Why the Rich Are Choosing to Live Aboard Their Superyachts Full-Time

The yacht as we know it is changing. It is no longer simply a status symbol or holiday companion, but rather an extension of the home, and, in some cases, the home itself. A growing number of yachters are living full-time at sea, eschewing traditional homes on land in favor of fully equipped floating residences. 

The pandemic is largely what caused that shift, according to Erwin Bamps, the CEO of Gulf Craft, the Middle East’s largest boat builder. “Many people bought boats during and after Covid just to keep their sanity,” he told Robb Report on a recent Zoom call. “They were able to remove their masks, literally, and restore some normality in their life.” 

The freedom that comes with being on the water has proven incredibly appealing to owners, especially with changing generational values putting greater emphasis on work-life balance and experientialism. At the same time, advances in marine technology have made it possible to spend longer stretches of time at sea. Starlink, a satellite internet service created by SpaceX, means owners can now stay connected at sea and choose to work remotely or unplug from the world completely. 

“I’ve been running my business remotely for many years,” explains one owner of a Majesty 112, who, along with their family, lives mostly on their yacht at different marinas. “Everything is organized online, so I don’t need to be physically present in an office. That flexibility makes this lifestyle possible.” 

Modern marine engineering also means that private yachts can go further on less fuel, putting more destinations within reach. “A house has its advantages, but a yacht offers something a house never can: your home travels with you,” the Majesty 112 owner adds. “If you decide you’d rather live in another country, you simply move.”

The rise of ocean living is, of course, directly impacting yacht design. Bamps says the new wave of owners is prioritizing things like stabilization systems for smooth cruising and hybrid propulsion for quiet, emissions-free operation.

“They don’t want to smell any fumes, they don’t want to hear the generator or engine, they don’t want to feel the movements of the waves; they want big windows, air-conditioning, the internet, and Netflix,” he says. “They don’t actually want to buy a boat; they want to buy real estate on the water.” 

To that end, shipyards are now focusing on building yachts that function as full-time homes. At one end of the spectrum are fully bespoke megayachts, like the 364-foot Leviathan that Oceanco recently built for Gabe Newell. The billionaire game developer, who acquired the Dutch shipyard in 2025, not only owns a growing fleet of research vessels, but also lives full-time at sea. “Other than a couple of months in 2021, I’ve been living onboard ever since the pandemic,” he told a group of journalists during the Monaco Yacht Show in 2025. His “home,” which scored top honors in Robb Report’s Best of the Best awards this year, offers everything from a basketball court to a dive center.

Towards the other end of the spectrum are semi-custom superyachts like those made by Gulf Craft. The yard is now designing models specifically for the new wave of seafarers, adding the space, volume, and amenities required for extended stays at sea. Even still, clients want to personalize the yachts like they would a mansion, according to Bamps. 

“When we were designing the yacht, we wanted it to feel as much like a home as possible,” says one owner of a Majesty 100 Terrace, who spends most of their time in Turkey. “One feature that has made a real difference is the infrared sauna, which we installed in place of one of the guest cabins. It makes the yacht especially comfortable during the cooler months and has become an important part of life on board.”

Bamps has also had to do things like increase the size of the wardrobes so clients can travel with all their clothing and work out ways to display their favorite artwork or vase. He even had to rethink the ovens after one client complained the cakes she was cooking weren’t turning out quite right. That underscores the level of domesticity now experienced onboard. 

Even seemingly small changes, like adding a blender or microwave to a yacht, can have a major impact on the overall layout and design. Additional appliances drive up the power demand, so, as Bamps puts it, “the generators keep growing, but the boat doesn’t,” meaning engineers need to come up with clever solutions to fit them in the existing space. The team has also had to solve problems like where to put all the rubbish one family accumulates over four weeks at sea. 

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The yachters themselves face issues, too. “Living onboard a yacht is very different from living in a traditional house,” says the owner of a custom Oyster 595, who is currently living aboard their yacht while circumnavigating the globe over 16 months as part of the Oyster World Rally. “When you’re at anchor, you’re constantly aware of factors such as anchor drag, swing room, nearby boats, and changing weather conditions. Add to that energy and water management, ongoing maintenance, and general safety, and there’s certainly more to think about.” He also points out that occasionally you can’t have exactly the meal you’re craving, but that simply encourages creativity and resourcefulness in the galley. 

All three owners we spoke to agreed that the benefits of living at sea far outweighed the responsibilities that come with owning a yacht, like regular maintenance. “It’s one big adventure, and I love every minute of it,” the Oyster owner adds. “I enjoy waking each morning to the sound of the water, watching spectacular sunrises with a coffee on deck, then filling the day with sailing, exploring, maintenance, or whatever else comes up.”

Bamps, who has clocked over two decades in the industry, expects the trend to continue. He is so confident, in fact, that he recently hired two former real estate agents to sell yachts like they would houses. “I think that yachts will take up a lot more space in people’s lives,” he says optimistically, “and that is amazing for the industry.”