- Upgrading to a cruiser
- What is a cruiser?
- What is a luxury cruiser?
- Best luxury cruiser motoryacht brands
- Luxury sailing cruisers
Enjoy a superyacht lifestyle on a compact yacht
Once you have mastered the basics of boat handling, and have outgrown the limits of your skiff, day boat or runabout and want to upgrade to a more spacious vessel.
Whether you are planning to buy a cruiser design for island hopping for an idyllic Caribbean retirement or something suitable for you serious exploration coastlines, buying the right vessel to take you on a voyage of a lifetime is a big decision.
Above: 2022 Azimut Atlantis 51 power is for sale with YachtWorld. Image: YachtWorld.
Tips and advice: Upgrading to a cruiser
Before buying a cruiser you should carry out research on different types of cruisers, brands and models. Consider chartering a range of different types of motor yachts or sailboats to get a feel of what is best suited to your lifestyle needs.
Once you begin to narrow down your search for the right vessel, ensure that you carry out sea trials of the boats for sale before you consider making an offer. Seatrials help to uncover any hidden issues, and even if you must travel far and wide to execute a sea trial, it will pay off in the long-term.
YouTube is a great research tool for gaining insight into comparisons of brands and models. Watch online videos on platforms such as boats.com to gain a deeper insight into the different features and layout types available.
What is a cruiser?
A cruiser is an umbrella term for any seaworthy yachts designed for long-distance travel and leisure and typically range from around 25 feet to over 50 feet (15 metres) in length, providing ample space for comfort and amenities. They offer stability and safety while exploring coastal areas or offshore, they are robust and built to handle various sea conditions. Living quarters on a cruiser include sleeping spaces, often in the form of a dining area that converts into a V-berth bed forward, and one cabin, basic kitchen facilities (Stove, sink, microwave, and refrigerator, storage for food and utensils, small ovens or BBQ grills) and a shower and toilet (head), making them suitable for overnight stays and extended vacations.
Cruisers are defined into two key categories, sailboats or power boats. There are many different types of yachts and cruisers available to suit a range of lifestyles and needs. If you are unsure which one is best suited to you, read our comprehensive guide Explore different types of yachts.
2022 Pershing yachts Shine sports cruiser cruising in the ocean with quiet running, even at high speeds, and its lack of roll at anchor. Image via YachtWorld.
What is a luxury cruiser?
Luxury cruisers offer extra amenities that provide superior levels of comfort and a ‘home away from home’.
A step up from day cruisers, and cater to long-distance travel in comfort and style. In fact, large luxury cruisers are sometimes referred to as pocket superyachts because the amenities on board are equally as impressive.
Here are some of the features and benefits that luxury cruiser brands offer:
- Size wise, luxury cruisers are large and tend to have a LOA of somewhere between 15 to 45 meters (50 to 150+ feet).
- Accommodation will include multiple cabins or suites, often with en-suite bathrooms.
- Aft cabin, a separate rear cabin with a double bed or twin beds.
- Features a spacious beach deck for toys and tenders, including jet skis, tenders, snorkeling gear, paddleboards.
- Customisable interiors and ultra high-end finishes
- Stabilisers help reduce the rolling motion of a yacht, making the ride smoother and more comfortable, especially in a chop, or at anchor.
- State-of-the-art technology
- Collaborations with superyacht interior designers
- Flybridges offer upper deck with helm and seating, often used for sportfishing, which tends to be more popular in the American market.
- Generator for off-grid power.
- Lightweight composite builds
- Reduced levels of engine noise. Less noise pollution.
State-of-the-art technology
The world’s most luxurious cruisers are equipped with the latest technology, including GPS, radar and communication technology to ensure smooth, safe cruising, high-quality sound and visual systems, satellite TV, and entertainment centers. Luxury cruisers are integrated with navigation systems that utilise GPS, radar, and sometimes even autonomous technologies to ensure safe travel, automated docking, digital dashboards with large touch screen displays providing cruising and on-board system information including real time battery state and cruising mode information.
Collaborations with superyacht interior designers
Cruisers that sit in the luxury bracket boast interiors designed by world renowned marine designers who provide input into the exterior design, interior design, and naval architecture. For example, some of the latest luxury cruisers showcase exquisite creations by Philppe Briand, Andrew Winch, and Officina Italiana Design and Marco Casali to ensure that the interiors sparkle every bit as much as their superyacht counterparts.
Customisable interiors and ultra high-end finishes
Interiors are furnished in marble, teak, leather, and fine, sumptuous high-end fabrics and finishes. The decks and kitchens typically feature fine woodwork, finishes and craftsmanship.
Huge amounts of glass paneling and windows are used to improve the level of sunlight on board as well as sea views.
The best luxury cruiser motoryacht brands
European motoryacht cruiser brands are designed for Mediterranean-style cruising in comfort and style. Brands lauded for their luxury amenities and superior performance include Tiara Yachts, Sea Ray, Sunseeker, Pershing, Azimut, Princess Yachts, Ferretti, Wally, Riva and Benetti. Of course there is no way that we could not mention Beneteau, the iconic French brand renowned through the Med for its modern, practical luxury cruisers with a French twist.
If you want something more suited to Northern Europe's cruising grounds, you might want to look at Nimbus Boats (Swedish).
Popular American luxury cruiser yacht brands tend to focus on Hatteras Yachts, Viking Yachts, MJM Yachts.
Luxury sailing cruisers
Every sailor has a different opinion on what yacht constitutes a classic cruiser. Do you value performance with timeless classic cruising lines? The incomparable motion at sea of a long-keel yacht, or live aboard comfort combined with the ability to make long passages with little care for luxurious comfort? Long-standing most recognised classic sailboats including Sigma, Rustler, Rival, Oyster Yachts and Moody Yachts produce timeless handcrafted yachts synonymous with professional sailors with a respect for a purist approach to cruising.
Renowned luxury bluewater sailing catamarans include Leopard, Fountaine Pajot and Outremer.
Above: Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 509. Image via YachtWorld.
Browse for new and used cruiser yachts for sale on YachtWorld.
