largest catamaran ever built

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Top 10 largest Catamarans in the world

Characterised as a multi-hulled watercraft, a catamaran is a marine vessel comprising two proportioned hulls giving her greater stability and manoeuvrability. Catamarans also have a shallow draft which enables them to enter unexplored regions beyond the reach of sailing yachts or cruise ships.

Their invention is attributed to the Austronesian peoples of Southeast Asia, while the first European Catamaran was built in the 16th century by scientist William Petty. Capable of attaining greater speeds, catamarans are used for recreational sailing, cruising and racing. Modern Catamarans have luxurious features and marvellous design, which makes them enticing.

Let us have a look at the top 10 biggest catamarans in the world.

Table of Contents

1. Hodor ( 217 Ft.)

Renowned as the world’s largest floating toy box, the 66.2 m long SHADOWCAT Hodor was built by Astilleros Armon in Spain. Incat Crowther and YCTS. Ltd worked on her functional design and naval architecture, while the interiors were chosen by Oliver Design. Painted grey with vibrant orange lines running across its hull, the catamaran is as robust as it looks.

Launched in 2019, she has a maximum sailing speed of 22.5 knots derived from two MTU diesel engines. With a 14-metre beam, she has a gross tonnage of 1525 tonnes respectively. In terms of LOA, she ranks among the top five per cent in the world. She defeats her counterparts both by average speed and volume.

She is donned with aluminium; her hull, deck and even superstructure are made of this malleable and corrosion-resistant metal. Presently sailing under the flag of the Cayman Islands, Hodor is a treasure-house of water sports gear, filled with nine jet skis, four water bikes, laser dinghies, snorkelers, fishing equipment etc.

The empty space below the main deck is reserved for the Seamagine Aurora-3 submersible which will be delivered soon. Its main attraction is the 17-metre Nor-Tech 560 sports centre console attached to a hydraulic lift system for putting it in water. The largest catamaran is managed by 20 crew members and staff.

2. Sunreef 49 Power Cat ( 160.8 Ft)

Constructed by the Polish builder Sunreef Yachts, the multihull was fitted in Gdansk and delivered in 2021. Flaunting a classy white exterior, it is an embodiment of cutting-edge marine technology and fresh naval design.

It has three decks and expansive outdoor areas, including an open bar, a swimming pool, a helipad and a forward terrace. Its sun deck lounge has a spa pool, sun pads and even a saloon. With a broad beam of 16.85 metres, the yacht has 8 cabins which comfortably sleep 17 crew personnel and offers luxury accommodation for 11 guests. Five bedrooms on the main deck are equipped with a private balcony.

Low drag, a consequence of the specially designed twin-hull, makes the catamaran glide gracefully on the water while optimising efficiency and low fuel consumption. It has a 90,000-litre fuel tank which enables the power cat to cover 5000 nautical miles without a stopover. Driven by two 3400 HP engines, the superyacht has a top speed of 21 knots and carries three tenders, water sports gear and several jet skis.

3. Charley ( 150 Ft.)

Charley was launched in 2016 as a support yacht to serve the superyacht White Rabbit Gulf, both constructed by the shipbuilding company Eco Yachts. The 46 m long and 14 m wide catamaran has a white exterior, three teak decks and modern fittings. Its naval architecture, interiors and exterior design were taken care of by LOMOcean.

Labelled as the largest composite resin-infused yacht made in Australia, Charley was carefully assembled near Fremantle. With a volume of 702 gross tonnes, she has spacious interiors and outdoor entertainment areas to keep her guests engaged.

However, her most attractive feature is the 12-metre long tender catamaran called Vicky, equipped with a platform located at Charley’s stern. It can store some RIBs, tenders, personal watercraft and one hovercraft.

Propelled by two 2,700hp Cummins QSK60 engines and two propellers, Charley has a 60,000-litre fuel tank which enables her to travel 2,500 nautical miles at the cruising speed of 16 knots.

She has a 3.2 m draft which allows her to traverse shallow bays and narrow canals or even cruise near the shoreline. Possessing a GRP hull and superstructure, Charley has three suites for taking in 5 guests.

4. Moecca ( 148 Ft.)

The catamaran motor yacht Moecca was constructed by Oceanfast yachts in Australia. Designed to provide a luxurious sailing experience with moderately-decorated functional spaces, it has a simplistic classic exterior. Delivered in 1992, it underwent maintenance and repair in 2006. Refurbished in the same year, Moecca is fully air-conditioned, having expansive outdoor areas for sunbathing and relaxing.

Her curves are spectacular, thanks to Bannenberg Designs Limited, which crafted her exterior while Phill Curran was responsible for naval architecture. Having a 13 m or 42.7 feet beam, she has seven suites that conveniently accommodate 12 guests and six small yet well-furnished cabins for 11 crew members.

Its spacious salon has two seating areas, a home-theatre set-up and a 12-seater alfresco dining room connected to a bar and a refrigeration room. Her aft deck is enriched with circular sofas and side tables. More open space is provided on the upper deck, which incorporates an open pool and a small workout space. All these amenities are curated by the English design house Bannenberg and Rowell.

She can travel 2200 nautical miles at a maximum speed of 25 knots, achieved by two powerful MTU diesel engines. Moecca is sturdy yet elegant, with a green aluminium hull and a GRP superstructure. Her sides are panelled with mildly-fragrant wood. She has a 1.8 m draft and water tanks capable of storing 15,000 litres of fresh water.

5. HeySea Vista ( 140 Ft.)

Launched in 2020, the golden hulled Vista is an amalgamation of absolute royalty and finesse. Constructed by the Hey Sea Yachts Group, a prominent yacht manufacturer in China, Vista is a fully custom-designed project built in a 66,700 square m shipyard lying in the Pearl River Delta region near Hong Kong. One of the most challenging aspects of its construction was to attain a perfect shimmering gold finish, achieved by delicate yet continuous polishing.

Her stylish appearance and functional naval design were crafted by the Heysea marine architects and interior designers. The twin-hull allows for voluminous interiors carefully chosen by Horizontal Design to match her stunning fibreglass superstructure.

Vista is adorned with beautiful paintings showcasing marine life, modern art pieces and metallic fittings. She has five bedrooms that comfortably sleep 10 people. The yacht is managed by a 15-member crew.

Coming to the technicalities, she is driven by two Volvo 725 HP engines allowing her to reach a top speed of 15 knots. The vessel can go up to 4000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 10 knots. Vista has been the biggest project of HeySea, which brought her international appreciation.

6. Sarha ( 137 Ft.)

Registered at the Port of George Town and sailing under the Cayman Islands Flag, Sarha is a 40 m motor yacht built by Sea Management, fabricated in Australia and launched in 1989. With its sleek white exterior and blue windows, she is a piece of sheer beauty and class.

She was designed by John Winterbotham & Partners while her interiors were done by H2 Yacht Design. Refitted in 2002, she boasts a steel hull and an aluminium and steel superstructure complemented by a fine teak deck with spacious seating areas.

Sarha can travel 3000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 10 knots, and her top speed is 13 knots. She is fitted with two 2340 HP diesel engines that generate 1722 kilowatts. She is driven by two propellers and Koopnautic thrusters. Her home port is Abu Dhabi, and her water tanks carry 20,000 litres of fresh water.

Sarha can accommodate 30 guests and 11 crew members in beautiful, well-ventilated cabins having double beds. She has a gross tonnage of 726 tonnes and a 500-tonne displacement. Having a wide beam of 12.9 m, she has a shallow draft of about 2.7 metres.

7. Royal Falcon One ( 135 Ft.)

Flaunting a modern naval design, Royal Falcon One is a stunner of the Singapore-based yacht builder, Royal Falcon Fleet. Curated by the renowned Porsche Design Studio, she has been described as a Spaceship on Water by her makers, while some compare her to a sports car. She has an aluminium hull and superstructure and three teak decks.

Enriched with appealing aesthetics, this dual-hulled yacht offers the highest comfort and luxury. She has five cabins to accommodate 10 guests, three master suites and a lounge on the main deck. Its main attraction is the saloon which offers a 360-degree ocean view due to its glass walls.

The 12.5 m broad beam allows for more entertainment and relaxation space. Its sundeck has a jacuzzi and a steam sauna. The crew cabins are located near the stern, concealed by the ship’s twin hulls. Delivered in 2019, it has a maximum speed of 35 knots, a 1.7 m draft and a gross tonnage of 499 tonnes.

8. Silver Cloud (134 Ft.)

Portraying exemplary marine engineering , Silver Cloud was constructed by Abeking & Rasmussen in Germany. Infused with a small waterplane area twin hull, commonly called SWATH, its distinguishing feature is smooth sailing in harsh waters, especially the North Sea.

It was sold for 16 million dollars to Alexander Wallace Dreyfoos Junior, an American businessman based in New York. As per news reports, the vessel will be renamed Nurja. With a 58 feet beam and a 13.5-foot draft, she has a maximum speed of 14 knots.

Silver Cloud is the two-time winner of the World Superyacht Award, owing to its highly trained crew and world-class reputation. It has five cabins that comfortably sleep 12 guests, equipped with televisions and private bathrooms. The main attraction is the saloon with large windows and glass doors, designed by Michael Kirschstein. It also contains a spa, gymnasium, diving equipment and a helipad.

9. Zenith ( 131 Feet)

Constructed by Australia-based Sabre Catamarans in 2012, the 40.5 m Zenith is a luxury motor yacht which redefines sophistication and style. She has a 10.5 m beam, a 1.5 m draft and an interior volume of 461 gross tonnes. She was sold in 2018 for a whopping 19 million dollars.

Her luxurious cabins can take in 10 guests, designed by Water Line, while her eye-catching exteriors were chosen by Incat Crowther. Having an aluminium hull and superstructure, she can attain a top speed of 29 knots due to the powerful MTU engines. Her fuel tanks can hold up to 51,800 litres of diesel, while freshwater tanks can carry 3790 litres.

American rock maple was used for interior panelling along with Queensland Maple. It has a spacious open lounge with four sofas. The main deck features a lavish dining area attached to a fully equipped media room and a cocktail bar.

10. The Beast ( 129 Ft.)

Described as somewhat different and unique by her owners, the Beast is true to its name. Having a military-type camouflage exterior, she is not easy to spot among other sailing vessels. She belongs to the entrepreneur, Sir Michael Hill and has several interesting features, the first being a 13 m fishing boat fitted on its main deck, known as Baby beast.

Winner of several awards, the Beast is 39.2 metres long and has a volume of 493 gross tonnes. She was delivered in 2019 by Profab Central Engineering Limited, and her decor was styled by the famous Oceania Interiors. She has a master suite and five cabins for sleeping 12 guests and accommodation for nine crew members.

Known for her outstanding seagoing capabilities, the Beast is available for charter in the South Pacific. Having a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, she is loaded with the latest water gear such as four kayaks, paddleboards, and fishing and diving equipment. She can reach a top speed of 15 knots while her cruising speed is 10 knots.

You might also like to read:

• Top 10 Biggest RoRo Ships In The World
• 5 Biggest Tanker Ships In the World
• 5 Biggest and Magnificent Sailing Ships of All Time
• 10 Most Expensive Cruise Ships
• Top 10 Biggest LNG Ships

About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

Read More Articles By This Author >

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

First look: HH88 – largest carbon cruising cat

• Toby Heppell
• May 4, 2022

The newly announced HH88 will be capable of cruising at 18 knots comfortably and while providing luxury to owners with some stunning interior styling

Described by HH as the largest all-carbon cruising catamaran ever built, the first hull of the HH88 has just emerged from the painting booth in a high-gloss crimson. Destined for the luxury charter market, it has five big ensuite cabins, a jacuzzi on the foredeck and a fully air-conditioned flybridge with internal and external access.

With 70kW of lithium battery capacity, it will be able to run the hotel loads overnight without firing up the generator. Some 6kW of solar panels and twin 24kW generators will keep the lights on, and a hybrid power option is in development for future models. HH says the boat will cruise comfortably at 18 knots without heeling more than 4°, with top velocity predictions above 25 knots.

Interior styling includes illuminated granite surfaces, carbon detailing and solid burr walnut joinery.

Launch is scheduled for later in the year.

HH88 specifications

LOA: 26.82m 88ft 0in LWL: 26.20m 86ft 0in Beam: 11.10m 36ft 5in Draught: 2.45m 8ft 0in Displacement: 60 tonnes Builder: hhcatamarans.com

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The 145 ft / 44.2 m Custom catamaran ‘ Hemisphere ‘ is the world’s largest catamaran and was was built in 2011 by Pendennis. This piece of marine art came off the drawing boards of Van Peteghem Lauriot Prévost (VPLP) and the yacht’s interior was designed by Michael Leach. The lines on this boat remind me of VPLP´s earlier performance catamaran designs – read our Lagoon 67 review to see what we mean.

Living Space

Well, we are obviously talking top end luxury on this Supercat. She will sleep up to 12 guests in 5 comfortable en-suite cabins. Plus a crew of 10 crew onboard. The 2 VIP cabins on the main deck have access to the forward terrace lounge forward. It’s a yacht that not even the Sunreef Yachts luxury range can compete with.

Photo credit: Pendennis Shipyard

VPLP has a solid reputation for designing multihulls with projects ranging from ultra-light carbon racing cats to the 138-foot custom catamaran Douce France—previously the world’s largest luxury cat—built at Alumarine in 1999.

Wow Factor Michael Leach was responsible for the interior design – and he had a lot of space to work with. She’s very luxurious yet practical. Watersports include windsurfers, wakeboards, Seabobs, waterskis and so on. The port hull has a fully stocked dive centre that can handle both Air and NITROX tank fills. Just raise the lift-up steps aft to reveal the ultimate dive locker.

Let´s just say, there is a lot of it on Hemisphere!

The oval dining table for 12 has a map of the world etched into its glass top. There´s also a huge dining area below.

Huge Space The huge teak aft deck below is a real WOW factor and this space fits 2 seating areas, a large sunbed and a big oval table set in the shade for lunch when the sun is overhead. The entire area can be closed off with an ‘Eissen glass’ screen and cooled from A/C units located under the flybridge sun pad.

On the main deck, 2 curved sliding doors connect the aft deck with its dining and lounging areas to a 100 m2 saloon, with several zones including a seating area with fantastic views.

Forward of that is a small lobby that leads to the guest cabin in the port hull, a day head to starboard and 2 VIP cabins.

Signature Sugar Scoops And those daybeds at the top of the sugar scoops- let´s not forget those. The whole yacht has been designed with an incredible attention to detail.

The crew quarters occupy much of the starboard hull. Forward is the mess and laundry area, and aft there are three well sized cabins. A happy crew means a happy cuise!

Hemisphere has a selection of tenders including a Castoldi jet tender stowed in the starboard hull and a RIB stowed between the two that is launched via bomber-like hatches.

5 Star Accomodation The TV room is on the main deck, and puts most 5 star hotels to shame. There are Wi-Fi and socket connections, Satcom and Cellular communications, Satellite TV, iPod docking stations and MP3 connections throughout the boat. There’s also 61″ plasma TV in the lower saloon, 42″ plasmas in the VIP staterooms and 32″ LCD TVs in the guest staterooms.

It´s all a far cry from the world´s best selling catamaran! (Read our Lagoon 380 review if you want to compare notes on the 2 boats 😉 )

And she can sail, too. She’ll regularly see 10 knots, and downwind the mainsail and gennaker add up to a total sail area exceeding 12,000 feet: Hemisphere can top out at 20 knots. It’s all powered by that mouth-droppping 53m (174-foot) 5.8-ton carbon mast by Lorima, which flys 865 m2 (9,321 sq ft) to 1118 m2 (12,037 sq ft) of carbon and spectra sails. Incredibly, this amazing catamaran is her owner’s first yacht. It’s a good job he can afford the crew!

A Catamaran with a Garage? Yes. One of the most famous Hemisphere catamaran design features is the “ailes de mouette” or seagull wings under the bridge deck which minimises bridge slam. On Hemisphere the wings serve a secondary purpose: there’s a watertight garage between the two hulls within the seagull wings.

For such a large vessel, she has a very low drag so only requires relatively small engines for her size : energy consumption and noise are kept to a minimum. Midships in each hull are 2 engine rooms with 2x Caterpillar C12s 490hp engines as the power source. There are 3 Caterpillar generators with a total output of 251kW, and there is a thruster fore and aft in both hulls to make life easier in the marina.

Other technical gizmos include a Radio Zeeland control and alarm system with 550 functions including monitoring standing rigging loads to fridge temperatures, plus programmable lighting; navigation, communication and the entertainment system that was supplied by HST with control units in each cabin.

Watersports

Check out this list of toys. Well, if you have the space…..

This cat has been designed for maximising watersports fun. The owners are keen divers, and in fact the initial brief for the yacht came from this angle. A hydraulic swim platform means access to the water is easy, and a springboard, attached to the stern, is a favourite with guests.

All the Toys and More The yacht carries dive scooters, two Seabobs, wakeboards, paddleboards and mountain bikes for onshore exploration. You name it, Hemisphere probably has it covered, including:

• Certified PADI dive centre
• 16.4m F&S Custom sports fishing boat with 2 x 1150hp engines,
• 8.2m Scorpion tender with 400hp engine,
• 4.5m Castoldi jet tender with 125hp,
• Full scuba diving facilities for 12 guests,
• 4 x SeaBobs,
• Windsurfers,
• Kneeboards & tows,
• SUP (Stand up paddle board,
• 4m inflatable water trampoline,
• Inflatables,
• 1m high 2.4m professional diving board,
• Snorkelling gear,
• Sports tournament standard fishing equipment

If you like exploring the underwater world, then you´ll like this next bit.

Hemisphere has a PADI-certified, Nitrox-capable dive centre for up to 12. The ship’s captain is a qualified dive instructor. And then there is the 16.4m (53.8ft) sports fishing tender for getting to those secluded dive sites as well as being a tournament-standard fishing boat.

Entertainment

• State of the art audio visual systems, satellite television
• Wi-Fi and socket connections
• 61″ plasma in lower salon,
• 42″ plasma in VIPs and
• 32″ LCD’s in guest cabins,
• Ipod/MP3 connections throughout the yacht.
• Sat TV (Seatel)Kaleidescape system with a big movie library

If you enjoyed this review, take a look at our Azizam catamaran review which is another classic custom boat – that one’s a smaller package.

Hemisphere Plan

This next section ( Pros and Cons ) is a bit tongue in cheek for this particular custom cat. It’s a process we normally go through on our other multihull reviews. We thought it would be fun!

• All of that space! Come on, this is the largest catamaran around, you are not going to feel claustrophobic on her.
• The garage is a unique feature on this boat. When you have that many toys, you need somewhere for them to go.
• For such a large vessel, she moves. You should see double digits on a beam reach in a decent breeze.
• If you break out into a cold sweat coming into the marina on a windy day, just think of the poor skipper on Hemisphere. Mind you, he or she has bow thrusters and plenty of power in the engines. Oh and the skipper is getting paid to deal with the stress.
• She’s not the cheapest boat to run. Those marina fees are pretty eye watering, and don’t talk to me about filling up with diesel. If you go on the usual adage of 5-10% of the boat’s value on maintenance every year, you are into 7 figures. I can believe that when you think of the cost of the crew
• Most of the power for the service batteries comes from the generators. A more modern design would probably have focused more on green energy. Still, there’s always room for more customisation!

Hemisphere was launched in 2011 and she still sits at the top of the Supercats list. That gives you an idea of how ambitious this yacht build was to begin with. This is the catamaran that all other luxury multihulls aspire to, a work of art from the same team that designed the humble Lagoon 380.

FAQs: Hemisphere Catamaran

How Much Did Hemisphere Cost to Build? Well, that´s not a number that is easy to get hold of, but we are looking at north of $50 million

Can you charter Hemisphere? How much is it for a week? Yes you can, this boat is probably one of the most luxurious dive charters around, but it will cost you more than a Leopard from Sunsail. You are looking at around $250k a week. Everything is negotiable of course.

Technical Specification

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The 25 Largest Yachts in the World

The list runs from lürssen's 592-foot 'azzam' to fincantieri 439-foot 'serene,' with a fascinating group of bespoke vessels in between..

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The new arrivals in 2024 knock the mighty 436.4-foot  Al Mirqab   and  Koru , Jeff Bezos’s sailing yacht, off the list. The “smallest” yacht— Serene —measures a whopping 439.3 feet. A raft of behemoths didn’t make it, including Feadship’s 290-foot Project 821 that is launching this year, the largest build from the Dutch shipyard to date.

Two of Lürssen’s 2024 deliveries also fell short, including Project Deep Blue and Project JassJ. That said, the German yard remains top of the leader board with the immoveable 592.6-foot  Azzam . It also claims 13 of the 25 world’s largest yachts, two of which are new entries.

The list is interesting because most were built in the last 15 years, but there are several historical yachts, including  Savarona , launched in 1931, and  El Mahrousa , launched in 1865, that withstand the test of time. Others like  Yas  and  OK are conversions from other types of vessels. The inimitable  A  is a one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-repeated sailing superyacht.

Here are the world’s top 25 yachts by length.

Azzam | 592 feet, 6 inches

Lürssen could never really boast about Azzam after its launch in 2013 because of the owner’s penchant for privacy, though it did describe the interior by Christophe Leoni, which features a 95-foot-long main salon, as “inspired by the Empire style of the early 19th century.” Owner Mubarak Saad al Ahbabi directed a team of designers and engineers who started with the bare concept, worked through the technical challenges of what might be the most complex superyacht ever, and finished with an unusually large vessel that can top the 30-knot mark when operating in “sprint mode”. Its gas turbines, connected to water jets, also give it the ability to operate at high speed in shallow waters. Nauta Yacht’s exterior features a long, sleek forward area, with well-proportioned tiers moving up to the skydeck. It took an impressive six million man-hours—or four years including engineering—to build.  Azzam  accommodates up to 36 guests, and a crew of 80.

Fulk Al Salamah | 538 feet, 1 inch

Little information has been released about the world’s second-longest superyacht, the custom-built Fulk Al Salamah , and it has been shrouded in mystery since it was first announced in 2014. Even the overall length of 538.1 feet has been estimated from AIS data. However, the imposing vessel, built and delivered by Italian builder Mariotti Yachts in their Genoa shipyard in 2016, is believed to be owned by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman. Last refit in 2021, the yacht has an exterior design by Studio de Jorio, and it is considered by some to resemble more of a support vessel than a superyacht. Nonetheless, aerial photography shows an impressively large helideck, raked masts, and a bathing platform.

Eclipse | 533 feet, 1 inch

The 533.1-foot stately  Eclipse , one of two yachts on this list owned by sanctioned billionaire Roman Abramovich, took five years to design and build. When it left the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg in 2010, it was the world’s largest yacht. The interior has 17 staterooms and a palatial primary suite, with the capacity to carry 85 crew. Both the interior and exterior are designed by Terence Disdale. A proportional profile is defined by tiered decks that sweep upward and bend ever so slightly at the aft ends. Eclipse  has a 185-foot-long owner’s deck, the capacity to hold three helicopters, a sophisticated stabilization system, six tenders, and an enormous spa, gym and beach club, not to mention one of the largest swimming pools on any superyacht. Hybrid diesel-electric engines are connected to Azipod drives that give Eclipse a top-end speed of 21 knots, with a range of 6,000 nautical miles.

Dubai | 531 feet, 5 inches

Even at 531.5 feet, Dubai ’s all-white Winch-designed exterior belies the dramatic and vibrant interior within. Colorful mosaic floors, a spiraling glass staircase, 70-foot-wide atrium, and bursts of red, blue, and green create a carnival of scene. Originally commissioned for Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei as a joint project between Blohm+Voss and Lürssen . Known as “Panhandle,” the project was halted in 1998 with just a bare hull and skeletal superstructure. The hull was sold to the government of Dubai, and, under the direction of the country’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, work on the 531.5-footer began again, though this time by Platinum Yachts. Dubai delivered in 2006 and is now the sheikh’s royal yacht, with accommodations for 24 guests and quarters for 88 crew. The SOLAS-certified seven-decked yacht has a landing pad for a Black Hawk helicopter, submarine garage, disco and cinema, and can reach a top speed of 26 knots. There’s also a waterfall that cascades from the yacht’s pool, located aft of the main deck. The yacht’s range of 8,500 nm at 25 knots gives it the potential to cruise around the world in record time.

Blue | 518 feet, 3 inches

Lürssen’s newest entry on the list, Blue , which delivered to its Middle Eastern owner in July 2022, may rank at number five out of the world’s largest yachts, but its diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system goes a long way to minimize emissions. The yacht also features an electric Azimuth pod drive that can be used independently or in conjunction with the twin propeller shafts. There is a waste-water treatment system and an advanced exhaust treatment system to help reduce NOx levels, as well as cut down on vibration and noise pollution. Interior and exterior design is by Terence Disdale, Blue is defined in profile by a raked bow with a helipad, an aft deck pool, and twin balconies forward either side of the owner’s full-beam suite. There is a second, smaller helipad aft. The British designer has reportedly penned a feminine and elegant interior, though no images have yet been released.

Dilbar | 511 feet, 8 inches

The 2016 launch of Dilbar gave Lürssen the distinction of not only building the longest yacht ever ( Azzam ), but also the largest in terms of volume. Espen Øino designed the exterior, creating a full-bodied superstructure of long, flowing decks, along with two helicopter pads,two helicopter pads, one of which has a hangar with an H175 helicopter always on standby.  Dilbar  also has an oversized garden and an 82-foot swimming pool that can hold an incredible 6,357-cubic-feet of water and according to Lürssen, is the world’s longest on a yacht. The interior by  Winch Design  is defined by its “rare and exclusive luxury materials,” says the builder, declining to go into detail. Despite  Dilbar ’s volume, the designers did a masterful job making the yacht look relatively svelte. In June 2020, Dilbar returned to Lürssen for a significant refit, where the yacht remains following U.S. sanctions placed on the owner, Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, in 2022. The yacht’s value is estimated to be $600 million.

Al Saïd | 508 feet, 5 inches

Another 500-plus-foot yacht from Lürssen, the original Project Sunflower gained its official name of Al Saïd following its launch in 2016. Espen Øino’s exterior is akin to a classic cruise liner, complete with the twin-exhaust stacks in the center of the superstructure. Owned by the Sultan of Oman, the yacht was listed for the sale for the first time in April 2022 for an undisclosed sum, but a buyer has yet to be confirmed. The six-decked  Al Saïd  can carry 154 crew and an estimated 70 guests across 26 suites. Lürssen reports a top speed of 22 knots. The London-based Redman Whiteley Dixon studio designed the interior, which includes a concert hall that can hold a 50-piece orchestra, a private cinema for 50 people; you’ll also find a medical room and dental care on board.

A+ | 483 feet, 1 inch

Very little is known about A+ (formerly Topaz) , which was launched by Lürssen in 2012. Tim Heywood Designs did the exterior, which features helipads on the foredeck and amidships on an upper deck. A lower aft deck includes a swimming pool. The German yard has not released any images of the Terence Disdale interior. Reported to be owned by Manchester City Football Club owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan—Emirati royalty and deputy prime minister of the UAE— A+  is equipped with a 40-foot Vikal catamaran beachlander and is powered by six Wärtsilä engines to reach a top speed of 22 knots. It can carry 62 guests and up to 79 crew and was last refit in 2022.

Prince Abdulaziz | 482 feet, 3 inches

The 5,200-tonne Prince Abdulaziz is one of the Saudi Royal family’s yachts, its first owner being King Fahd. Designed by Maierform, the yacht was the longest and tallest in the world at the time of its launch, a title the 482.3-foot  Prince Abdulaziz  held for 22 years until  Dubai  launched in 2006. The late David Nightingale Hicks, known for his use of bright colors, was the interior designer. The lobby is said to be a replica of the Titanic . The yacht is also rumored to be carrying surface-to-air missiles, though that may be an urban legend. Launched by Helsingør Værft in Denmark in 1984, it was last refit in 2023.

OK | 479 feet

Originally built by Japan’s Oshima Shipbuilding in 1982, the semisubmersible heavy lift ship was used for decades by DYT Yacht Transport as float-on yacht carrier. In 2022, the vessel underwent a private conversion at Karmarine shipyard in Turkey, turning it into a luxury, though highly unusual, yacht named OK . Modifications include a matte-black paint job, gold-tinted glazing, and teak decking. The vessel’s 328-foot submersible aft deck—a feature that first attracted her new owner, who uses OK to transport their 150-foot ketch—is now covered in a carpet of artificial grass. A 40-tonne crane allows for the safe and easy launch and retrieval of a vast range of toys, including a seaplane. The interior by Bozca Design is reported to include accommodation for 20 guests, a botanical garden, and a crazy Willy Wonka–inspired glass elevator that operates outside of the yacht’s superstructure.

Opera | 479 feet

Very little is known about Lürssen’s mysterious superyacht Opera , though it’s thought to be a rebuild of Project Sassi, which was destroyed in a fire in 2018 at the German shipyard. Now four feet longer than the first iteration, the superyacht became the 11th largest yacht in the world when it delivered to its patient owner in 2023. Exterior and interior designed by Terence Disdale, Opera has a whopping 66-foot beam and an interior volume exceeding 10,000GT. No interior images have been released yet, though judging by its two swimming pools, one with a lifting floor, and two helipads—one on the bow and one on the upper aft deck—it seems no expense has been spared.

El Mahrousa | 478 feet, 1 inch

El Mahrousa , which means “The Protected” in Arabic, is currently Egypt’s presidential yacht, though the 478.1-footer has a separate history as that country’s royal yacht. The London-based Samuda Brothers began the build in 1863, and it was launched in 1865. The world’s oldest superyacht—and formerly the world’s biggest—was originally built for the Ottoman governor of Egypt, Khedive Ismail, and later carried three Egyptian kings into exile. The yacht was also at the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. It features external design by the British naval architect Sir Oliver Lang and has had multiple modifications over the years, including a lengthening by 40 feet in 1872 and another 17 feet in 1905. During the second refit, the owners replaced its paddle-wheel engines with turbine-driven propellers. The yacht, in care of the Egyptian Navy, occasionally goes to sea for a day or two. In 2015, it was used to inaugurate the new Suez Canal.

Project Luminance | 475 feet, 7 inches

Delivered in 2024, Project Luminance (the real name is yet to be confirmed) is Lürssen’s newest entry on the list. Exterior designed by Espen Øino, the yacht has a raked bow, a contrasting paint job in a dark blue hull and silver superstructure and a whopping 8,999 gross tons of interior volume. Few details are yet known about the gigayacht owned by Ukrainian mining and financial services mogul Rinat Akhmetov, including the interior by Francois Zuretti, but aerial shots reveal twin helicopter pads—one on the foredeck and another high up aft—a large beach club, and an infinity pool, with a private spa pool area on the foredeck.

A | 468 feet, 5 inches

Undoubtedly one of the most visionary projects ever delivered by German shipyard Nobiskrug, the Philippe Starck-designed A is a wild fantasy of the future. Delivered in 2017, the futuristic look of  sailing yacht  A includes smooth, silver-metallic surfaces and windows that look nearly invisible, a 26-foot draft, three composite masts that bend slightly, and a deck hidden by high bulwarks. The Philippe Starck–design is a wild fantasy yacht of the future. The 468-foot sailing yacht is a technical victory for Nobiskrug , which developed composite fashion plates to create the unusual shapes without compromising any strength or fluidity. It has the tallest freestanding composite masts on any sailing vessel, a diesel-electric propulsion system, and state-of-the-art navigation systems. The boat also reportedly has an underwater viewing platform in the keel. Starck’s traditional interior features dark wood, copper accents, and cozy patterned carpets. The split-deck main salon is divided into zoned seating areas with integrated bookshelves. A remains today the world’s largest sailing yacht six years after its launch, though many argue it is better defined as a sail-assisted yacht.

Nord | 466 feet

Nord was announced in 2015 but didn’t hit the water until its 2020 sea trials in the Baltic Sea. The 466-foot yacht features interior design by Italian studio Nuvolari Lenard and was Lürssen’s first yacht launched from its floating shed at its facility in Vegasack. Boasting top-tier amenities, the yacht includes a sports and diving center on the lower deck, multiple tenders ranging in size up to 50 feet and a large swimming pool. The two helipads support the yacht’s long-range cruising capabilities for autonomous exploration, and a retractable hangar means a helicopter can slide neatly into the superstructure for storage when not in use. A generous 20 staterooms accommodate 36 guests across six decks, while a sleek aft-sloping superstructure gives Nord an individual profile on the water.

Yas | 462 feet, 6 inches

As a converted yacht, Yas is one of the most interesting vessels on this list. The dolphin-like exterior was originally a former Dutch Navy frigate that launched in 1978 and eventually sold to the navy of the United Arab Emirates, where it was renamed Al Emirat . The yacht underwent its dramatic conversion in a facility in Abu Dhabi’s main port, emerging as a gleaming superyacht in 2011, with one of the most interesting profiles on the water. It was eventually delivered four years later. Reportedly owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed al Nahyan, half-brother of the president of the UAE, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the design by Paris-based Pierrejean Vision is defined by massive glass surfaces. Yas can accommodate 60 guests and 58 crew members. Mated to a steel hull, the superstructure is the largest composite edifice ever built.

Solaris | 459 feet, 3 inches

Owned by Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, the 476-foot  Solaris  was one of the largest yachts to deliver in 2021. Last refit in 2022 at MB92 in Barcelona, the vast, highly private explorer is built by German shipyard Lloyd Werft and features a displacement steel hull with bulbous bow and steel superstructure with teak decks. The eight-deck exterior by Australian designer Marc Newson houses a large helipad, sundeck, spacious beach club aft and 21,527 square feet of glass, the largest panes to ever be built into a yacht. Lloyd Werft also built the Russian billionaire’s previous explorer yacht Luna , which he reportedly sold for $360 million to his close friend Farkhad Akhmedov in 2014.

Ocean Victory | 459 feet, 3 inches

The largest motoryacht ever built in Italy, Fincantieri’s Ocean Victory is owned by Russian billionaire Viktor Rashnikov, who was sanctioned in 2022. The seven-deck exterior by Espen Øino includes two helideck platforms and a hangar belowdecks, as well as exceptional outdoor social areas and a floodable tender dock. Ocean Victory has accommodations for 28 guests as well as quarters for 56 crew. The interior by Alberto Pinto remains a secret, aside from the yacht’s six pools, a 3,300-square-foot spa, and an underwater observation room.

Scheherazade | 459 feet, 3 inches

The 459.3-foot, Lürssen-built Scheherazade (formerly known as Project Lightning) was delivered in June 2020, with exterior design by Espen Øino and interior design by Francois Zuretti. Two helipads, forward and aft, and a large beach club aft are visible from aerial photographs, but aside from the yacht’s reported seven-foot beam, 40 crew and unique drone-crashing system for privacy, further details have not yet been released. The reason may lie with the yacht’s unofficial owner, believed to be Russian president Vladimir Putin. In May 2022, Italian authorities froze Scheherazade in the port of Marina di Carrara following an investigation conducted by Italian financial police who found the ship’s beneficial owner had “significant economic and business ties” to high-ranking Russian government officials, though the results of the investigation to date remain inconclusive.

Al Salamah | 456 feet

When Lürssen launched Al Salamah in 1999, it was the third-largest yacht in the world. Its number 20 ranking shows how much has changed in the last 20 years. Code-named MIPOS, or Mission Possible, the yacht was designed by Terence Disdale . Originally owned by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the yacht was put up for sale for $280 million in in 2013 before it was reportedly given to Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa as a gift. The large imposing exterior is primarily protected space, with an upper deck exposed to the elements. Al Salamah has staterooms for 40 guests, including two owner suites, 11 VIP staterooms, and eight twin cabins. The yacht can carry up to 96 crew and has a top speed of 22 knots. Al Salamah was last refitted in 2009.

Rising Sun | 454 feet, 1 inch

Designed by the original guru of yacht designers, Jon Bannenberg, Rising Sun was built by Lürssen for Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and is currently owned by billionaire David Geffen, who reportedly paid $590 million for the yacht. The yacht comes with a gym, a grand piano, multiple swimming pools, a beauty salon, and a spa with a sauna. Delivered in 2004 and last refit in 2022, the yacht’s exterior is defined by banks of windows across the superstructure. Rising Sun has 86,000 square feet of living space in 82 rooms. It can accommodate 18 guests in nine cabins, with the capacity to carry up to 46 crew. The interior by Seccombe Design includes a gym, cinema, and wine cellar, and the rear cockpit deck was designed as a basketball court. Geffen received global media backlash in 2020 for his “tone deaf” social-media posts that pictured himself on board his yacht during Covid-19 lockdown.

Flying Fox | 446 feet, 2 inches

The 446.2-foot  Flying Fox is arguably the most high-profile yacht on this list, primarily for being the largest yacht available on the charter market. In 2022, it was also singled out as “blocked property” by U.S. authorities in 2022 due to its previous management Imperials Yachts, which was on the US sanctions list. The yacht’s owner, however, Russian billionaire Dmitry Kamenshchik, is not sanctioned, so the yacht was turned over to him and returned to charter in 2024. Key features of the Espen Øino-designed exterior are a curvaceous dove-gray hull and a 3.7-foot swimming pool that runs athwartship on the main aft deck, the largest ever found on board a yacht. A two-decked spa also gives guests access to a cryosauna, hammam, and relaxation room with a fold-down balcony at sea level. Packed to the rafters with the latest amenities, the yacht holds a diving center, a decompression chamber, and two helipads. Flying Fox is PYC compliant and can accommodate 25 guests.

Savarona | 446 feet, 2 inches

Launched in 1931, and by far the largest and fastest private yacht of her day, Savarona was built for American heiress Emily Roebling Cadwalader and is easily identified by its two mustard-colored funnels. The yacht was eventually acquired by Turkey to be the presidential yacht of Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey. Jane’s Fighting Ships described the yacht in 1949 as “probably the most sumptuously fitted yacht afloat.”  Savarona was later converted to a training ship for the Turkish Navy and, in 1978, destroyed by fire. The yacht laid in tatters for 10 years. A Turkish businessman spent around $45 million refurbishing Savarona , commissioning Donald Starkey for the interior and replacing the original steam-turbine engines with modern Caterpillar diesels. Savarona became Turkey’s official presidential yacht again in 2014, accommodating up to 34 guests in 17 suites and carrying up to 48 crew. Amenities include a swimming pool, a Turkish bath, a 280-foot grand staircase, a movie theater and a library dedicated to Atatürk.

Crescent | 443 feet

Last refit in 2021, Espen Øino’s dark hull and tiered superstructure was one of the most exciting launches of 2018. Called Project Thunder internally at Lürssen, the custom-built yacht features cutouts along the hull sides that allow full ocean views from the saloon on the primary deck, as part of Crescent ’s distinctive curved superstructure. Its most noteworthy feature is the jaw-dropping bank of three-deck-high windows in the center of the yacht. This architectural feature serves as the centerpiece of a very compelling design. The yacht has accommodations for 18 guests in nine staterooms. Little is known about the François Zuretti-designed interior, other than Lürssen describing it as being “traditionally styled.” If it lives up to Crescent ’s brash exterior, the complete yacht promises to be an entirely groundbreaking design. In March 2022, Crescent was detained by Spain as property of Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, who is sanctioned in connection with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Serene | 439 feet, 3 inches

Serene  is the yacht that launched Fincantieri into the superyacht segment, and what a debut it was. The largest yacht ever launched in Italy when it was delivered in 2011 (surpassed three years later by Ocean Victory ), the Espen Øino seven-deck design features a long, sleek blue hull crowned by a white superstructure. Pascale Reymond of Reymond Langton Design created the 43,056-square-foot interior for a Russian owner, which includes a double height atrium with a piano lounge at the top and a vast open-plan main salon below. Sunken LEDs and bright pink and purple neon lights create a modern party vibe in the social areas, which contrast with the elaborate yet more traditional guest suites. A spiral staircase with intricate metal banisters soars through the heart of the yacht. The open stern area has a winter garden (enclosed glasshouse) that allows dining in all seasons. Serene also has two helipads and a hangar, a big swimming pool, and a tender garage large enough for a submarine.

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Denison Sells 4 of the Largest Catamarans Ever Built

August 15, 2018 12:57 pm

With the recent sale of the 105′ CMN catamaran known as NECKER BELLE , the Denison Yachting team has now sold four of the largest catamarans ever to hit the global market. The first three consisted of the 107′ LA SELLA DEL DIAVOLO ,  the award-winning 95′ CARTOUCHE  (pictured below) and the 90′ Gunboat, SUNSHINE .

It’s a notable feat, given most would argue that no more than 20 catamarans in the luxury, superyacht range have been built thus far, with some in the industry putting that number of true, yacht quality catamarans closer to 10. Sure, there’s a fairly long list of 150′-plus catamarans out there today, but the majority of those are widely considered commercial vessels or luxury dive boats.

The Breakdown 

At the time of her launch in 2003, NECKER BELLE was the largest and fastest performance sailing catamaran ever built, followed several years later by the 145′ HEMISPHERE – the still undisputed largest luxury sailing catamaran in the world. The 107′ LA SELLA DEL DIAVOLO was delivered in 2011 and, since then, the inventory of catamarans in this size range hasn’t exactly grown, with buyers often searching far and wide to find a high-end sailing yacht that offers such distinct characteristics. 

For NECKER BELLE, it’s her bow’s extremely spacious, fully functional trampoline as well as a diving board, or her unique crow’s nest feature, which lifts guests up to the top of her mast, offering a vantage point for unbeatable views. Aboard HEMISPHERE, you’ll find a PADI certified dive center as well as a custom sportfishing tender. Meanwhile, LA SELLA DEL DIAVOLO is known for her unrivaled speed and volume, while CARTOUCHE provides a high-tech opulence with aerodynamic lines, and SUNSHINE is regarded as a top-of-the-line cruiser that affords passengers a comfortable ride, even when sailing into the 30+ knot range. 

Your Catamaran Experts 

Indeed, if this is the type of yacht you’re on the hunt for, then the Denison team is a logical choice. With their extensive knowledge of and success in the luxury catamaran market, the company’s specialists are certainly poised to represent buyers looking to purchase or begin a new build project for such a one-of-a-kind sailboat. 

Catamaran Sales

NECKER BELLE:  David Johnson and Tom Houtenbrink  

LA SELLA DEL DIAVOLO: David Johnson

CARTOUCHE : Jean-Marie Cabri

SUNSHINE: Alex G. Clarke

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110 Foot Catamaran Largest Ever Built on the Outer Banks

With the launch of a 110’ catamaran back in July, a new record has been set for Wanchese boatbuilding.

The Outer Banks and especially Wanchese and Manteo have a long rich history of boat building dating back more than 150 years. Wanchese has really become the center of the craft over the past 50 years but in WWII that skill was found at the Manteo Boat Building Company and the many wooden boats constructed for the US Navy, including 13 105’ wooden patrol boats.

But the Hippocampus 2—H-2 for short—is something else entirely. Hippocampus is the genus name for all species of seahorse.

The size certainly sets it apart. At first glance, it may not even look as big as it is. Sitting on the twin hulls of a catamaran, it looks a bit blocky and that can give the impression that the craft is not as large as it is. But it is all of 110 feet.

It’s also aluminum. The modern Wanchese boats use a lot of materials—wood for the longest time, fiberglass for at least the past 40 or 50 years, and carbon fibers are increasingly being used. But an all-aluminum hull? That’s rare.

But form follows function, and for Florida businessman Brian Schmitt who had the boat built, aluminum was the material that made the most sense for what he wanted to do with the H-2.

For Schmitt, what the H-2 represents is a chance to recapture the joy of scientific discovery. Now in his 60s, he and his wife met in grad school and spent the next 30 or 40 years building a very successful business in Marathon, Florida. And as he told a local newspaper, he saw people he cared about work until the day they died, never taking the time to do the things they really wanted to do.

Although successful in business, Schmitt’s grad school experience included studying at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. The Massachusetts research center, at the base of Cape Cod, is considered one of the premier oceanographic research centers in the world. The plan that he and his wife have is directly related to that—they intend to sail the seas, doing research, although there are no plans to publish papers—just looking at the remarkable world around them.

Aiding in that will be the equipment he’ll have with him, including a small submarine, a 26’ boat, and an onboard helicopter pad.

The H-2 is remarkable for its size and workmanship, and how it came to be built in Wanchese is a story all its own.

About six years ago, Schmitt decided he wanted to replace his H-1, the smaller predecessor to the H-2. He had his supervisor for the project picked out, but no decision had been made about where to build it, other than, it was going to be built in the United States.

The supervisor’s secretary happened to vacation on the Outer Banks and chanced upon Wanchese, got back to Florida, and said, “You should check that place out.”

He checked it out and agreed.

The building they found to build the craft has some history of its own. At one time it was the home of Davis Boatworks. Buddy Davis was a legendary boatbuilder who developed what has come to be known as the Carolina Flare, a watercraft with a deep V bow and wide flaring deck.

Perhaps most remarkably, most of the boat was done by just three or four workers.

Rob Ayers was the build foreman on the project. A welder by trade, he gathered with him some people who really knew what they were doing and proceeded to build a double-hulled 110’ watercraft.

It took almost six years to finish the project. Some of the work Ayers’ team couldn’t do. The cabinetry and interior of the boat is beautiful, and all of that work was done by Outer Banks artisans. The work was so good that when asked about it, Felix Herrin, project supervisor, commented that the workers were “artists.”

The H-2 was launched on a hot, muggy day in July. It was a slow process that included a hydraulic jack lifting the ship off the concrete of the slip and gently into the water. Two towboats waited for it in the waters of Roanoke Sound. Towed away from the shallow waters, the H-2 fired up its engines and maneuvered around the point to Wanchese Harbor where final fittings for the boat will be done.

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The Largest Ship in the World and 10 Runners-up

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The modern cruise ship is a marvel of engineering, towering many stories above the water and capable of carrying thousands of passengers across entire oceans . If you're interested in traveling on one of these floating behemoths, you've got plenty of options to choose from, and pretty much all of them are going to be big.

But still, you might be wondering, what is the largest ship in the world , and can I hop aboard for a cruise?

Biggest Ship on Earth: The Seawise Giant (260,941 GT)

10 largest cruise ships in the world, cruise ships: a brief history, the largest cruise ships: floating hotels.

While you've no doubt been awed by the sheer size of the biggest cruise ships, some of the very largest and longest ships in the world are actually not for carrying people. Instead, they are for shipping commodities such as oil or dry goods.

Technically, the largest ship in the world was the Seawise Giant, an oil tanker that was built in 1979, later scrapped in 2010. At a gross tonnage of 260,941, and a length of 1,504 feet (458 meters), with a beam of 225 feet (69 meters), it remains unsurpassed in either the commercial or recreational world.

Below is a list of the undisputed titans in the world of cruise ships. You'll notice that not all of the cruise lines are represented in this list, since only a few have attempted to build the very biggest. Other competitors, like the Norwegian Cruise Line, barely enter the top 30.

When measuring cruise ships, there are a few key stats to keep in mind.

• Gross tonnage (GT) : This is the main way that a ship's overall internal volume is determined. It doesn't refer to weight, although you can be sure that a big GT number means a very heavy ship.
• Length : Also called "length overall," this measurement is easy. It's the overall length of the vessel's hull, measured as a line parallel to the water. It should come as no surprise that the largest ships, as measured in gross tonnage, are also often the longest ships.
• Beam : This is sailor speak for width. It's a measurement of the ship at its widest point.
• Maximum passenger capacity : A pretty straightforward metric, this number refers to the maximum amount of passengers the ship can take on a cruise.

1. The Icon of the Seas (250,800 GT)

In 2024, Royal Caribbean International released the Icon of the Seas — which, at 250,800 GT, with a maximum capacity of 7600 passengers, immediately became the world's largest cruise ship (and for that matter, the largest passenger ship in history). It boasts a length of 1,197 feet (365 meters) and a beam of 217 feet (66 meters).

This floating resort cruises from Miami, Florida to various ports of call in the Caribbean Sea. It's known for having the largest swimming pool and the most water slides (six) of any ocean vessel.

2. The Utopia of the Seas (236,473 GT)

Also owned and operated by Royal Caribbean, the Utopia of the Seas took her maiden voyage in 2024. The maximum capacity is 6,509, it has a GT of 236,473, a length of 1,185 feet (361 meters) and a beam of 210 feet (64 meters).

The last of Royal Caribbean International's Oasis Class ships, it's also the first ship of its kind to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The Utopia of the Seas' home port is currently Port Canaveral, Florida.

3. The Wonder of the Seas (235,600 GT)

Once again a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship, the Wonder of the Seas was the biggest cruise ship in the world when it debuted in 2022. It has a maximum passenger capacity of 6,988, a GT of 235,600, a length of 1,188 feet (362 meters) and a beam of 210 feet (64 meters).

Featuring a boardwalk, solarium, zip line and much more, the Wonder of the Seas is meant to be a full-on vacation on the water. It sails from Port Canaveral, Florida.

4. The Symphony of the Seas (228,081 GT)

Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas has a gross tonnage of 228,081, a length of 1,184 feet (361 meters), a beam of 216 feet (66 meters) and a maximum capacity of 6,680. When it debuted in 2018, it was the largest cruise ship in the world, taking her maiden voyage in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Symphony of the Seas now calls the Port of Miami home. Its onboard amenities include a rock climbing wall, laser tag and various dining and nightlife options.

5. Harmony of the Seas (226,963 GT)

Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas, released in 2016, was the largest ship in the world for all of two years (it was surpassed by the previous entry, Symphony of the Seas, in 2018). It has a gross tonnage of 226,963, a length of 1,188 feet (362 meters), a beam of 216 feet (66 meters) and a maximum capacity of 6,687.

The Harmony of the Seas' home port is Galveston, Texas. Like her Oasis Class sister ships, the passenger area is divided into "neighborhoods," which gives a sense of the ship's scale.

6. Oasis of the Seas (226,838 GT)

Made for Royal Caribbean International, the Oasis of the Seas was the flagship of the Oasis Class cruise ships, designed to be the largest cruise ships in the world. She has a gross tonnage of 226,838, a length of 1,180 feet (360 meters) a beam of 198 feet (61 meters), and a maximum passenger capacity of 6,771.

Her maiden voyage was in December 2009, making her the largest passenger ship in the world at that time. Currently, the Oasis of the Seas sails from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to various Caribbean ports of call.

7. Allure of the Seas (225,282 GT)

A sister ship of the Oasis of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas is just a tad smaller. Launched in 2010, she has a gross tonnage of 225,282, a length of 1,180 feet (360 meters), a beam of 198 feet (61 meters) and a maximum passenger capacity of 6,780.

Currently the Allure of the Seas calls Port Canaveral, Florida home, and offers 3 or 4 night cruises to the Bahamas and back. It has a wide range of amenities, from a skating rink to an onboard park with around 12,00 plants.

8. MSC World Europa (215,863 GT)

So far, as you may have noticed, all of the biggest cruise ships have belonged to Royal Caribbean International. Now we get a fresh name on the list!

Operated by MSC cruises, the World Europa took her maiden voyage in 2022, entering the top 10 on the list of world's largest cruise ships. With a gross tonnage of 215,863, a length of 1,094 feet (333 meters), a beam of 154 feet (47 meters) and a maximum passenger capacity of 6,762, the World Europa can compete with the Oasis Class cruise ships for sheer size.

The World Europa sails from Qatar and was actually used as a floating hotel during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Doha. The ship runs on liquefied natural gas, unlike the diesel fuel that powers most cruise ships in the world.

9. Costa Toscana (186,364 GT)

Further mixing up our cruise line listing, the Costa Toscana is operated by Costa Cruises, and is the largest cruise ship of that company's line. Launched in 2021, she has a gross tonnage of 186,364, a length of 1,106 feet (337 meters), a beam of 138 feet (42 meters) and passenger capacity of 6,554.

The Costa Toscana is thoroughly European, sailing the Mediterranean and stopping at various ports of call in that sea. Passengers can expect to hear various languages spoken, and an upscale, continental vibe to their journey.

10. Arvia (185,581 GT)

The Arvia took her maiden voyage in 2022 from Southampton, UK, to the Canary Islands. The only cruise ship in the top 10 from P&O cruises, she has a gross tonnage of 185,581, a length of 1,130 feet (345 meters), a beam of 138 feet (42 meters) and a maximum capacity of 6,685.

The Arvia sails in the Mediterranean during the summer, and in the Caribbean during the wintertime. Among its many amenities is a sky dome that can be retracted during pleasant weather.

The invention of the modern cruise is a relatively recent phenomenon. Back in the olden days of trans-oceanic travel, journeys were arduous and risky, and the idea of traveling for pleasure on the high seas would've been seen as close to insanity.

Sure, people did go a-sailing for adventure, but that's a far cry from what's promised by modern ships, which are meant to be as luxurious as possible.

Starting in the early 19th century, technology and economic conditions had made it possible for the modern cruise ship to exist. Unlike ocean liners (think of the ill-fated Titanic , probably the most famous ocean liner), which were principally means of transportation, a cruise ship would travel a relatively short distance with various ports of call where passengers could go ashore and see the local sights.

Current cruise ship technology allows for every amenity one would find in a highly rated hotel, and then some. Modern cruise ships boast a variety of entertainment options, from bars to concerts to water slides and mall-like shopping outlets.

The size and complexity of these ships requires considerable organization and resources to operate. They have two basic components of a cruise ship crew : the sailing crew, headed by the captain, and the hospitality staff, which is managed much like that of a hotel.

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On board the world's largest trimaran White Rabbit

She’s blissfully quiet, impressively efficient and comfortably cavernous. Oh, and she’s an 84 metre trimaran. Stewart Campbell follows the White Rabbit ...

The obvious question, really, is: why bother building a trimaran when the rest of the world is cruising around in monohulls? Why go so radically against the grain?

Vindication can be sweet – in January 2019 the team behind White Rabbit picked up the Best Naval Architecture Award for Displacement Motor Yachts at the Boat International Design & Innovation Awards . It turns out that trimarans, done right, are quieter, leaner and more environmentally sound than monohulls. The owner of White Rabbit has known this for some time; he has never been anything but evangelical about their benefits. He has almost single-handedly proven the concept in big boats and now owns the world’s two biggest trimaran superyachts: the original three-hulled 61-metre White Rabbit from 2005 and now this 84-metre version, delivered just in time for Christmas. There’s also a large catamaran in the fleet, a 51-metre support vessel called Charley .

Let’s tick off some of those other benefits. You might think that a trimaran platform limits interior space, but you’d be wrong. White Rabbit carries 2,940 gross tonnes, so roughly the same as a 90-metre monohull. Sunrays , the 85-metre 2010 Oceanco , has an internal volume of 2,867GT. Solandge , the 85-metre Lurssen from 2013, has a gross tonnage of 2,899. The 90-metre DAR from Oceanco has an interior measured at 2,999GT, so only a snip more than 84-metre White Rabbit . All this volume is generated by the trimaran’s 20-metre beam, which makes it around five metres wider than equivalent-length monohulls. And she could be a lot more voluminous – the top deck, for instance, is fairly modest, while a bluff bow would generate even more GTs.

Such novel naval architecture surely adds to the cost, though? Not according to Mark Stothard, founder and owner of Echo Yachts , the Australian yard responsible for  White Rabbit , who estimates the yacht was "significantly cheaper" to build than an equivalent-size monohull at a Northern European yard. You sometimes hear complaints about the ride of trimarans, and here, they have a little work to do. A comparison study by the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN) in 2000 showed that when bow-on to the weather, at speed or rest, trimarans are more comfortable than monohulls with equivalent displacements.

But in some conditions, particularly stern-quartering seas, the motion of a trimaran can be worse. To counter this,  White Rabbit’s  naval architects drew on the experience gained from the 61-metre boat, installing four enormous Naiad fins totalling 45 square metres that jut out from the centre hull. These have a limited range of movement and essentially act as aircraft wings under the water, planting the hulls and evening out the ride. Each of the three hulls also carries significant flare, generating buoyancy to dampen roll. The brains behind  White Rabbit  claim that trimarans, unlike monohulls, are far easier to fine-tune to find a ride motion the owner is comfortable with, simply by increasing or decreasing buoyancy in the outer hulls – "so the negatives are really not negatives", says exterior and interior designer Sam Sorgiovanni .

The very same MARIN study points out the obvious, and massive advantage of trimarans: "When the same speed is required, the installed propulsion power [in the trimaran] can be reduced by some 40 per cent, leading to lower operational costs, a reduction in weight and less environmental contamination." And there you have it – three slender hulls are better than a single fat one. Or, as Sorgiovanni puts it: "What would you rather be paddling in? A bathtub or a kayak?" In an age when all superyacht owners, regardless of bank balances, are casting a lingering eye over fuel bills and environmental impact, comes a concept that offers you better space, value and a cleaner conscience. So naval architects’ phones should be ringing off the hook with billionaires demanding multihulls, right? Right...? Not quite.

The problem is one of perception, says Stothard. Not necessarily on the part of owners, he says, but from an occasionally reactionary superyacht industry inexperienced with the multihull form. Sorgiovanni agrees. "Why would I build three hulls instead of one?" was one shipyard’s response to a trimaran design he presented. "Meanwhile, you’ve got big-name naval architects who in their whole career have never done anything like it, so why would they endorse it? Why would they endorse something they’re fearful or ignorant of?" Whatever the reasons for the inertia, it doesn’t look like the needle will be twitching in favour of trimarans any time soon. Which is a shame, because for all the above reasons and more, this platform makes all kinds of sense – as  White Rabbit  capably proves.

As a rough guide, the length-to-beam ratio of a monohull superyacht in this size range is around 6:1. By comparison, the length-to-beam ratio of  White Rabbit’s  centre hull is 13.7:1. You don’t need a degree in naval architecture to know which one will use less fuel, but the truly impressive thing about  White Rabbit  is the engineering underpinning her natural slipperiness. One key demand of the owner was that Echo Yachts limit noise – and therefore engineering – in the centre hull, where he has a cabin, so designers had to rethink the arrangement seen on the 61-metre, where the main engines are located on the centreline. "The owner sat us down and said, ‘Boys, with this thing I want some engineering boldness.’ He said what was important to him was smoothness and quietness," says Stothard. "And he gave us the latitude to go out and explore solutions."

The team quickly decided to go diesel-electric, with generators in the outer hulls powering STADT electric motors in the centre hull, in turn spinning two Rolls-Royce variable pitch props. Other ideas were discussed and thrown out: waterjets because the boat would be sitting idle in Singapore for lengths of time, so divers would be required to go down to pump out the jet tunnels and then plug them; Voith thrusters because the yard felt it a "bit early for them to be able to gear up to such a project"; and azimuthing pods because they would have required too much volume in the centre hull. They also looked at putting everything – engines, motors, shafts – in the outer hulls, but studies revealed the ultimate solution to be the most efficient. Just how efficient is best exemplified, again, by way of comparison: according to White Rabbit’s naval architect, the Sydney studio One2Three , it requires 91.5-metre Equanimity (now Tranquility ), which has an equivalent gross tonnage to White Rabbit , 7.2MW of power to reach its top speed of 19.5 knots; White Rabbit requires just 4.2MW of power to reach its top speed of 18.7 knots – some 40 per cent less.

There are six generators on board – four Caterpillar C32s outputting 940ekW and two C18s outputting 550ekW, each brought online and off by a Kongsberg power management system. The engineers should get plenty of life out of these units because the boat can run at a 12-knot cruise with just two gensets engaged. "I’ve been on sea trials up the coast using just two C32s – and that will be cruising at 12.8 knots, with 75 per cent power to the drive system and 25 per cent, or 500kW, to run the house," says Stothard. "That’s with four generators offline and a burn of about 320 litres an hour for everything. The crew even think they could do 12 knots on one C32 and one C18." The boat’s eco-cred doesn’t end there: she barely creates a wake. Sea trial images included in this feature show the yacht running at around 15 knots, but she might as well be idling for all the wash she generates. The owner does a lot of coastal cruising and wanted the "ability to operate without detrimental wash impact on surrounding vessels and foreshores", says Steve Quigley, One2Three’s managing director.

All this has resulted in a very quiet boat. In the lower deck master cabin Echo Yachts recorded sound levels of just 40db at 13 knots. Up on the main deck those levels dipped below 40db. "The owner was walking around with his own sound meter," says Stothard. "He didn’t even bother going up top." The diesel-electric set-up on  White Rabbit  has the added benefit that you can carry less fuel. The trimaran’s fuel capacity is 166,200 litres, for a range of 5,000 nautical miles.  Solandge ? 222,000 litres.  Sunrays ? 285,000 litres.  Equanimity ? 271,000 litres. That’s a lot of weight she’s not lugging around.

Smaller fuel tanks free up space, of course, but the designers weren’t fighting for volume here: there’s plenty of it. On the main deck, the boat gets very beamy, for a length-to-beam ratio of 4.3:1. Fat, but without looking it. That’s down to the skill of Sorgiovanni, whose office is not far from the Echo Yachts facility in Henderson, Western Australia. He’s the first to admit that the layout of White Rabbit is very idiosyncratic and has developed more "conventional" versions with beach clubs, gyms and bigger master cabins. But his brief from this client, with whom he worked on the 61-metre  White Rabbit , was very clear: this is a multigenerational yacht, built for family use, but with a necessary corporate function. Translation: lots of cabins – two masters, three VIPs and six guest – for a total guest capacity of 30 and a wide open main deck to host upwards of 200 people when alongside in her hometown of Singapore.

"You’re spanning three generations in terms of functionality as well as style," says Sorgiovanni, who travelled to Singapore to spend time with family members and hear each of their wants. "The overwhelming comment was, ‘We love what we’ve got, we just want it bigger.’ The words were: ‘We want [61-metre]  White Rabbit  on steroids.’ They literally meant it. As we started to develop the boat we realised that whatever we presented kept coming back to what they loved, which was their current boat. In a way it’s flattering to think they enjoy and love that boat so much, but it has evolved. The bigger boat has a far more sophisticated approach, both inside and out, but nevertheless there is that link there to something that is familiar." The art deco edge on the smaller yacht has been rounded off a little on the 84-metre, but there are still references throughout – in the light column at the huge bar in the main saloon, for instance, and wall sconces.

The colours used are rich enough to keep you interested, but not so much that the spaces feel stuffy or overly formal; you’re never afraid to put your glass down. The tactile, chequer-style wall panelling used all over the yacht, made of brushed Tasmanian oak, helps with this, and brings a bit of nature to the saloons. All the cabinetry and furniture was custom made by Alia Yachts in Turkey, who Sorgiovanni worked with on 41.3-metre  Ruya .

He was so impressed by their furniture skills he asked them to pitch for  White Rabbit’s  interior, which was fully assembled in Turkey, allowing Sorgiovanni and Echo’s project manager, Chris Blackwell, to walk through it making changes before it was disassembled and shipped to Australia for installation. This was a considerable undertaking considering the 1,200 square metres of guest area on board. The amount of space proved one of the designer’s biggest challenges – just what do you do with it all?

The main deck is the main event – and where the boat’s 20-metre beam is most evident. "And it could have been even wider," says Sorgiovanni. "But I was very conscious about keeping it human scale. It’s just a massive area." The designer has split the space into zones, according to generations. Upon entry, and beyond the spectacular staircase leading to the upper deck, the saloon splits – to port is a more informal lounge for younger members of the family, and to starboard a slightly stiffer seating area for elder generations. "The saloons are separated but not completely separated, because the owner didn’t want the generations split up," he says.

Beyond, all ages come together around that attention-grabbing bar and games area and dining space. The owner dictated that there be no televisions in any of the cabins (except his), forcing kids into the light and demanding that they spend time with the rest of the family. If they want a screen, they’ll find one only in a communal area. In direct contravention of the modern vogue for massive, floor-to-ceiling windows, meanwhile, the owner was deliberately modest with his glazing choices, but the windows still usher plenty of light across the 20-metre expanse.

The upper deck saloon is tiny by comparison and used as a media lounge and karaoke hangout by the family, complete with baby grand piano. The focus of this deck is really accommodation, for both guests and crew. Strangely, the guest cabins on this level either have very little or no cupboard space, but they do have benches, "so guests can put their stuff out", says Sorgiovanni. "They said they didn’t want any wardrobe space as guests are expected to live out of their suitcases," which suits the kind of cruising guests are expected to join for – weekends and overnights. Up again is the sundeck, with another games area and forward-facing cinema with seats that shake to mirror the action on screen. "From a sound point of view, it’s in the right spot," says the designer. "You can really crank it up and you’re not disturbing anyone." The deck spaces up here are ample – and the site of the only spa pool on board – but they are under-exploited. Sitting in the sun is clearly not a priority for this family, nor is charter a fixation. This is, and will remain, a private yacht.

The real master cabin is on the main deck, close to the family action, but there is an alternative on the lower deck of the centre hull for passages. It’s a strange feeling walking down to this level – almost like going underwater. Hull windows reveal the tunnel between the centre hull and the starboard outrigger. It’s an unusual view, but also quite an exciting one as water rushes between the hulls at 18 knots. "We decided to make a feature of it," says Blackwell. "All the underwater lights are deliberately in this centre hull so they shine under the outer hulls as well, so you get the benefit of glow here. It creates a different ambience and shows off the trimaran concept." The art subtly plays on this underwater sensation. "On the lower decks the artwork is all scenes from below the water; on the main deck it’s all on the water and then it’s above the water on the upper deck," says Sorgiovanni.

The 30 guests are served by a crew of 32, who get plum real estate forward on the main deck in the shape of a huge cafeteria-like mess and crew lounge. "The boat is on call 24/7, so the owner wanted very specifically to have the crew in a very comfortable space on the main deck, with large windows," says Sorgiovanni. In an alternative universe, this might be reserved for a vast, full-beam owner’s cabin, with crew moved to the lower deck, or voluminous guest cabins. In the same universe, those rear VIP cabins in the centre hull would become a wellness and spa area, with direct access to the water through a folding transom door. Maybe in that universe, trimarans are the norm and everyone’s cruising the world using a lot less fuel than in this one. I’m not saying trimarans are the answer for everyone – obviously berthing is a key factor and some people just might not like the look of them – but the benefits definitely deserve closer attention.

It’s something the owner of  White Rabbit  has learned through long experience. He started out in a monohull Feadship in 1989, built another in 1995 before experimenting with a catamaran in 2001. Then came the first trimaran in 2005, and, finally, the 84-metre  White Rabbit . He’s a true convert. As is Mark Stothard, the Echo Yachts boss: "If anyone is serious about building a yacht this size and they didn’t make the time to come and have a look at this boat, they’d be mad. I’ve been in this game since the early 1980s and I’ve been on some really impressive yachts in that time and this thing blows my mind. Regardless of whether we build it or not, it is unequivocally doing everything that we said it was going to do... and then some."

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