The Monaco Yacht Show is the most highly anticipated event of the Mediterranean season. But this year has generated even more excitement than usual, with a series of impressive milestones reached. The biggest superyacht in the show's history – the 122-metre Kismet – will be in attendance, alongside the largest number of 100-metre-plus yachts overall with the arrival of the 111.9-metre Renaissance and 105.3-metre H3.
To honour this record-breaking edition, BOAT looks back at the Monaco Yacht Show's largest attendees...
Kismet
122m
Which show?
2024
This year's Monaco Yacht Show will be a record-breaker with Lürssen's mighty Kismet in attendance. An immense volume of 4,918GT houses a mosaic-line pool with a 40-tonne capacity, two spa pools, a certified helipad, fireplaces inside and out, a full-service spa, a lift and a gym. To say nothing of her intricate paint and marble detailing or the stainless-steel jaguar bow figure. It's no wonder Pascale Reymond, co-founder of Reymond Langton studio, has billed her a "cathedral of design".
Kismet also represents a first for the German shipyard with her underwater lounge and cinema, featuring extra-large windows (1.1 metres by 2.8 metres) that dip under the waterline. She is one of the world's most expensive yachts for charter, asking €3,000,000 per week with Cecil Wright.
Read More/Kismet: On board the largest yacht to ever attend Monaco Yacht ShowAhpo
115.1m
Which show?
2022
Another Lürssen, Ahpo was named after a term of endearment meaning grandmother. And her design certainly centres around the family, including two identical bedrooms with different colour schemes, designed for the original owner's twin girls. Wellness is another major focus, with a nature-themed spa, massage room, beauty salon and private owner's gym outfitted in red-lacquer furniture and custom dumbbells.
Other highlights include a mosaic bathroom modelled after the work of Gustav Klimt, a 12-seat cinema and an aft deck winter garden. There are quarters for up to 53 crew, including two helicopter pilots.
Read More/ Ahpo: Behind the build of Lürssen's striking 115m superyachtRenaissance
111.9m
Which show?
2024
Renaissance was built by Spanish yard Freire and created by the legendary Jon Bannenberg, though for 40 years the design never left the drawing board. The owners turned to his son at Bannenberg & Rowell Design when it came time to build it and provided a long list of non-negotiables, including a large gym, high ceilings, lots of places to eat and a very large beach club. The brief was certainly fulfilled with a double-height formal dining room, a sushi bar and a deck entirely dedicated to wellness, including the aforementioned gym, a sauna, a ballet bar and a dedicated hair and beauty salon.
Accommodation is across 19 cabins, including an owner's deck with a 60-square-metre suite, a media room and a lounge with bar and dining. A private terrace with sunloungers and a Jacuzzi for six can be found forward.
Read More/Renaissance: On board the 112m yacht that’s both highly personal and tailored for charterAlaiya
111.5m
Which show?
2019
Alaiya (then Tis) was styled inside and out by British studio Winch Design and was commissioned by a long-time (read: seven year) charter client of Moran Yacht & Ship. The superyacht houses two helicopter pads, a 12-metre swimming pool, a private owner's deck and a "resort-inspired" spa across her 4,699GT interiors. Her tender garage can also accommodate two 13-metre tenders and a variety of water toys.
Accommodation is for 18 guests across nine cabins, with further quarters for 38 crew. Alaiya was sold following her appearance at the show and then underwent an extensive, seven-month refit with Blohm & Voss.
Kaos
110.1m
Which show?
2017
Kaos (then Jubilee) is one of the most recognisable yachts on the water with a long, lean, metallic blue exterior by Igor Lobanov. The Oceanco looks surprisingly lithe for her immense size, attributed to the clever troupe l'oil effect design that gives the appearance of additional decks and so conceals her actual height. Interior details have been kept largely under wraps but at the time of her delivery, it was said that Kaos had the most marble and stone outfitted within the interior than any other superyacht.
The yacht is also known for her swimming pool, positioned on the largest of the four decks and peering into an aquarium in the beach club below. She was one of the most travelled superyachts of 2023 thanks to a mammoth transatlantic passage that began in St Barths for the New Year's celebrations and ended in the River Thames, London.
Read More/Jubilee: Inside Oceanco’s 110m flagship superyachtIJE
108m
Which show?
2021
A Benetti creation, IJE is the flagship of the Italian shipyard's fleet and a full-custom project to boot. British studio RWD is responsible for the exterior and interior design, which is meant to capture "the soul of an explorer" in a polished superyacht package.
As a result, IJE was kitted out with three large tenders, eight Jet Skis, comfortable guest and crew cabins for long stints in remote areas, as well as an owner's deck, a nightclub, a cinema, a gym and a beach club. She is also reportedly equipped with the largest single-point lift crane installed on a yacht. The superyacht edges out previous flagships Luminosity and Lana by only a few centimetres.
Read More/IJE: On board the 108m flagship of the Benetti fleetAmadea
Which show?
2019
Amadea took just 31 months to complete from the first steel cutting, which was quite the feat for a vessel of her size. Exterior design is by Espen Øino International, while interiors were styled by Francois Zuretti. Her highlights include a 4D cinema with popcorn machine, a hand-painted Pleyel piano and a spa pool and sunpad set up that can convert into a live stage with built-in speakers, stage lights and laser beams. The owner’s cabin also has a private terrace complete with a mosaic-lined pool.
The superyacht was arrested in May 2022 after her UBO (ultimate beneficiary owner) was allegedly sanctioned following the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Read More/Motion to sell 106m arrested superyacht Amadea denied by US CourtsH3
105.3m
Which show?
2024
She may not have the (literal) edge over Kismet this year, but H3 is a record-breaker in her own right as the current world's most expensive yacht for sale. The superyacht is asking an eye-watering €295,000,000 with Edmiston and earns the bill, outfitted with a piano previously owned by Elton John – the one on which he wrote the album Songs from the West Coast – a large pool with a waterfall feature, a huge spa and wellness area with a nail salon and a climate-controlled winter garden in the owner's suite.
Her three-year rebuild, beginning in 2020, won her international acclaim and a World Superyacht Award. Virtually nothing was left from her previous life as Indian Empress except the hull, which had also been extended a further 10 metres. BOAT International was provided an exclusive look inside her rebuild last year.
Read More/For sale: Inside 105m Oceanco H3 and her epic rebuildFor those attending the Monaco Yacht Show, visit Stand DS103 to say hello to the BOAT International team.