It can be minimal and stripped of the “extra” stuff to fall into the yacht category, so long as it meets the size and length criteria.

11 Things to Consider Before You Purchase

When making this purchase, the yacht size you buy needs to reflect what you hope to get out of the vessel.

Some important questions to ask yourself before you buy are:

• What does your perfect day on the water look like?
• How long will your average day on the water be?
• Will it be more boating/watercraft focused or long cruise focused?
• Will you use the yacht for fishing?
• Will you be on the yacht every day of the week or just on weekends?
• How many people do you hope to fit on the yacht?
• Do you plan to stay on the yacht overnight?
• Where will you dock the yacht?
• How much boating experience do you have?
• How fast do you want the yacht to go?
• How important is it to have extra amenities like furnished rooms, water toys, electronics, etc.?

These questions will guide you to understand the size you really need and will be able to realistically maintain versus what your most ideal yacht would look like.

When Do You Need a Full-Time Crew?

At length over 50 or 60 feet, you may need a full-time captain or crew. 

A full-time crew person will be needed to keep all the varnished woodwork looking good and all the little things maintained.

Sometimes, you must be honest with yourself about what you want and what you actually need. Be self-aware about your abilities (or lack thereof) in taking care of a specific size yacht.

If you don’t know much about boats and navigation, you will need more help to use your vessel.

Hopefully, this comprehensive guide gives you a good starting point as you begin your yacht price research process.

Important Things to Consider As Well

Although there are many factors to consider when understanding a yacht’s prices, it is an exciting purchase nonetheless and should be enjoyed as much as possible.

At the end of your research, you’ll be the owner of a beautiful yacht you can use for leisure, cruising, sports craft, fishing, or all of the above.

Although this article is a good starting point, we would also recommend getting in touch with a  yacht broker who can help you find your best fit , model, year, and the price is given your personal budget. 

They are great sources of knowledge in addition to personal research.

Make sure you are as patient as possible in this process to make sure you are covering all your bases, but most importantly, enjoy the process!

Here’s How Much Yachts Cost on Average:

Yachts start around $300,000 for smaller 40-foot models and can go as high as several hundred million dollars for superyachts.

These are the main contributing factors to the price of a yacht:

• The size of the yacht
• The age of the yacht
• The brand and  type of yacht

In general, the larger the yacht is, the more important the quality of the build becomes.

Also, potential owners need to understand the cruising speed and propulsion of different yachts.

The yacht type is also broken down into two categories:

• Mediterranean Style Open style expresses yacht with maximum space for sun, little-to-no shade on the deck.
• Hard-top express Semi-enclosed or fully-enclosed space on deck for the operator
• Flybridge yachts

An express yacht is often referred to interchangeably as an  express cruiser  or  sports cruiser .

It has a single deck above the hull with a living space below.

They are much sleeker, too.

A flybridge yacht is often referred to as a sedan bridge or sport bridge, and it is typically used for fishing. It has additional space above the main deck.

Since the flybridge area has more space on the second deck, the main deck is normally made up of enclosed spaces and rooms.

It can have an open-air layout but can also have a hard-top.

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• Cars, Jets & Yachts

The Best Luxury Yacht Builders in the World

With build times of around four years, it pays to know which shipbuilder is best for your dream superyacht.

By Kim Ayling

The superyacht industry has refound its mojo. Following the turbulence of the pandemic, yacht builders have resumed business as usual. Following recent growth in the UHNW population, order books remain full. New superyachts are rolling off the production line at an impressive rate of knots. If you’re considering a new superyacht now, you’ll be waiting over three years to take delivery of a ground-up build. Go with one of the leading yacht builders in the world, though, and it’ll be worth the wait.

This list of luxury yacht builders not only looks at what they have done in the past but also celebrates the stellar efforts they are making to reduce the environmental impact of their products. From lighter materials and onboard energy solutions to hybrid motors and marine conservation funding, these luxury yacht builders are not only leading the superyacht industry’s future but also protecting the oceans.

[See also: The Best Tenders to Pair with Your Superyacht]

Recognized as a world leader in building pure custom yachts, Feadship has been in pursuit of building the perfect ship since its inception in 1949 – although the brand can trace its roots back another 100 years. With each new ship that Feadship builds, its team employs the most cutting-edge methods and materials available, which when paired with its unpromising attitude toward fulfilling its clients’ desires, promises to deliver some of the most technically advanced yachts in the world – including Project 817 , which has now been delivered as Viva.

Viva remains a groundbreaking yacht build, with Feadship revealing ambitious aims to keep her environmental impact as low as possible. The 308-ft eco-friendly yacht features an advanced hybrid propulsion system that allows the yacht to travel at 12 knots on diesel-electric power. The ship’s hull has been designed with efficiency as a priority to reduce the energy needed to travel through the water.

The Dutch company has locations throughout The Netherlands, with its headquarters and design and engineering center found in the northern city of Haarlem.

How Louis Vuitton Made the America’s Cup the Voyage en Vogue

H3: The Market’s Most Expensive Superyacht Debuts a New Design

Heesen Yachts Unveils its Most Sustainable Superyacht Yet

feadship.nl

Dutch yacht building outfit Oceanco was initially founded in 1987 – but it was only in 2002 (when Oceanco found itself in the hands of new owners) that the switch was made to focusing on 260-foot plus superyachts, drawing on old-world Dutch craftsmanship to build the yachts of the future. The award-winning company prides itself on its design-led builds, and in addition to employing its own forward-thinking design team, works with industry-leader designers such as Andrew Winch, Terence Disdale and Sam Sorgiovanni.

Environmental awareness is core to each Oceanco project, with the aim of not only meeting but surpassing environmental legislation with each build. Even its largest yacht to date – the 394-foot Redentore, which is still under construction – is impressively efficient thanks to her hybrid propulsions system, which keeps fuel consumption to a minimum. Other noteworthy Oceanco’s builds are the striking three-masted Black Pearl , which is powered by a combination of wind power and electric propulsion motors, and one of its latest concepts, Esquel  – an advanced expedition vessel.

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Most notably, Oceanco delivered the world’s largest sailing yacht, Koru , to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The colossal 417-ft vessel cost a rumored $500m to build and was delivered in 2023. It has since been spotted in Italy, Florida and the South of France. Perhaps more impressive than the yacht itself is the support vessel (built by Damen Yachting), a 250-ft superyacht-in-its-own-right capable of carrying a wealth of billionaire toys including submersibles, helicopters and cars.

oceancoyacht.com

[See also: Twenty for 20: Innovative Yachts of the 21st Century]

Dutch luxury shipbuilder Heesen has received worldwide recognition for its engineering and design prowess since launching in 1978. Heesen proudly pioneers the use of aluminum, which is widely regarded as the premium yacht-building material thanks to its lightness owing to better efficiency. As well as full custom builds, Heesen offers a platform concept that features semi-custom yachts already under construction in order to dramatically cut down delivery waits, without compromising on quality.

One of Heesen’s most notable yachts is Alive, which was the first to feature the revolutionary Hull Vane technology (underwater foil) for greater efficiency and speed, resulting in up to 30% less fuel consumption than a regular yacht. Other celebrated Heesen’s builds are Home and Electra , delivered in 2017 and 2020 respectively, both of which were in the award-winning 5000 FHDF aluminum hybrid class and came as a result of Heesen’s strive to limit the environmental impact of yachting.

heesenyachts.com

Part of the Azimut-Benetti Group, Benetti Yachts can trace its shipbuilding heritage all the way back to 1873 when the Fratelli Benetti shipyard was founded in the Tuscan city of Viareggio – the center of classic Italian shipbuilding. While much has changed in Benetti’s near 150-year lifetime, its focus on building state-of-the-art yachts to impeccably high standards has not, cementing its status as one of the best luxury yacht builders in the world.

As concerns on the environmental impact of private yachts have grown over time, Benetti has adapted its methods accordingly, utilizing hybrid technology to ensure its ships are at the forefront of sustainability. For example, when the Luminosity was first delivered in 2019 she was hailed as one of the greenest superyachts on the sea. The 352-foot yacht features advanced diesel-electric hybrid power, with her powerful battery providing up to 12 silent and emission-free hours at anchor.

Of course, sustainability doesn’t come at the cost of style: the Luminosity features a stunningly designed interior courtesy of Zaniz Jakubowski, with full-length windows drawing the outside in, and tasteful nods to contemporary artists creating a true home away from home.

benettiyachts.it

[See also: Superyacht Builders Heesen on Impacts of Covid-19 Pandemic]

Europe rules the roost when it comes to the top yacht builders in the world – the fifth in our list hails from Germany, with eight yards dotted throughout the country including main sites in Bremen, Hamburg and Rensburg. As with most yacht building companies, Lürssen is family run having been first founded in 1870 by Friedrick Lürssen. Since then the company has developed an esteemed reputation as one of the best in the world, breaking many records along the way, including the longest yacht in the world with Azza in 2015, which measures 592 feet, and Flying Fox which is the largest superyacht available for charter.

Lürssen’s latest superyacht is the sizeable 465.5-foot Nord (previously called Project Opus). Nord transcends the typical design of a superyacht thanks to the work of Italian design studio Nuvolari-Lenard, which was responsible for the yacht’s striking interior and exterior.

As is becoming standard for leading yacht builders, Lürssen is acutely aware of the negative environmental impact of both building and owning yachts. It is taking appropriate action to help mitigate this damage, including providing significant funding to marine life charities and conservation projects and implementing pioneering technologies such as onboard compact silencers and hybrid motor concepts.

lurssen.com

Royal Huisman

With a history that dates back to 1884, Dutch shipyard Royal Huisman proudly stakes a claim as one of the oldest yacht builders in the world. While the company was originally founded to build modest wooden fishing boats, its operations have deftly grown with the times, and Royal Huisman is now responsible for some of the finest and most luxurious yachts cruising the ocean today.

Although best known for its stunning sailing yachts ( Sea Eagle II, Ethereal  and  Aquarius  are particular knock-outs) Royal Huisman has also successfully branched out into the world of motor yachts. Its most recent build is the 192-ft Phi,  which was delivered in 2021. This super-slick aluminum yacht has space for up to 12 guests and since her maiden voyage, has been seen cruising on the Thames through London’s financial district. An apt setting for a yacht of this caliber.

royalhuisman.com

Damen Yachting

Damen Yachting, which falls under the umbrella of the wider Damen Shipyards Group, is another Dutch yacht builder dominating the world stage. Operating as Damen’s building division, Damen Yachting was only formed in its existing state in 2019 and is now responsible for the building of the famous Amels yachts, as well as the SeaXplorer expedition ships and yacht support vessels. Since moving its Amels building operations to Vlissingen in 2003, Damen Shipyards proudly boasts the largest superyacht facility in the Netherlands.

As a company of this magnitude, Damen Yachting naturally has some impressive builds under its belt, including the newest in the Limited Editions semi-custom range: the Amels 60 . Currently under construction with an estimated delivery of 2022, the 197-foot Amels 60  uses a fuel-efficient hybrid propulsions system to slash emissions, cut noise pollution and minimize fuel and maintenance costs.

damenyachting.com

Italian-born Sanlorenzo is continuously regarded as being among the best in class when it comes to yacht builders and has been the recipient of numerous awards in its near-65 year lifetime. Despite Sanlorenzo’s longevity and established status, it remains a truly boutique luxury yacht builder at heart. To ensure the attention to detail and high quality for which it is famous for, as well as securing exclusivity for its clients, Sanlorenzo is committed to working with a limited number of customers each year.

In true Italian style, the superyachts that leave Sanlorenzo’s main La Spezia shipyard transcend trends; instead, they exude classic style and authentic craftsmanship. Combined, this guarantees a truly timeless finish – of which the current flagship Attila is a perfect example. Sanlorenzo specializes in fiberglass, steel and aluminum, ensuring that each owner can select a material to befit their needs.

sanlorenzoyacht.com

Despite dating back over a hundred years, German luxury yacht builder Nobiskrug always has one eye on the future with a steadfast commitment to innovation. Nobiskrug offers fully custom yacht builds, working directly with owners to fulfill their unique vision, as well as working on ship refits. The company operates out of world-class yacht-building facilities in the city of Rendsburg, which include a climate-controlled superyacht hall.

The need to strive for innovation extends to Nobiskrug’s environmental commitments, where it applies advanced technologies in order to limit the impact of its builds. For example, Artefact – which was first delivered in 2020 – was one of the first superyachts to be built in line with the IMO Tier III regulations (which focus on reducing emissions). Artefact uses onboard solar panels and a battery storage system to allow for a limited period of engineless operation, as well as adopting a waste-water recycling system.

nobiskrug.com

[See also: Discovering the World’s Most Exciting Superyacht Concepts]

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Your Vision. Your Burger.

Creating a custom-built yacht is a journey unlike any other. Conceiving your yacht alongside Burger’s engineers and design team is a remarkable experience: developing the specifics, reviewing the plans and making decisions as you watch your dreams materialize before your eyes. Burger welcomes all clients to enjoy the progression of their journey while your custom creation evolves.

The first step in delivering the yacht of your dreams is to share your vision with the Burger design team and engineering staff. Our in-depth design brief helps define your priorities for a yacht. We recommend touring the Burger shipyard where you can meet our exceptional team, learn how your yacht will be constructed and to witness the true value of Burger’s experience and craftsmanship.

After defining your vision, your dreams will begin to take shape in dramatic conceptual designs, renderings and cost estimates, presented for your direction and approval before moving forward.

Conceptual designs and renderings include:

• Hull designs
• Exterior styling and interior floor plans
• Interior elevation renderings
• Engines, propulsion and electric generation equipment selection
• Special requirements, including recreational and/or shore tenders and storage options
• Navigation electronics and entertainment system descriptions

Once you’ve approved the design, Burger will prepare a detailed design and specification breakdown with descriptions of every step in your yacht’s construction; from its development milestones to key points of approval. With a finalized and signed contract, your yacht is on the way to fruition. Each step of the build is documented before work begins, with a detailed timeline that describes each step of the process, so that you remain involved and aware of our progress, every step of the way.

Months of careful planning and construction culminate when it’s time to launch your new Burger yacht. Along with the Burger team, you and/or your captain take your new Burger yacht through various sea trials, including at-sea observations and detailed walk-through inspections. At this stage, final modifications and refinements are made.

Congratulations; owning a Burger built for you also means you’ve joined the most exclusive fleet of yachts in the world. Our craftsmen share your pride in seeing your new yacht launched, and value each customer relationship that endures long after delivery. Bringing your dreams to reality is what makes every Burger yacht unique and extraordinary.

With your Burger set out into open waters, a new journey begins.

Custom Yachts

View Burger's full fleet of custom yachts, uniquely crafted to each owner's vision of limitless luxury.

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Yacht Price: An In-Depth Guide to Understanding and Managing Costs

Key takeaways:.

– Yacht prices vary greatly based on type, size, age, and luxury level.

– Owning a yacht involves additional costs including maintenance, insurance, and docking fees.

– Financing options are available for prospective yacht buyers.

– Valuation and negotiation play crucial roles in the yacht purchasing process.

Table of Contents

I. introduction, ii. understanding yacht pricing, iii. yacht cost breakdown, iv. cost of yacht ownership, v. financing and valuation of yachts, vi. yacht charter and purchase options, vii. conclusion, introduction.

Welcome to the opulent world of yachting, where the sparkling seas beckon and the allure of the high seas whispers the promise of luxury and leisure. For many, the dream of owning a yacht symbolizes the ultimate in success and lifestyle achievement. However, this dream comes with a need for a deep understanding of what that gleaming vessel will cost – often beyond the sticker price.

Whether you’re an experienced mariner or a novice to nautical adventures, grappling with the concept of yacht prices can be daunting. This isn’t simply about the upfront cost of the purchase; it’s a broader topic encompassing ongoing expenses, market valuation, and the intricate details of yacht financing.

In this comprehensive guide, we will embark on a voyage through the complexities of yacht pricing. From unraveling the initial costs of various types of yachts to navigating the treacherous waters of depreciation, maintenance, and insurance, our journey will arm you with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions in the world of yacht ownership. Whether you’re contemplating purchasing a sleek sailing yacht or a majestic motor-powered mega yacht, understanding the intricacies of pricing is paramount.

So, hoist the sails and prepare to delve into the fiscal voyage of yacht ownership, as we chart a course through the monetary seas, ensuring you don’t encounter any unexpected storms along the way. Welcome aboard!

Stay tuned as we explore the first segment of our course in “ Understanding Yacht Pricing “ , where we’ll break down the costs and factors that determine the price of your potential marine investment.

Understanding Yacht Pricing

When embarking on the journey to purchase a yacht, understanding the breakdown of costs is essential. Prices can vary significantly based on brand, size, amenities, and whether the vessel is new or pre-owned. Here’s a brief look at the key components that factor into the price of a yacht:

Yacht Cost Breakdown

Table 1: price range by yacht type and size.

• Sailing Yacht
• Motor Yacht
• Luxury Superyacht
• Size Range (feet)
• New Yacht Price Range
• $100,000 – $10 million
• $500,000 – $20 million
• $10 million – $300+ million
• Pre-Owned Price Range
• $50,000 – $5 million
• $250,000 – $15 million
• $5 million – $150+ million

Note: Prices are approximate ranges and can vary based on additional factors.

This table provides an overarching view of the potential costs associated with different types of yachts, which helps in setting expectations for prospective buyers. Now, let’s look at the recurrent costs associated with yacht ownership.

Cost of Yacht Ownership

Owning a yacht is associated with several continuous expenses that maintain the vessel’s operational status and value. Below is a table outlining the typical annual costs you can expect once you’ve acquired your yacht.

Table 2: Annual Yacht Ownership Costs

• Expense Category
• Maintenance & Repairs
• Crew Salaries (if needed)
• Dockage & Storage Fees
• Fuel & Operational Costs
• Estimated Annual Cost
• $1,000 – $1 million+
• $30,000 – $1 million+
• $10,000 – $500,000
• $5,000 – $500,000
• $50,000 – $1 million+
• Percentage of Yacht Value
• 1% – 10%
• 5% – 50%
• 1% – 3%

Note: Costs can vary based on yacht size, usage, location, and other factors.

By examining the tables above, it is apparent that the initial acquisition of a yacht is merely the entry fee into the world of yachting. The ongoing expenses can often amount to a significant percentage of the yacht’s original price each year.

Q: What factors affect the price of a yacht?

A: The price is influenced by size, brand, age, design, amenities, and whether the yacht is custom-built or mass-produced. Additionally, the vessel’s condition, market demand, and the seller’s motivation play roles in pricing.

Q: Are there any hidden costs in yacht ownership?

A: Yes, beyond the purchase price, owners should account for maintenance, insurance, crew salaries, docking fees, and operational costs like fuel.

Q: Is financing available for purchasing a yacht?

A: Financing options include marine loans, leasing, and sometimes even seller financing. Each option comes with specific terms and requirements.

Q: How significant are the ongoing costs of owning a yacht?

A: Annual costs can range from 1% to 10% (or more) of the yacht’s value, depending on size, usage, and other factors.

Q: Can I charter my yacht to offset ownership costs?

A: Yes, chartering your yacht can provide income, but it also entails additional wear and management considerations. Consult with a yacht management company for guidance.

Key Takeaways

• Yacht prices are variable and are impacted by numerous factors including type, size, and luxury amenities.
• Ownership costs extend beyond the purchase price and include recurring expenses associated with maintenance, crew, insurance, and operational fees.
• Financing options are diverse and should be carefully considered to match the buyer’s financial situation.
• Professional guidance from brokers, financial advisors, and legal experts is crucial in navigating the complexities of yacht ownership.
• Due diligence and comprehensive research can help minimize financial risks and ensure a rewarding yacht ownership experience.

Whether considering a purchase or simply dreaming about it, understanding yacht pricing is critical for anyone stepping into the maritime luxury market. Always take the time to gather information, plan ahead, and consult professionals to ensure your yachting experience is smooth sailing.

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Home   |  Intro   |  Our Design Process   |  Stock Design Info   |  Motor Yacht Designs   |  Sailing Yacht Designs   |  Prototype Designs Plans List   |  Articles   |  Our CAD Design Stream   |  Maxsurf   |  News..!   |  SITE MAP..!   |  Site Search   | Design Team   |  Contact Us Please see the  AVAILABLE BOAT PLANS web page

What Does It Cost To Design A Yacht...? Copyright 2007 to 2016 Michael Kasten As it turns out, design cost is very nearly the most common question we are asked, so I will elaborate on this subject...!  First I will review how the cost of a stock boat design is determined, then I'll explain a few of the various fee approaches that may be used by designers when creating a new custom yacht design.   COMPLETED STOCK DESIGN COSTS You can review the cost of our stock boat designs on our Plans List page.   For our COMPLETED Stock Plans , the prices given there approximately reflect the vessel size, the amount of detail within the plans set, what year (and therefore to what standard) the plans were developed, and whether there remains any work to be done in order to finalize or update the design.  You will find a thorough description of what's included in a typical COMPLETED Stock Plans package on our Stock Design page. Our prices for Stock designs are likely to be approximately representative among designers, provided that the amount of detail being offered in the plans and the accompanying design documents is about the same. No doubt some designers will offer Stock designs for considerably less, in which case I would be very cautious in terms of the amount of detail that's actually provided...!   INCOMPLETE STOCK DESIGN COSTS Among the designs on our  Plans List page, you will find a number of designs that are as yet INCOMPLETE, the cost of which are considerably higher than the COMPLETED Stock Plans .  Those INCOMPLETE designs have at the very least gone beyond the Stage I “concept design” development, but for one reason or another were not pursued beyond discovering the layout and the hull form.  Why bother offering INCOMPLETE designs...?  With each of the INCOMPLETE designs, having already determined the layout and hull form, the cost to turn any of those designs into a completed set of Building Plans represents approximately a 20% discount versus the cost to develop a new design entirely from scratch.  The reason for their cost advantage vs a new custom design is simply that those designs have completed the Stage I “discovery” phase of the design process, and are offered on the basis of completing them “as presented” without changes being made to their original hull form or layout.   Among the INCOMPLETE designs, you will also find several designs offered that have been carried well beyond the Stage I "discovery" phase and completion of the Building Plans for those designs has been discounted even further. In other words, the cost of any such INCOMPLETE Building Plans amounts to our actual cost to complete the remainder of the design work in order to provide a completed, buildable set of plans.  Since the INCOMPLETE designs are offered at a substantial discount versus the cost of developing a new custom design, they may be a potentially attractive alternative to developing a new custom design.    CUSTOM DESIGN COSTS For any new Custom yacht design an orderly and well-established process be followed in order to achieve a completed design that is ready for the builder.  For more information about what is involved, our approach to the custom design process is outlined on our Custom Design and our Design Stream web pages. You'll find several links there to other articles about our design process as well. As for the fee structure to create a new custom yacht design, there are a number of different approaches taken. Some designers prefer to work on a " commission " basis, charging a percentage of the yacht's build cost, and other designers prefer to work on an hourly basis throughout. Still other designers will use a hybrid approach, working first on an hourly basis in order to create a preliminary design and specification and then on a commission basis for the final design. This allows the owner and the designer to get most of the decisions and changes out of the way so that the preliminary design can be used as an estimating tool and as a beginning place for detailing the completed design. With a hybrid fee approach, once the preliminary design is complete, a commission is ordinarily arranged for the final design and detailing work based on the projected cost of the vessel, payable at least in part prior to beginning to fully detailed the design for construction. A general summary of these differing approaches follows, including some of the rationale for each...   COMMISSION BASED YACHT DESIGN When a "design commission" is arranged in advance, the commission is based on a fixed percentage of the cost of the completed yacht. A fixed-commission yacht design arrangement requires an extremely well defined owner's specification and a highly explicit design contract that will necessarily restrict the client's flexibility during the design process. For example, any design changes the client requests will involve a well defined change proposal, then a formal 'change order' involving a separate negotiation for each change, and an added cost for the change. This can become complex and inordinately restrictive, and per our usual arrangements (outlined below) it is quite unnecessary. A fixed design commission is ordinarily based on a percentage of the cost of the vessel 'as-built' by a professional yard. It turns out however that it is generally not possible to determine a vessel's build cost before the design even exists...! In other words, one cannot pre-ordain a yacht's build cost before there is even a design on which to base its build cost. Further, in order to cover unforeseen contingencies during the process of developing a design that is tailored to a client's specific requirements, in advance of even knowing those requirements, a fixed-commission-based design will necessarily include a generous margin, and the owner will be bound to the pre-arranged percentage regardless of the eventual cost of the yacht. In other words, while the commission percentage may well be known in advance, the exact amount of that commission will still not be known since it will vary according to the final cost of the yacht. Typical Commission: A fixed-commission design fee will often be in the range of around 10% to 12% of the as-built cost of a yacht, assuming it is built at a professional boatbuilding yard, finished to a turn-key stage of completion, and fully outfitted.  It is important to note that those design cost percentages do not include further development work, such as the cost to develop NC cutting files. It is only for the design itself. These percentages further assume that the build venue will be local to the designer. For example, if the designer is in the US and the yacht is built in the US, then it is reasonable to expect that those percentages will approximately apply. On the other hand, if the vessel is designed in North America or Europe, but built in a much lower cost venue - the vessel's cost may well be less but the design cost will not vary, thus the 'commission' percentage will necessarily turn out to be higher. This kind of fixed percentage design arrangement must take the form of a formal legally binding contract for the design "commission" whereby the client is liable for an agreed upon percentage of the cost of the completed yacht.  Such a contract must also outline in extreme detail what will and will not be delivered in the completed design package.  Due to the extra 'margin' that the designer must include in the commission in order to cover the uncertainty factor, a fixed design commission will nearly always be the most costly design arrangement. As a result, it will usually be by far the most lucrative arrangement for the designer.  We find that this sort of arrangement is uncommon with smaller yachts, but is more or less the norm among large mega-yachts. In addition to the inherently higher overall cost, a percentage-based commission encourages the designer to specify higher cost equipment and furnishings, more elaborate structure and a higher level of finish than may be necessary to satisfy the owner's actual requirements... after all, the designer is getting a percentage! This is exactly why 'building' architecture is so profitable... As a result of these factors, it should be fairly obvious that a fixed-percentage type of yacht design commission will not be especially advantageous to the client, nor will it necessarily be favorable to achieving the most suitable design...   HOURLY FEE BASED YACHT DESIGN Rather than working to a fixed-percentage design commission, at the opposite end of the spectrum is an hourly fee based design arrangement. This approach will be elaborated below.   HYBRID APPROACH TO YACHT DESIGN In many cases a yacht design will be created using a ' hybrid' approach, with part of the design work done on an hourly basis, and part of the design work done on a commission basis. By this method, it is most common to develop the Preliminary Design (Stages I & II) on an hourly basis, and then arrange a fixed fee or percentage-based commission for completion of the Building Plans (Stage III drawings and documents). This approach allows the preliminary design to be defined in terms of size, layout, materials, and preliminary performance, weights, hydrostatics, stability, etc. on an hourly basis. During this development, changes can be freely made and the designer's time is simply paid for by the hour. Once the yacht has been well-defined and the likelihood of any change orders diminished, a packet of Estimating Plans can be prepared and circulated to a selection of builders in order to determine the cost of the vessel. Once the vessel's cost is known, the remaining design details, i.e. the Building Plans, can then be developed on a percentage basis. Typical Cost: Taking this approach, the design commission percentage may be on the order of around 8% to 10% of the cost of the as-built yacht. This commission percentage will be added onto the overall build cost and paid to the designer prior to the start of construction. For second or third-world build venues, the percentage will of course be varied accordingly. In other words, these percentages assume the vessel will be built in the same location as the designer. Using a hybrid fee approach, the design commission percentage paid is in addition to any amounts already paid on an hourly basis in order to develop the Preliminary Design and Estimating Plans. Using this approach, the overall cost of the design work from beginning to end will amount to more or less the same percentage as would have been the case with an entirely commission based yacht design - in other words somewhere between 10% and 12%. Of course this can vary, depending on how many iterations are explored before a preliminary design is settled upon. It is important to note that this covers the cost of developing design itself, and does not include construction related services such as shop drawings, or developing NC cutting files, etc. The hybrid approach is relatively safe for the designer, as the likelihood of unforeseen changes being introduced late in the design development process is minimal. For larger yachts, this approach is extremely lucrative for the designer, though it does require a very secure, legally binding, explicitly worded design contract that is agreed to by all parties, plus a highly specific definition of what the deliverable documents and drawings will be. Change orders will then be negotiated if the owner or builder request any variations from the preliminary design. Using the hybrid approach, the actual cost of the design work will still not be known in advance, essentially being a percentage of a variable based upon an known (the build cost)...!   OUR PREFERRED APPROACH Both a fixed commission and the hybrid approach seem inordinately complex, restrictive, and not especially advantageous to the client / owner. We therefore prefer to work on an hourly basis throughout, which we find to be 100% fair to both client and designer, more flexible, less costly overall, and in the end much less hassle for everyone involved. By this method we are compensated for the hours expended to achieve the design, and we charge only for the hours actually spent in pursuit of that goal. An hourly based approach offers the client maximum flexibility with regard to the scope of the design work, and to accommodate any changes or other special requests they may wish to include as the design emerges. By this we mean that an hourly arrangement allows the client maximum freedom during the development of the design; compensates us most fairly for our time; avoids the expense of drawing up contracts and change orders; and ultimately reduces the overall cost of the design work to the client. How then do we know what the design costs will be? For each potential new design, we pre-estimate the required design hours based on the 'owner's specification' or 'mission statement.' This estimate takes the form of our usual written ' Design Proposal .' Our Design Proposal is an outline of the design process, a list of the deliverable documents and drawings, an approximate choreography for the design work, and an estimate of the hours required to achieve a completed set of Building Plans. Our Design Proposal is task-specific, therefore it is ordinarily quite accurate in terms of the hours required to achieve the actual design work.  Beyond our estimate there can be additional costs such as for client requested changes, communications, or additional owner requested tasks.  Since those additional tasks are impossible to foresee, they are not estimated in our Design Proposal.  They are however, very much under the control of the client. Typical Cost: Using the hourly based approach, we have found on average that for a mid-size yacht (say 40 to 80 feet) our design costs will vary somewhere between 6% and 8% of the eventual build cost. This is for the design itself, and does not include owner requested extras or construction related costs that may eventually be transferred to the designer, such as developing NC cutting files, etc. Of course the same caveats apply with regard to build venue. In other words, these percentages assume the vessel will be built in the EU or in North America. If built in a low-cost venue, the vessel's cost will be less, but the design work will still cost the same, therefore the design cost percentage will turn out to be higher. Naturally the eventual design costs will vary according to the relative complexity of the vessel. For example, a simple canal boat vs. a multi-level ocean going motor yacht, even though they may have the same length, will require a very different number of hours for the detailing, drafting, analyses, specifications, etc. Although many are tempted to do so, it is imperative to note that one cannot attempt to predict the eventual cost to build a yacht based simply on the projected cost to design the yacht...  there are too many variables...! Process & Deliverables:  While developing the design, it is our aim to keep the owner involved as much as possible with planning the layout, the overall aesthetic, the equipment choices, performance, etc. From the preliminary imagining to the eventual designing of the yacht, we assume the role of owner's advocate and consultant. We provide a thorough accounting of the hours spent on each task and periodic invoices to keep everyone up to date. We develop the design in a series of stages. During each Design Stage, we provide images or PDF's by email to illustrate the emerging design and to solicit client feedback.  We refer to the Preliminary Design as Stage I , during which we take the napkin sketch or preliminary owner's requirements and turn them into a proposed design. Once that has been approved, we then begin to develop the Estimating Plans within Stage II . These consist of the essential drawings and documents that a yard will need in order to prepare construction estimates. As soon as we have sent the Estimating Plans out to a selection of builders, we commence work to complete the Building Plans within Stage III . During our Stage III work, we fully detail the design for construction, finalize the various calculations, create a number of additional drawings, and issue the final documents, calcs, and Building Plan drawings. By this method, as soon as the construction estimates arrive we are in the best position to commence work on the next stage...  building the boat...!  For a more complete outline of the custom design process and a description of the deliverable drawings and documents, please see our Custom Design page. While the completion of the Building Plans is a requirement prior to being able to build any new vessel, during the building process we also offer several optional construction-related services.   OUR CONSTRUCTION-RELATED SERVICES... During the construction of the yacht, we view our role as being that of owner's representative . In that sense, we are the owner's best tool to achieve their vision of the yacht, from napkin sketch to launching. How do we accomplish that once the Building Plans have been completed...? When we are asked to participate in the construction of the yacht we are pleased to do so, and that work is done on an hourly basis. A few examples are as follows... When the Building Plans have been completed, we will make builder recommendations and introductions. We can help review the builder estimates and we will assist with contract review as needed. Once a builder has been selected, we will assist the build process as needed. For metal vessels we advocate pre-cutting the metal structure. In order to do this, we will develop NC cutting files to prepare the vessel's structure for automated cutting. At this point, we are in fact building the boat virtually on the computer.   In so doing, each of the vessel's structural parts are pre-defined by computer, fully detailed, labeled, and nested onto the cutter's available sheet sizes. At that point the parts are ready to be cut by plasma or water jet, and will then be sent to the builder. This is not only extremely accurate, it also has the potential to save the builder considerable fabrication time. Much more detail on the NC cutting process can be found on our NC Cutting and CAD Design Stream web pages. During construction of the vessel we remain available as needed to create shop drawings of possible new features or small parts; to make on-site inspections of construction to establish progress or for quality assurance; for consultation on any matter during construction; to make any requested additions or changes; to provide documentation for commercial registry; etc. In other words, throughout the construction process we are 'on call' as needed on an hourly basis.   OVERALL... You will find a complete outline of how we approach the design process itself on our Custom Design page and by following the links provided there. As always, please feel free to contact me as needed for more information or to request a written Design Proposal for a vessel you might have in mind. My written Design Proposal is an overview of the design process, a list of the deliverable drawings and documents, and an estimate for the design work involved that is tailored to your requests. It is provided at no cost, and implies no obligation... At this point, it is just good information for your planning purposes. Your specification need not be elaborate since most of the various details will grow out of the design process itself. A paragraph or two that describes the size and general configuration or other preferences will ordinarily be sufficient for the purposes of estimating design costs, and to provide you with my Design Proposal. I think you will find our design services to be attentive to your requirements; thorough; competently done; and fairly priced. It is our goal that the design process be a pleasant journey as well! If you'd like to review several excellent comments from our clients, check out our Testimonials web page. More Articles on Cost: Nomadic Watercraft | Estimating Boat Building Costs | Affordable Boatbuilding | What Will The Boat Cost..? | What Will the Design Cost..?

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OceanXplorer: Inside the unique expedition yacht unlike anything else afloat

Refitted with masterful design, cutting-edge submersibles and Hollywood-standard editing facilities, 87-metre OceanXplorer is an expedition yacht unlike anything else afloat, says Sam Fortescue

There is a delicious irony to this most unusual refit story. Mark Dalio, son of Ray Dalio, the billionaire philanthropist who set the wheels in motion, expresses it perfectly. “We’ve taken a vessel that was originally used for oil exploration off the market, to convert it to something that actually gives back to our scientific knowledge and the advancement of the world’s oceans,” he tells me. Now rechristened OceanXplorer , the 87-metre workboat had plied the North Sea oilfields for years as the Volstad Surveyor before Mark and OceanX, the non-profit initiative he co-founded with his father, came looking for a new research vessel. 

What they hoped to create was nothing short of a revolution – a vessel with which to perform ocean science that inspires a new care for our underwater world. Not content with just a sturdy platform for exploring the most hostile corners of the oceans, OceanX wanted to blend top-end media production facilities with cutting-edge science labs and an underwater exploration capability that puts many of the world’s navies to shame. “Being able to merge the science aspect and the comms really gives us an opportunity to be a voice for the scientist,” enthuses Mark Dalio when I catch up with him by phone in New York. “It enables us to share the research and their understanding, to excite the next generation and the public to want to care. Too much doom and gloom only alienates audiences.”

Dalio and the OceanX team had a clear idea of what they wanted from the outset, because they had operated the smaller 56-metre research vessel Alucia for several years beforehand. She had been built in France in 1974 and, despite a refit, she was showing her age. “ Alucia is an incredible vessel but we needed a ship that offered the scale we needed for years to come,” says Dalio. They knew they needed more space in order to extend the boat’s capabilities, and to reduce their reliance on shore-based facilities. And they wanted much better seabed-scanning equipment, so they could quickly establish the value of sending a mission out in the submarines. So, they began looking at procuring a new ship.

The first idea was a new build, but that was quickly discarded. “It just didn’t make sense for what we were trying to achieve in our scale and timeline,” explains Dalio. “We looked into other solutions but ultimately turned instead to a refit. Ironically, a lot of the vessels that presented themselves as really good options were doing offshore oil work. These vessels were already deploying ROVs [remotely operated vehicles].”

Once they settled on the 10-year-old Volstad Surveyor, the team asked Norwegian marine engineering expert Skipsteknisk to redesign the fabric of the ship to their ends. That meant laying the foundations for an imposing new A-frame crane on the stern, which could launch and recover the twin Triton subs, used for manned exploration down to a depth of 1,000 metres. Similarly, the new sub hangar had to be hollowed out of the superstructure, and equipped with a hydraulic arm to launch the Argus ROV and Remus autonomous vehicle (both of which are rated down to 6,000-metres’ depth). The existing crane on the aft deck was actually too capable so it was replaced with something smaller and lighter. Similarly, the boat’s existing moon pool for launching divers and subs inside the boat was closed to improve buoyancy.

Skipsteknisk knew the boat well, having done the design work for its original incarnation as an oil survey vessel. “That knowledge was crucial – it would have been very challenging otherwise,” says Skipsteknisk’s Bjørn-Oscar Kløvning. “The owner’s team knew what they wanted but the full complexity was hard to see at the beginning: helicopter hangar, sub hangar. This goes much deeper than we would normally anticipate.”

The focus of the project next passed over to yacht designer Steve Gresham and the Damen Shiprepair & Conversion yard in Rotterdam, which undertook the refit work. Here again, the words “challenge” and “complexity” keep coming up. “It’s a refit but it was more like a rebuild,” says project director Tjarco Ekkelkamp with a broad grin. “We changed and added a lot of structural elements. More than 50 per cent of the superstructure was demolished,  completely stripped. From the main deck up, we built almost completely new.” As well as the new A-frame and hangars, there were two new lifts and the accommodation decks were extended out on both sides of the ship in a sort of cheek, to create extra internal space and phenomenal views. Damen installed a box keel with solid ballast, amounting to 400 tonnes all in. And they also put in the so-called “gondola” which Ekkelkamp describes as a “sort of shoe that fits under the boat in a hydrodynamic shape”. This houses the cutting-edge sonar equipment, which needed to be positioned in a spot on the hull that is untroubled by bubbles and receives a laminar (smooth) water flow.

But if this project had been simply a case of changing the structure of the boat, it would have been simpler by far. Damen also had to install an IT backbone to support the high-end science as well as the 8K video editing and production facilities. It had to allow visiting scientists to bring their own machines and servers, for simply slotting into a dedicated rack – all without compromising the security of the ship’s vital systems. Then there needed to be an interior suitable for guests on decks three and four. “As Damen, we have fitted all these things to boats before,” Ekkelkamp continues. “We’ve got all these different disciplines within the group, but it was the first time that we’d brought it all together here into one project. That was the challenge. There is no yard in the world that has done all these things together.”

Steve Gresham styled the exterior and layout of OceanXplorer , as well as the look of all but the accommodation spaces, which were designed by Christina Fallah. Gresham got involved early on, glossing some of the technical design work from Skipsteknisk. For instance, he moved the bow helipad three frames (1.8 metres) further forward, in order to create the room for a proper hangar behind it, which he then specced with a futuristic top-hinged door. His vision called for full floor-to-ceiling-height windows on one side of the upper guest deck, and much larger windows throughout. “The basics had been done, but I softened it and added detail that gave it less of a commercial look,” Gresham explains. “Overhanging coachroofs and positioning the domes as far out as possible – they’re not really technical issues, but more about keeping the design looking as good as we could.”

He made ample use of superficial features, such as vinyl wrapping the comms domes to look a little like something from Star Wars. “We also threw in a little smiley on the dome at the top!” He put brightly coloured safe walkway routes around the decks, which Damen set into the surface using synthetics from Bolidt. He is particularly proud of the styling in the sub hangar. Here, a mezzanine level fabricated from steel pillars and metal mesh flooring has been turned into a feature, hung with tools and spare parts, while important-looking cowls hang from the ceiling with red klaxon lights. He also put in stock-exchange-style tickers throughout the working spaces of the interior. “You don’t want tannoys going off all the time to say ‘launching in 10 minutes’. This way you can also put notes out to people. They are high- definition screens, so we could have fish swimming along it if we wanted.”

It was also his idea to highlight features such as the hydraulic cylinders of the A-frame, and the tower of the gantry crane, in “friendly” lagoon blue. “When this boat comes over the horizon, we don’t want it to look scary, like a stealth fighter,” says Gresham. “It’s got to have a certain friendliness.” Skipsteknisk tells me that there was a lot of weight added high up on the boat by the accommodation but, by superyacht standards, it is quite restrained. There is no pool on board and no spa. When I ask Mark Dalio about this, he shrugs. He tells me that the accommodation performs a simple function. “It’s kind of standard guest accommodation,” he explains. 

“Along with scientists, we are trying to inspire and educate and to bring along for the journey folk that could be partners for the future, whether philanthropists or investors. But for us, science always comes first, and really being able to explore the knowledge and to further scientific understanding.” The area has a spacious layout with seven large double cabins for the guests. There is a step up in terms of comfort between the technical and guest areas, but some continuity in design and materials. It is described as “incredibly futuristic”, with overtones of Star Trek’s USS Enterprise . 

Dalio is much more interested in the boat’s technical capabilities, however. There are no fewer than four science labs aboard, for wet and dry work. They are capable of fine microscopy, genetic sequencing and minutely analysing samples from the ship’s various pieces of equipment. Crucially, the eDNA analysis means that the team can quickly identify whether a sample constitutes a new species and merits further investigation. “Being able to do real-time science like we’ve never done before, means we can process samples on board rather than send it off to a lab,” explains Dalio.

The roll-call of those involved in the science and media is impressive. OceanX has just unveiled a partnership with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for instance. It has worked with NASA to develop a vehicle that can explore the 11,000-metre depths of the ocean, and there are projects to tag manta rays and understand bioluminescence. There have been collaborations with Sir David Attenborough and the BBC, with National Geographic and with a host of scientists and film-makers who are all leaders in their fields.

Meanwhile, Hollywood giant James Cameron, he of Titanic and Avatar fame, also has a passion for deep-sea exploration. He is executive-producing a new series with the BBC Natural History Unit for the National Geographic Channel, which will follow a team of scientists and adventurers aboard OceanXplorer . That comes on top of the BBC’s two Blue Planet series, which captured breathtaking footage of rarely seen creatures and habitats. And there was a seminal mission in 2012 which produced the first ever natural television footage of a giant squid. 

This was perhaps the best moment to date for Dalio. “There’s almost like a little kid inside me that gets excited about the squid,” he tells me, before continuing in the tones of one contemplating Christmas to discuss another elusive underwater giant: the colossal squid. “It’s never been documented alive and I’m wondering if we could take a one-up on the giant squid.”

In the end, he knows that the natural world performs to no shooting schedule, and that they will be led as always by the science, one discovery to the next. And it is this unlimited, unknowable brief that has guided the design and refit of OceanXplorer . “The boat is like the USS Enterprise of the oceans,” says Dalio. “We’ll only know the extent of its capabilities in years to come – not just a couple of months. It’ll take years to see exactly how much it can handle”. 

Follow the OceanX mission at oceanx.org and on social media @oceanx

First published in the February 2021 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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• Oceanco Oceanco is a pedigree boat builder and industry pioneer based in the Netherlands. The shipbuilder is renowned for building award-winning custom vessels up to 200 meters, both motor yachts and sailing vessels. The Dutch shipyard specializes in building innovative, high-quality superyachts that push the boundaries of shipbuilding.
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Overall, there is no standardized definition of what makes a yacht. Mostly, the term yacht applies to vessels over 24 meters, where regulations for ownership change as well. The term yacht can equally define a motor boat or sailing vessel. Additionally, terms like superyacht,  megayacht, or gigayacht are often used to describe the most luxurious and largest ocean-going vessels.

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Bank loans are a popular option for financing a yacht construction. Many banks offer boat loans, which are similar to auto loans in terms of loan structure and required collateral.

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2024 Boat of the Year: Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 Feet

• By Herb McCormick
• December 14, 2023

While strolling the docks of the Annapolis Sailboat Show each fall for, let’s say, at least the past decade, one thing has become abundantly clear: Between the rows of charter catamarans lining the docks of the so-called Vacation Basin and the ubiquitous lineup of cats (and trimarans) on display on the Spa Creek Marina piers, the twin-hull phenomenon continues to resonate, and it easily remains the fastest-growing segment of the sailboat universe. That anecdotal observation was backed up by hard numbers in the 2024 Boat of the Year fleet, with more than half the contestants being multihulls. 

Fittingly, then, the most competitive category in this year’s contest was this class of four cruising cats. Amazingly, in features and layouts, each nominee was decidedly different from the others, a true benefit to potential owners, who now more than ever have real choices to ponder. 

Winner: Vision Yachts 444

It’s hard to say if it’s a definite advantage, but in recent Boat of the Year contests, when inspecting boats with their owners aboard—folks who have put some hard miles under their keels, and who can speak with authority on the positives and negatives of their vessel—the track record shows that such nominees do very well. Which is the case with the Vision 444, whose owner took delivery of the boat at its building site in Knysna, South Africa, cruised to Mozambique, and then sailed it up the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. 

Judge Mark Pillsbury picks it up from there: “Many of the big cruising cats that we step aboard are a compromise by design because some of the fleet will go to private owners and the rest into charter. The Vision 444 was different, and after a 14,000-mile shakedown cruise, it clearly reflected the thinking of its owner, who was aboard every step of the way. This is a pure cruising cat, and a fine one. Gear was of good quality and well-sorted. Living accommodations were practical and proven. And build quality was readily apparent because the boat looked terrific after all those hard miles. I think it’s one of the only cats I can recall having a full and proper nav station. And the walk-in workshop forward in the starboard bow? Brilliant.”

Runner-up: Excess Catamarans 14

Text> Pillsbury has sailed the complete range of Excess cats, a relatively new brand from Groupe Beneteau, and has a unique viewpoint on how the range has evolved: “Each of the first three Excess catamarans we looked at brought us something new to talk about, and the latest, the 46-foot Excess 14, didn’t disappoint. The builder says that they want to try new things as they expand the lineup, and with the 14, they let the design team of VPLP push off in a couple of new directions when it comes to hull shape, and the width and depth of the keels to improve sailing performance. Unfortunately, we had pretty light wind for our sea trial in Annapolis, but in under 5 knots of breeze, we were still able to see speeds in the 3-plus-knot range. Visibility from the helms was good—our entire judging team are fans of the steering stations, located well aft and outboard— and the boat was easy to move around on. The 14 fits very well in what the builder is aiming to accomplish.”

Runner-up: HH Catamarans HH44

Text> Unfortunately, due to a shipping snafu, this latest offering from HH Catamarans arrived too late to Annapolis to be displayed at the boat show. But it did make it in time for the sea-trial portion of the Boat of the Year contest. The judges were very pleased that it did, for on a windy test sail, the 44 had the opportunity to strut its stuff, so much so that the panel awarded it with the Judge’s Special Recognition prize .

Runner-up: Seawind Catamarans 1170

The Seawind collection of cats has seen more than its fair share of success in previous Boat of the Year contests. As judge Tim Murphy summarizes, the builder’s new 38-footer is carrying on with that positive tradition: “Our test boat, Hull No. 2, was built at the company’s primary facility in Vietnam, but going forward with the 1170, the line will be produced in a new plant in Turkey to service the European market. The infused hull is vinylester throughout with a PVC core; it’s a good, cost-effective choice that avoids osmosis. Foam is perforated and ‘double-cut’ with kerfs around curved surfaces. It has a Mastervolt lithium-ion battery system, no genset, but with 990 watts of solar power (an optional 1,320 watts is available). I like the cabin top/boom relationship: It doesn’t invite lounging guests to lounge in the boom’s path, but does give the operator easy access to the entire foot of the mainsail. The galley is down—a good layout on a smaller cat. The sail plan is simple but effective. This is a very solid couple’s boat.”

• More: 2024 Boat of the Year , Print January 2024 , Sailboats , Vision Yachts
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Ocean Vision

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Step aboard Ocean Vision, the biggest and most luxurious yacht built in 2021, and experience the ultimate venue for your special occasions. Whether you're planning a Civil/Church Wedding, Wedding Reception, Private Birthday, Anniversary, Team Building event, Hen & Stag party, or any other celebration, our custom-made 60 meters yacht is the perfect choice. With its spacious design and glass-bottomed last deck, Ocean Vision can accommodate up to 150 guests, providing an unforgettable location for hosting big group parties and events. Our experienced team is dedicated to helping you create unforgettable memories on board our beautiful mega yacht. From customized catering to personalized entertainment, we will work with you to ensure that every detail is tailored to your needs and preferences.Make your special occasion one to remember with Ocean Vision. Contact us today to book your unforgettable event.

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Step aboard Ocean Vision, a modern vessel with a distinctive design tailored for hosting large groups and a myriad of events at sea.

Boasting expansive open areas across the top deck and flybridge, as well as shaded retreats on the main deck, Ocean Vision offers ample space for relaxation and celebration.

With access to three bars on board, guests can indulge in their favorite drinks while enjoying the stunning ocean views. Whether you're planning a civil wedding ceremony, wedding reception, vow renewal, birthday party, team-building activities, promotions, conferences, anniversaries, stag/hen parties, or any other special event, Ocean Vision provides the perfect setting for creating cherished memories at sea.

Savor the sea breeze and sip on a cocktail as you embark on an unforgettable voyage aboard Ocean Vision , where every moment promises to be a celebration of luxury and leisure.

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