The best superyacht design features guide

Fashion, décor, colour schemes and the latest must-haves change to meet expectations and developing habits, and the design and use of superyachts is no different.

Despite the perception that superyachts are super for a reason, there are many limitations; space is one of them. Space is a premium on board luxury yachts and yet owners want spacious living environments; this presents design challenges.

Another consideration is that many people charter or own superyachts to embrace life at sea, not to be hidden away. These expectations have resulted in an emergence in multi-purpose rooms and a focus on exterior space, blending indoor and outdoor design and experiences, and incorporating natural light.

Many of the superyachts you see today include beach clubs, saunas, steam rooms, massage rooms, hair and nail parlours, gyms, swimming pools, Jacuzzis, wet bars, underwater observation rooms, helicopter landing pads, cinemas and new-technology glass portals.

15 superyachts with stunning design features

At Yachting Pages, we explore some of the most impressive features on board luxury yachts. In no particular order:

1. M/Y Symphony

This 101.5m Feadship accommodates a gym, beauty salon and massage room. Her layout includes an observation lounge, bar and Jacuzzi on the sun deck and terrace and outdoor cinema on the bridge deck. The main deck benefits from a six-metre contraflow, glass-bottom swimming pool with waterfall and underwater lights, and below the pool on the lower deck is a lounge, beach club, wellness centre and cinema.

The owner's deck boasts a sauna, forward terrace with Jacuzzi and al fresco dining for 20.

2. M/Y Alfa Nero

Built by Oceanco at 81m, she boasts a gym, three dining areas, a dance room, two al fresco spa-pools with Turkish bath, massage room and glass lift connecting all decks. One of her most impressive features is the beach club with glass-ended swimming pool that can be raised and converted into a helipad or dance floor. Launched in 2007 her universally acclaimed design still continues to impress today.

3. M/Y Natita

This impressive 66m yacht by Oceanco offers an expansive sun terrace designed to accommodate a circular, sea-facing pool complete with whirlpool feature. Its circular hot tub with stepped pools creates a waterfall effect spilling into the surrounding shallow pools.

4. M/Y Vibrant Curiosity

As well as being placed on the upper deck, the swimming pool boasts skylights in the bottom. The lights illuminate a lower deck corridor leading from the aft platform up to the main salon, to offer a unique experience on board Oceanco’s 85m yacht.

5. M/Y Grace E

Built by Perini Navi, this 73m luxury yacht has the ultimate wellness deck equipped with massage room, wet/dry sauna, panoramic gym, treatment room with hydrotherapy bath, cold dip bath, meditation treatment room, Jacuzzi, sunpads, plunge pool, circular bar, hair salon and large windows to enjoy sea views.

6. M/Y Dubai

At 162m superyacht Dubai boasts a cinema, disco room, gym, swimming pool, Jacuzzis and atrium. Built by Platinum Yachts, her standout feature is her circular glass staircase bathed in natural light from the skylight on the top deck. The steps of this jaw-dropping structure also change colour to create different moods on board.

7. M/Y Savannah

Feadship’s 83.5m Savannah showcases a unique use of yacht glass to bring her owner and guests closer to life at sea. Her glass-encased lounge is on the port side of the boat, and offers an ocean view. The lounge is also multi-functional, turning into a cinema when not in use for underwater viewing.

8. M/Y YAS

The rear of the aft deck houses a swimming pool with waterfall feature; perhaps the most unique element is the master stateroom (with private terrace) and its use of curved expansive glass, which floods the room with unparalleled natural light. The upper deck of this 141m yacht also includes a helipad.

9. M/Y Quattroelle

Lurssen’s 88m superyacht includes a state of the art gym designed by no other than Olympic Champion, Usain Bolt. Due to its positioning on the upper deck, it offers far-reaching views and lots of space to enjoy a workout. Quattroelle embraces health and wellbeing with a spa, hairdressing salon, private massage room and two Jacuzzis.

10. M/Y Solandge

Built by Lurssen at 85m, her panoramic upper deck includes a beach club area with a customised dance floor and rainforest-style shower, Jacuzzi, and wet bar. The bridge deck offers al fresco dining, massage room, sauna and gym leading onto a glass-edged plunge pool. A great yacht for entertaining, it features a number of bars, buffet areas, and both indoor and outdoor cinemas.

11. M/Y A

Built by Blohm + Voss, this 119m superyacht is instantly recognisable, with three swimming pools on board; one of which is glass-bottomed, and can be admired from the disco below providing a unique perspective for guests aboard.

12. M/Y TV

At 78m, this Lurssen luxury yacht features a large spa pool, swimming pool, bar, barbeque and exterior dining area. The upper deck owner's suite has panoramic views opening on to a private deck with spa pool. On the lower deck, a health centre accommodates a gymnasium, sauna, massage and beauty rooms.

13. M/Y Lady M

This 64m Palmer Johnson yacht holds a 1,000-gallon freshwater Jacuzzi, enclosed in glass overlooking the swim platform. It’s complemented by a stairwell leading up to the outdoor gym. The bridge-deck offers a large outdoor dining table seating 12 guests. The aft deck, which is part of the exterior living space, offers guests numerous loungers and sofas along with an outdoor bar. Another great feature of this superyacht is her large fore-deck saltwater pool holding 11,000 gallons of water, which can be converted into a touch-and-go helipad.

14. M/Y Skyback

In partnership with Dutch superyacht designer Cor D. Rover, Fincantieri Yachts created Skyback, an 80.4m superyacht, which made her first international debut at the Monaco Yacht Show 2014.

Boasting a swimming pool with moveable floor, bridge deck with sky lounge and wheelhouse and sundeck with fitness suite and spa, despite these amazing features, her uniqueness is reflected in a climate-controlled glass canopy.

The canopy extends over the aft deck to completely or partially cover the 10x4 metre swimming pool and neatly folds away into the yacht’s superstructure, when not in use.

15. M/Y Moonstone

The 90m Moonstone concept design by Oceanco and Van Geest Design is unique because of her multi-faceted hull, which reflects sunlight and water by day and twinkles with 600 illuminated triangles at night. Alongside this, innovative feature she offers a generous gym and spa area, cinema and a touch-and-go helipad.

Some superyachts are more child friendly than others and some offer good wheelchair access; whatever feature is desired, as long as budget is not an issue, it can be fulfilled on board. Many people consider that only those that charter or own sailing yachts, truly love life at sea, but that’s not the case and many builders are embracing this reality in their motor yacht designs.