Known for its pristine stretches of sea, plentiful beach clubs and dining hotspots, St Barths has become a popular Caribbean cruising spot for superyachts – especially in the countdown to the New Year. Arguably the most-anticipated delivery of the year, Lürssen's 122-metre Kismet was spotted in St Barths along with Freire's 112-metre behemoth Renaissance and Oceanco's 110-metre Kaos, according to BOATPro's global fleet tracker.
As of today (31 December), there are 173 yachts docked in or around St Barths for New Year's Eve, with more expected to arrive in the coming days. A regular on the scene, Feadship's 100-metre Moonrise has returned for the festivities, while Oceanco's 81.3-metre Alfa Nero has been sighted following her return to the charter market. Noteworthy absences include the legendary Christina O, which has instead opted for the Galápagos Islands. BOAT takes a closer look at the yachts ringing in 2025 in Caribbean waters...
1. Koru
Builder: Oceanco
Length: 127m
Owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the 127-metre superyacht Koru was the biggest attendee in St Barths, accompanied by her 75-metre support vessel Abeona from Damen Yachting. The yacht’s name, Koru, is the Māori word meaning "new beginnings" and she is recognisable by her intricate gold paintwork, scarlet bootstripe and elaborate figurehead made of polished wood. She is one of the largest Dutch-built yachts by LOA and one of the largest sailing yachts in the world.
Read More/The best pictures of Koru2. Kismet
Builder: Lürssen
Length: 122m
It's fitting that one of the most-talked-about yachts of the year is one of St Barth's largest attendees. A superyacht not just to be talked about, but to be seen, Kismet spent the Christmas and New Year period perusing Caribbean waters, first navigating St Martin before crossing the Saint-Barthélmy Channel to arrive at Gustavia, the capital of St Barths, in time for Christmas. Built by the German yard and delivered in 2024, the yacht's exterior design is the work of Nuvolari Lenard, while the interior is owed to Reymond Langton. Expect the most unusual of features on board – from a Balinese-inspired spa to a partially underwater, Art Deco cinema and a main saloon inspired by Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors. When yacht spotting, look out for her giveaway – a stainless steel bowsprit in the shape of a jaguar.
Read More/Exclusive: On board Lürssen's 122m superyacht Kismet3. Ahpo
Builder: Lürssen
Length: 115.1m
Creating this Caribbean-inspired superyacht reunited owner Michael Lee-Chin, design firm Nuvolari Lenard, Lürssen and Moran Yacht & Ship – the same team that worked on the 86-metre Quattroelle. She was sold in 2023 in one of the biggest brokerage deals in history, making headlines with her €330 million price tag. She is now one of the world's most expensive yachts for charter. Onboard leisure includes a private duplex for the owner and a nature-themed spa complete with a massage room, Himalayan salt sauna and a Turkish-style Hammam.
Read More/ Ahpo: Behind the build of Lürssen's striking 115m superyacht4. Renaissance
Builder: Freire
Length: 111.9m
The largest private yacht built in Spain and one of the world's most expensive charter yachts, Renaissance was delivered by Spanish yard Freire, a commercial shipyard that had only built one private yacht prior: the 73.6-metre Naia. British studio Bannenberg & Rowell took the reins on exterior and interior design, presenting a superyacht built to Passenger Yacht Code which can take up to 36 guests on charter. To give an insight into the layout: there are six decks with one entirely catered towards wellness, a "palatial" owner's deck with private terrace and one decked-out beach club. Even the double-height main saloon is carved into two living areas, thanks to a mezzanine level.
Read More/Renaissance: On board the 112m yacht that’s both highly personal and tailored for charter5. Kaos
Builder: Oceanco
Length: 110.1m
The brainchild of Barcelona-based designer Igor Lobanov, Kaos once stood as the largest superyacht ever built in the Netherlands. Built by the Dutch yard with naval architecture by BMT Nigel Gee, the yacht was first delivered in 2017 as Jubilee with design by Sam Sorgiovanni. By 2018, she was sold and a year-long refit kicked off, where existing and new interior spaces were penned by Reymond Langton Design. Today, she can be recognised by her distinctive "floating island" design, whereby a troupe l'oil effect gives the illusion of extra decks. Kaos is also known for being able to cruise far, taking guests on voyages up to 5,000 nautical miles at her cruising speed.
6. Bravo Eugenia
Builder: Oceanco
Length: 109m
Famously commissioned for Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Bravo Eugenia has the svelte proportions of a sports yacht with an elongated bow and slender form. Her design is the work of studio Nuvolari Lenard and she is powered by a hybrid engine with a waste heat recovery system and single-tier engine room. This layout helps free up valuable space for two helipads, a wellness centre, and a large tender garage beneath the foredeck. Delivered in 2018, the motor yacht is christened after Jones's wife, Eugenia Jones.
Read More/Super Bowl LVIII: the superyachts built for NFL team owners7. Lady Moura
Builder: Blohm & Voss
Length: 104.9m
Lady Moura was delivered in 1990 to a design by German-based designer Paolo Scanu with interiors by Luigi Sturchio. At the time of her delivery, she was the ninth largest yacht ever built – and the most expensive. BOAT stepped on board in 2021 when she was under new ownership, marking one of the year's biggest brokerage sales. The yacht was involved in a collision with the 78.2-metre Feadship superyacht Venus (commissioned by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs) in July this year. A representative of Lady Moura said that damages to both yachts were minimal and cosmetic and that the situation was "amicably and professionally" resolved.
8. Moonrise
Builder: Feadship
Length: 100m
The Dutch yard's 100-metre is a regular on the French Caribbean island around New Year, spotted there in both 2023 and 2022. Although most details have been kept under wraps, Moonrise's strong and attractive masculine exterior design and clean lines hail from Studio De Voogt, while Rémi Tessier created a modern interior. The combination of these details won her a World Superyacht Award in 2021 in the Displacement Motor Yachts 3,000GT and Above category.
9. Sophia
Builder: Feadship
Length: 96.6m
Previously known as Faith until her name change in October 2024, Sophia is one of the biggest Feadship launches to date and was originally commissioned for Canadian businessman Lawrence Stroll. Her list of amenities includes a nine-metre glass-bottomed swimming pool, a sundeck gym and two 10-metre custom tenders to whisk guests to shore. Alternatively, evenings on board are best spent on the sundeck, where guests will find a wood-fired pizza oven and wine cellar. Guests can also retreat to a private deck for aperitifs around a firepit, or make use of a basketball court that can be arranged on the foredeck – perfect for enjoying the New Year's Eve festivities.
10. CC-Summer
Builder: Lürssen
Length: 95.3m
CC-Summer is one of the world's most expensive superyachts for charter and recently made her debut at the 2024 Antigua Charter Yacht Show. Previously Madsummer, the yacht was commissioned by an owner in the market for both a new plane and a boat. As a result, the sundeck was reinforced to serve as a seaplane berth with a crane hidden in the bulwark. Other highlights include a helideck on the foredeck, a brightly coloured interior by Laura Sessa, a spa and a 12-metre swimming pool.
11. Lady Lara
Builder: Lürssen
Length: 91m
Delivered in 2015, the elusive Lady Lara made her "semi-public" debut at the Monaco Yacht Show eight years later (and invited BOAT International onboard for the very first time). She's designed inside and out by Reymond Langton Design with features that include a comprehensive spa and wellness area, a custom gym on the bridge deck and a dedicated owner's deck. At night, a 1,000-metre-plus architectural rope light system sets every facet of the superyacht alight, making her a particularly impressive sight in St Barths.
12. Barbara
Builder: Oceanco
Length: 88.5m
The client’s brief to designer Sam Sorgiovanni was to create a timeless design, something that had never been seen before. As a result, Barbara has an unusual and interesting layout that the owner devised with Azure Yacht Design and Naval Architecture, which produced the general arrangement. As BOAT reported in 2021, the yacht is "The product of an experienced designer-builder-owner team" and "is a travelling beach house with roots in the wilds of the Asia Pacific region".
Read More/Barbara: On board Oceanco’s 88.5m force of nature13. Project X
Builder: Golden Yachts
Length: 87.6m
Project X was aptly named for her defining triple-X design down the waist of the boat's superstructure, courtesy of exterior designer Ken Freivokh. Onboard highlights include a three-deck atrium connected by a circular glass elevator, an aft deck pool and a private office-conference room spanning the width of the vessel's 14.8-metre beam. She is the Greek shipyard's second largest delivery, following the 95-metre O’Pari in 2020.
Read More/How the 88m Project X came to life over 14 years14. Lonian
Builder: Feadship
Length: 87m
Little is known about the 87-metre superyacht Lonian's interior. She completed sea trials in June this year following a refit and survey period at Feadship's facilities in the Netherlands – covering her five-year warranty check, extensive repaint and minor enhancements. Delivered in 2018, the yacht arrived in the Caribbean Sea at St Martin on 23 December.
Read More/Watch: newly refitted 87m Lonian leaves Feadship yard after successful sea trials15. Bold
Builder: SilverYachts
Length: 85.3m
The ultimate explorer yacht for charter, Bold is an all-aluminium military-inspired superyacht with all the necessities. Think huge heli deck, extensive toy chest, winter garden and a cinema, and you've summed up the 95-metre. Built by Australian yard Silver Yachts, Espen Øino conceived the knife-edge design with an aft deck spanning over 30 metres for lounging space (but also a party space and a helipad) and an aft bridge deck, which can facilitate a second helicopter or be used as a grand banqueting space. Accommodation on board is for 12 guests across eight guest cabins comprising the owner’s suite, three VIPs and four double guest cabins.
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