Princess Y80 Yacht Premiere Set for This Fall

Summertime may mean cruising time, but it also means boat-show prep time, for both yacht buyers and yacht builders. With the Cannes Yachting Festival kicking off superyacht shows in September, buyers are keen to see the first Princess Y80 yacht afloat. She’s the latest addition to Princess Yachts’ Y Class line.

The Y Class blends the benefits of a flying bridge with the time-honored amenities of a cruising motoryacht, plus good speed. Princess Yachts teased the new model last year, only revealing a few sketches. Among them, the flying bridge was a focus, of course. Aboard the real Princess Y80 yacht, expect to see an emphasis on alfresco entertaining. Seating and dining spaces, a wetbar (with optional barstools), and a sunpad are for use throughout the day. You can stow a tender or PWC up here, too, launching via an optional davit that integrates into and hides beneath the sunpad. Since the series is semi-custom, you also can have a hot tub and loose furnishings on deck.

the Princess Y80 yacht foredeck lounge rendering

Entertaining day and night are possible via the foredeck lounge (above) and main aft deck as well. Princess pledges that up to 10 people can fit comfortably amid the seating area. The seating further can convert to a sunpad if you’d rather stretch out on nice days. On the aft deck, meanwhile, three different configurations are available. Firstly, there’s the most popular arrangement, a U-shape dining area. (Conveniently, you can stow two SeaBobs beneath the seating as well.) Secondly, you can select freestanding furniture for eight to complement a central table. Or, request the “infinity cockpit” (below), an arrangement that premiered on the Princess Y85 yacht. With this, the seating area slides electrically to create a casual dining area or equally casual observation settees. Either way, the glass balustrade aft provides a sense of floating above the water.

This type of flexibility continues inside, of course. The Princess Y80 yacht offers four wood choices, for example: alba oak, rovere oak, silver oak, or walnut. Given the nearly 20-foot (6.07-meter) beam, the open-plan main deck should look and feel roomy regardless of décor. It’s also ideal for owner-operators, since the galley is an unobtrusive space opposite the dining area, almost like a bar. If you do prefer some separation between guests and crew, though, request partitions for the galley and wheelhouse.

the Princess Y80 yacht "infinity cockpit" rendering

Speaking of separation, although the master stateroom joins three guest staterooms below decks, it has its own entry off the foyer. It spans the full beam, too, with the en suite head as a buffer from the mechanical areas fully aft.

If you book an appointment to see the Princess Y80 yacht at the Cannes Yachting Festival, see if you can take a sea trial. Top speed should be 30 to 32 knots.

In related news, the Princess Y95 will be at the show, too. The flagship of the Y Class, she’s making her first appearance outside of England.

Princess Yachts princessyachts.com