| The term luxury yacht refers to a very | | | | |
| expensive privately owned yacht which is | | | | Main deck: sheltered exterior deck aft |
| professionally crewed. Also known as a | | | | leading into the salon; dining room and |
| super-yacht, a luxury yacht may be either a | | | | galley; entrance amidships; owner's suite |
| sailing or motor yacht. | | | | forward, usually includes either a study or a |
| | | | second twin stateroom. |
| This term began to appear at the beginning of | | | | |
| the 20th century when wealthy individuals | | | | Upper deck: exterior deck aft, often used for |
| constructed large private yachts for personal | | | | outdoor dining; second salon (often called |
| pleasure. Examples of early luxury motor | | | | the sky lounge); staffed bar inside or |
| yachts include M/Y (motor yacht) Christina O | | | | outside or both; sixth stateroom will be |
| and M/Y Savarona. Early luxury sailing yachts | | | | amidships if it is not on the lower deck or |
| include Americas Cup classic J class racers | | | | part of the owner's suite; gym (may also be |
| like S/Y (sailing yacht) Endeavour and Sir | | | | on the lower deck or part of the owner's |
| Thomas Lipton’s S/Y Shamrock. The New | | | | suite); captain's cabin; bridge. |
| York Yacht Club hosted many early luxury | | | | |
| sailing yacht events at Newport, Rhode | | | | Sun deck: on the roof of the upper deck, |
| Island, during the Gilded Age. | | | | often features a jacuzzi. |
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| More recently, over the last decade or two, | | | | A 50 metre yacht will have one or more luxury |
| there has been an increase in the number and | | | | yacht tenders for reaching shore and other |
| popularity of large private luxury yachts. | | | | "toys" which may include a speed boat or |
| Luxury yachts are particularly bountiful in | | | | sailing boat, jet-skis, windsurfing and |
| the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, | | | | diving equipment and a Banana boat. Up to |
| although increasingly luxury yachts are | | | | date yachts have multiple flat screen |
| cruising in more remote areas of the world. | | | | televisions and satellite communications. |
| With the increase in demand for luxury yachts | | | | |
| there has been an increase custom boat | | | | The number of really large yachts has |
| building companies and yacht charter brokers. | | | | increased rapidly since the 1990s and |
| Luxury boat building and yacht charter | | | | increasingly only yachts above around 65 |
| companies are predominantly based in the | | | | metres (213 feet) stand out among other |
| United States and Western Europe but are also | | | | luxury yachts. Yachts of this size are almost |
| increasingly found in Australasia, Asia and | | | | always built to individual commissions and |
| Eastern Europe. European manufacturers such | | | | cost tens of millions of dollars (most |
| as Azimut-Benetti and Lürssen dominate the | | | | super-yachts cost far more than their owners' |
| very top end of the yacht building market. | | | | homes on land, even though those homes are |
| Some yachts are used exclusively by their | | | | likely to be among the largest and most |
| private owners, others are operated all year | | | | desirable). A yacht of this size usually has |
| round as charter businesses, and a large | | | | four decks above the water line and one or |
| number are privately owned but available for | | | | two below. It is likely to have a helicopter |
| charter part time. Weekly charter fees range | | | | landing platform. Apart from additional guest |
| from a few tens of thousands of dollars a | | | | cabins, which are likely to include one of |
| week to nearly a million dollars a week. This | | | | more "VIP suites" besides the owner's suite, |
| covers the wages of the crew, but not fuel, | | | | extra facilities compared to a 50 metre yacht |
| food and drink, or other incidental expenses. | | | | will include some or all of indoor jacuzzis, |
| | | | sauna and steam rooms, a beauty salon, |
| Yachts from 23 metres (75 feet) and up | | | | massage and other treatment rooms, a medical |
| qualify for design awards from the Superyacht | | | | centre, a discotheque, a cinema with a film |
| Society, but at the bottom end of that scale | | | | library, plunge pool (possibly with a |
| yachts will not necessarily be crewed and | | | | wave-maker), a playroom, and additional |
| many set the minimum length for a superyacht | | | | living areas such as a separate bar, |
| considerably higher. From around 30 metres | | | | secondary dining room, private sitting rooms |
| (98 feet) and up yachts are almost always | | | | or a library. There will be more boats and |
| crewed. A 45 to 50 metres (148 to 164 feet) | | | | "toys" than there are on a 50 metre yacht. |
| yacht, the smallest with a generally accepted | | | | |
| claim to superyacht status, will usually be a | | | | As of 2006 yachts above 100 metres (328 feet) |
| three decker with cabins for 12 guests (that | | | | are still sufficiently rare that many yacht |
| is a preferred number, more common than | | | | enthusiasts can name them all. They typically |
| either 10 or 14, and is found on yachts | | | | have five decks above the water line and two |
| across quite a wide size range), and for a | | | | below. The very largest yachts have begun to |
| crew of a similar size. The accommodation on | | | | incorporate such features as helicopter |
| this type of yacht is typically as follows: | | | | hangars, indoor swimming pools and miniature |
| | | | submarines. The burgeoning number of "small" |
| Lower deck: exterior swimming platform at the | | | | super yachts has led to the introduction of |
| stern; four (sometimes five) guest cabins | | | | the hyperbolic terms mega-yacht and |
| with en-suite bath or shower rooms aft; | | | | giga-yacht to demarcate the elite among |
| engine room amidships; crew quarters forward. | | | | luxury yachts. |
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