Gigayacht — Size Class Explained

Overview

"Gigayacht" is an informal term used for the small number of private yachts that exceed 100 meters in length — a scale that historically was reserved almost exclusively for state or naval vessels rather than private ones.

0m100m and above

What changes at this scale

Vessels at this scale typically function more like small cruise ships in terms of onboard infrastructure — multiple elevators, extensive crew quarters and staff departments, garages for multiple tenders and support vessels, and sometimes support or "shadow" vessels that travel separately to carry additional toys, staff, or equipment.

Good to know

Only a handful of yachts in the world currently exceed 100 meters, and very few shipyards have ever delivered a private yacht at this scale.

Length range100m and above
Typical crew40 – 100+
Typical guests12 – 36+
CategoryUltra-large flagship class

Notable: Because so few vessels exist at this size, the gigayacht category is disproportionately covered in yachting media relative to its actual share of the active fleet.

Length and crew figures are general industry patterns, not strict definitions — usage varies between yards, brokers, and media.

More size classes

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24m – 40m (approx.)

Superyacht

Crew 8 – 15 · Guests 8 – 12

"Superyacht" is the broadest and most commonly used term in the industry, generally applied to private motor or sailing yachts starting around 24…

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60m – 90m (approx.)

Megayacht

Crew 20 – 40 · Guests 10 – 20

"Megayacht" is used, somewhat inconsistently across the industry, to describe substantially larger vessels — typically starting somewhere around 60…

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40m – 90m (approx.)

Explorer Yacht

Crew 15 – 35 · Guests 10 – 20

Explorer yachts are defined less by length than by build purpose: reinforced, often steel or ice-classed hulls, greater range and fuel capacity, and…

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