Once aboard, the differences between the 98 and this similarly sized vessel come thick and fast, nowhere more evidently than the master cabin. Where the 98 had a full beam master on the lower deck in line with almost all other Princess yachts in the flybridge range, the 30m cements its superyacht credentials with a main deck master up front. And it is magnificent; the feeling of space augmented by huge glass windows either side (bulwarks cut away for an uninterrupted vista) while further glazing overhead throws yet more natural light into this stateroom. The detailing is good, too – witness the multi-faceted floating occasional table and airline chairs. Lined with pale marble, the en suite bathroom behind the forward bulkhead also benefits from those large side windows. Head past the capacious concealed galley (containing access to the three berth crew cabins and side door access to the port deck as well as direct access to the dining area, allowing the crew to remain totally separate from the main accommodation) and you find the saloon. Huge glazing is evident once again, incorporating sliding glass doors to a drop-down balcony on the starboard side. Princess Yachts claim 85% of the yacht is manufactured and built ‘in-house’ at its yard in Plymouth. It’s a fact made all the more impressive when you examine details like the graceful oval dining table. Finished in flawless high gloss Macassar Ebony with a contrasting cream leather padding beneath, it would grace any high-end West London furniture boutique. Vertically integrated from the entire hull moulding to seam welding the black water tanks, only items like engines and electronics are third party sourced, giving unprecedented control over sourcing, manufacturing and final supply, not to mention the sheer level of choice. The only area where the Princess 30m’s superyacht crown slips slightly is interior layout choice, which is largely fixed. Only the lower deck standard layout of four large and equally sized guest cabins (two doubles and two singles, the latter of which feature beds that motor together to create further doubles if required) can be modified by swapping the aft pair of cabins for one huge single suite. Head up through the
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