Congratulations, we hear that you’ve become a billionaire. No, no we don’t care how you made your money. You were smart to get out of bitcoins when you did. But we here at the Infographics Institute have some suggestions on how you should spend your loot. Of course, no billionaire’s life is complete without owning a megayacht.
Don’t worry if you can’t swim or don’t like sailing, traveling on a superyacht is just like being in a luxurious mini-mansion. The mansion just happens to be on the water. Forget about not knowing anything about decorating either, you don’t have to have good taste, you’re rich!
Amazing Billionaire Mega Yachts
What is A SuperYacht?
There’s no official definition for a superyacht. Many yacht enthusiasts would disagree saying that a “superyacht” or “megayacht” is a yacht of at least 79 feet (24 meters) or more in length. If the boat is long, let’s say over 328 feet (100 meters) you could even call it a “giga-yacht”. Others argue that rather than size, a superyacht is determined by the level of luxurious comfort, the rich furnishings and the high level of services the yacht crew provides to guests who are lucky enough to be on board. As it turns out, all the boats in this article meet both definitions.
Number 1: The World Is Not Enough.
The owners love a certain franchise of spy movies. The World Is Not Enough is among the top five fastest yachts in the world. This sleek 139 feet (42.4 meters) long vessel was designed to be extremely aerodynamic; it has a v-shaped hull on the outside to slice through the water.
Four powerful engines give The World Is Not Enough a top speed of an impressive 70 knots (77 mph, 124 kph) and a cruising speed of 45 knots (52 mph, 83 kph).
Yet, the boat was also designed to minimize engine vibration and noise levels. You’ll notice this is a common feature among superyachts; billionaires don’t like noise to disturb their vacations. If they’re inside, they want to forget that they are on a boat.
As for the interior, 10 lucky guests can stay in 5 luxurious cabins supported by an 8 person crew. The yacht has a fancy saloon with an atrium, two bars, one on the main deck and another on the sky deck. The decks range from rare teak wood to polished marble columns in the palatial master suite. Skylights and designer furniture abound throughout the ship.
If you’re thinking that the World Is Not Enough is a little on the small side, you may want to consider a boat like the Azzam which at 590 feet (180 metres) in length, is the largest private motor yacht in the world. We’ve done the math and for reference, it’s about as long as 1.75 professional soccer pitches.
Number 2:-The Azzam
Though not a particularly fast vessel–the Azzam tops out at 32 knots (37 mph, 59 kph), the fact that this Giga yacht has its mini-submarine and missile defence system makes up for it. It also has multiple helipads, two swimming pools, a cinema and a disco. The grand salon on the main deck is 95 feet long by 60 feet wide (29×18 meters), with no pillars dividing the space.
The Azzam boasts amazing views from its many windows which are made from bulletproof glass. Furthermore, the master suite is lined with armour plating and is also bulletproof. The Azzam provides space for 36 guests in 18 spacious cabins supported by a crew of 60 in 30 cabins. If you’re wondering why the need for such security, the Azzam is owned by the president of the United Arab Emirates. Sadly, we have no idea what the interior of Azzam looks like, security has never allowed pictures to be taken inside.
If sophistication and classic elegance is more your style, perhaps you’d be interested in purchasing a superyacht like Tis.
Number 3: The TIS
The yacht is 364 feet (111 meters) with 6 decks. The decor on the Tis is modelled after Versailles with the furniture inspired by the antiques of Louis XIV to XVIII. Decorating the polished wooden floors are plush, colourful Parisian salon style rugs. A stunning double staircase leads up to the informal saloon on the owners’ deck. Three chandeliers grace the dining room. A helipad doubles as an outdoor dance floor or cinema. But if the weather is terrible outdoors, there’s an indoor cinema too–with comfy reclining chairs.
The Tis boasts a few other staircases. The central staircase allows you to make a statement entrance. It has marble steps, handrails in gilded wrought iron and winds up through a stunning atrium that soars 49 feet (15 metres) overhead. However, if you don’t feel like taking the stairs, there’s an adjacent stylish glass elevator with cushioned velvet seating in case you need to sit down.
Each guest room on the TIS is themed, inspired by a particular city or region the owner has visited, such as New York or London. The boat also has a spa, gym, tea room, beauty salon and massage room.
Number 4: The Octopus
which we would describe as having a luxury minimalist style.
Measuring at 414 feet (126 m), the Octopus was the largest personal yacht in the world when it was built in 2004. It has a cruising speed of 17 knots (20 mph, 31 kph), and 20 knots (23 mph, 37 kph) of top speed delivered.
The yacht is equipped with a movie theater, basketball court, and recording studio. The requisite pool is glass-bottomed so it seems like you’re swimming into the depths. Also, poolside, there is a full bar. The Octopus has accommodations for 26 guests in opulent 41 suites. 60 full-time staff members share 28 cabins.
On the main deck are two helipads, a twin pad, and multiple hangers in the stern. The Octopus also holds 7 tenders aboard, including a 63-foot (19 m) tender in the transom plus a landing craft.
Last but not least, the Octopus has two submarines, one is called Pagoo. It can dive for up to eight hours and accommodate 10 people. The other is Octo ROV, which can be remotely controlled and dive up to 8,843 feet (2,695 m). Google Earth borrowed the ROV for their project “Explore the Ocean” project).
Number 5: Sailing Yacht
Can’t decide what kind of superyacht you would like to buy? Why not get two as a Russian billionaire did?
He has a yacht for sailing and also a slightly smaller motorized yacht. Sailing Yacht A has 8 decks. It’s 468-foot (143 m) long with three 328 foot (100 meters) masts– that’s taller than Big Ben (322 feet, 98 m)! It can travel at up to 21 knots (24 mph, 39 kph) and its cruising speed is 16 knots (18 mph, 29 kph).
In addition to several helipads, a submarine, several luxury tender boats, and elevators to help guests move around the Giga yacht, Sailing Yacht A features three separate spa pools with current-generating technology and a glass underwater observation site located in the keel.
We’re pretty sure Sailing Yacht A has some fancy furnishings, but unfortunately we don’t know for sure. The intensely private owner hasn’t allowed the media on the boat. However, for a distance, a photographer managed to snap a picture of a chair in the shape of a giant head near what appeared to be a bar and dining area.
Number 6: Motor Yacht
The owner’s second boat Motor Yacht A is a little smaller at 394 feet (120 m) and was designed to look like a surfacing submarine. Powered by two diesel engines, the yacht has the power to get you to a top speed of 23 knots (26 mph, 42 kph) and a cruising speed of 19.5 knots (22.4 mph, 36 kph).
Motor Yacht A’s decor is dominated by mirrors, baccarat crystal and unique animal skin wall coverings such as a bedroom covered in white stingray hide. The master suite has serious security–it’s opened via fingerprint. Many of the electronics on board such as the 60 inch TV in the master bedroom hang from the ceiling and retract via remote control when not in use. The boat has 3 pools, a giant helipad and a disco. The cavernous garage which housed three tenders can also be used as party space. All over the yacht are patches of grass for the owner’s dog.
Frankly, we could go on and on describing various yachts, but they are all kinda the same. Shout out to whomever just slammed their jewel-encrusted, gold plated laptop in shock.
While researching this story, we nosy, underpaid and judgy writers at the Infographics Institute were curious to find out exactly what cool or interesting things billionaires filled their boats with. But we realized that everyone puts similar type stuff into their similar type yachts.
Billionaire Luxury Yachts Features
Designer furniture, chandeliers, baby grand pianos, top-line electronics with hand-painted murals or high-end artwork on their walls. Decks are made from rare wood, there’s gold or platinum plated trim, stairs and counters are made from exotic marble–clearly, the owners aren’t shopping at Ikea.
While amenities vary from yacht to yacht the types of amenities are the same too. Pools, sometimes multiple pools–gotta have both saltwater and infinity, jacuzzis, spas, elevators, huge grand salons, movie theaters, gaming rooms complete with ping pong and pool tables, discos, basically anything you may find in a five-star hotel. That includes an impeccably trained crew, whose job it is to fulfil any whim you might have day or night.
Yawn. I’m not saying that any of the Infographics staff would turn down a chance to stay aboard a superyacht, of course, we wouldn’t! But a big discussion ensued as to what we would put on our superyachts if we were rich enough to own one.
Purpose of Superyachts
Obviously whatever you get is to impress other billionaires. It is! Hear us out: ultimately owning a luxury yacht is for impressing other people who own mega yachts or are capable of owning superyachts.
Sure it’s fun to vacation on one, but superyachts are for sailing to the French Riviera or off the coast of Italy and holding fancy parties while being moored in the harbour. You invite your wealthy and A-list friends over to impress them. Perhaps you mount some of your family’s expensive art collection aboard so your friends can admire your Picasso or Degas over cocktails. Or you hire a pop star to entertain your guests, such as Lenny Kravitz performing at the Motor Yacht A’s owner’s third wedding anniversary bash in 2008.
You impress your wealthy friends with your superyacht. Then they become inspired to go purchase superyachts of their own so they can outdo you and each other. The circle of life continues.
After much debate, we narrowed the list of things Infographic writers would have on their superyachts to a top five. Aside from the usual fancy stuff, we think if you’re buying a superyacht, you should have:
Ideal amenities for a superyacht
5) A go-kart racing track that loops the length of the ship
4) A zoo- creating a Noah’s Ark
3) A huge aquarium with sharks with lasers attached to their heads
2) Indoor ski slope
1) A treasure room for swimming through gold coins like a certain wealthy duck.
Hopefully, we’ve given you a lot to think about as you undertake your search to own the perfect superyacht. We’d love it if you sent us invitations to the launch party. See more
