Princess vs. Azimut vs. Ferretti Yachts: Which Luxury Yacht Brand Is Right for You?

There are many players in the luxury yacht market between 40-and-100 feet now coming from all different countries such as Brazil, Turkey, and China. One only needs to walk down a few docks at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show to see the breadth of this segment of the industry. As the yachting capital of the world, Fort Lauderdale sees examples from every shipyard on earth making it a difficult decision, especially for new boaters, when it comes to selecting the right yacht.

While many brands have established themselves as excellent choices for either an express cruiser or flybridge yacht, three brands specifically continue to stand out amongst the competition for their reputation and volume of sales; Princess Yachts from the U.K., Azimut Yachts and Ferretti Yachts from Italy.

These shipyards all compete in the premium motor-yacht market, and on paper they often overlap: flybridge yachts, sport yachts, family cruising yachts, crewed yachts, and larger semi-custom models. Yet they are not interchangeable. Each brand comes from a different industrial culture, built through a different shipyard system, and appeals to a slightly different buyer's overall taste and desired lifestyle.

At a high level, Princess is the British choice: understated, detail-focused, and associated with seakeeping, craftsmanship, and controlled in-house production in Plymouth. Azimut is the broadest and most design-forward Italian choice: a large global range backed by the scale of Azimut/Benetti. Ferretti Yachts is the comfort-led Italian choice: refined, residential, and positioned around the idea of feeling “at home” at sea within the wider Ferretti Group portfolio. Princess’s current line-up spans the C, V, S, F, Y, and X classes; Azimut’s current range includes Seadeck, Fly, S, Magellano, Verve, Atlantis, and Grande models; Ferretti Yachts’ current offer centers on its Flybridge and INFYNITO lines.

"As a new Princess dealer, we're often asked about the comparisons to both Azimut and Ferretti," said Jay Hendrix, Vice President of SI Yachts. "Along with Princess, these are brands that are leaders in our industry and all of them excel in their craft. Of course, we are partial to Princess Yachts since it's a brand we have extensive knowledge of and experience over many years dealing with service requests and warranty work. There is a consistency in the brand when it comes to quality, fit-and-finish, and resale value. Not that the other brands don't have those attributes, we sell plenty of brokerage Azimuts and Ferrettis as there are many on the market. Princess just seems to have a consistent approach to each model that results in more time spent on the water enjoying the season, while delivering a truly exceptional experience on board."

 

Chart Comparing Princess, Azimut, & Ferretti:

If you have questions about any of these brands, particularly new and pre-owned Princess Yachts, please contact the SI Yachts team today by emailing Sales@SIYachts.com or calling our main office at (718) 984-7676. With locations throughout New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Florida, we have yacht specialists in major boating areas to better service our customers.

 

BRAND DNA: WHAT DOES EACH SHIPYARD STAND FOR?

 

PRINCESS: BRITISH POLISH & PRACTICAL ELEGANCE

Princess Yachts has long built its identity around British craftsmanship, restrained styling, and serious usability. The brand traces its story to Plymouth in 1965, when the company began from modest roots before growing into one of Britain’s best-known luxury yacht builders. Princess says more than 80% of each yacht is crafted at its home in Plymouth, and its current public positioning emphasizes meticulous craftsmanship, technology, personalization, and design.

"The relationship between the Princess shipyard, Viking Yachts, and Princess Yachts America makes an impact in the buying process," Jay continued. "Every detail is covered, you have the service facilities in New Gretna, the Viking Service facility in Riviera Beach, the PYA home office right at Palm Harbor Marina in West Palm Beach. And of course, you have the SI Yachts mobile service team in the Northeast and Florida. Buyers want to feel confident that no matter what, someone has their backs. In this case, there are multiple teams all working hard to ensure you have the best possible ownership experience."

The result is a buying journey that feels measured, rather than theatrical.

The Princess appeal is in proportion, fit-and-finish, joinery, social space ergonomics, and confidence underway. Princess also tends to strike a middle ground between owner-operator practicality and crewed-yacht polish. A Princess buyer may want luxury, but usually not at the expense of sensible engineering access, predictable handling, or resale appeal.

In brand terms, Princess sits between the classic British yacht tradition and modern global luxury. Its X Class has pushed the company into more adventurous “super flybridge” territory, while the F-Class, V-Class, S-Class, and Y-Class preserve the core Princess idea: elegant motor yachts that feel luxurious without being ostentatious.

Video: Comparing The Princess X80, Y80, & S80

 

AZIMUT: ITALIAN DESIGN & ENERGY AT A GLOBAL SCALE

Azimut has a different emotional pitch. It is unapologetically Italian, style-conscious, and broad in scope. The company presents itself as offering one of the most extensive yacht ranges in the world, and its model families cover very different owner profiles: Atlantis and Verve for sportier or day-oriented use, Fly for mainstream cruising, S for sportier coupe-style performance, Magellano for longer-range cruising, Seadeck for newer-generation hybrid-lifestyle thinking, and Grande for larger yacht buyers.

Azimut’s advantage is not just design; it is choice. A buyer can enter the brand through a sporty open model, a family flybridge, a long-distance Magellano, or a much larger Grande. That breadth makes Azimut attractive to buyers who want to stay within one brand as their boating life evolves.

Azimut is also backed by Azimut|Benetti, one of the most powerful industrial groups in yachting. The company describes the group as the largest private group in the yachting world, with Azimut and Benetti as its main yacht brands and a worldwide network of shipyards, offices, and dealers. Most recently, Azimut won the Motor Boat & Yachting Award for its 72 Fly in the 'Best Flybridge' category for its size range.

Below: The Azimut Magellano 66 pushes the Italian brand into a new emerging category of luxury long-distance cruisers.

 

FERRETTI YACHTS: COMFORT, BALANCE, A 'HOME AT SEA' APPEAL

Ferretti Yachts is sometimes confused with Ferretti Group, but they are not the same thing. Ferretti Yachts is one brand inside Ferretti Group, alongside names such as Riva, Pershing, Wally, Custom Line, CRN, and Itama. That matters because Ferretti Yachts has its own personality: less extroverted than Pershing, less heritage-glamour than Riva, less superyacht-custom than CRN or Custom Line. Its lane is refined cruising comfort.

Ferretti Yachts explicitly leans into the phrase “Just like home.” Its Flybridge range is positioned around comfort, seaworthiness, technology, and the feeling of being at home on the water. Its INFYNITO line adds an explorer-inspired direction, aimed at longer voyages and more protected, all-season-style onboard living.

This makes Ferretti Yachts especially appealing to owners who care about how the boat feels during an entire day, weekend, or season aboard. The brand’s appeal is not usually about shock value. It is about calm interiors, good guest flow, shaded spaces, easy hosting, and a sense that the yacht is designed around people living aboard rather than simply arriving in style.

The builder has not gone unrecognized either as several Ferretti models have won recent awards including the Ferretti 800 (seen below) for "Best New Series" thanks to its innovative design evolution and appeal to the market.

 

 

SHIPYARD DIFFERENCES: WHERE THE YACHTS COME FROM AND WHY IT MATTERS

 

THE PRINCESS SHIPYARD: SPECIALIZED PRODUCTION IN PLYMOUTH

Princess is unusual among global yacht brands because so much of its identity remains tied to one city. The company is headquartered in Plymouth, and its production is highly vertically integrated. KPS Capital Partners, which owns Princess, describes the company as having integrated design, engineering, and manufacturing operations, with five manufacturing facilities in Plymouth and roughly 3,200 employees. Princess itself says more than 80% of each yacht is crafted at its Plymouth home allowing for an incredible level of quality control.

This particular shipyard model has real benefits. A concentrated production base can support strong control over engineering standards, fit-and-finish, equipment installation, and design consistency. Princess also developed its larger-yacht ambitions through facilities such as South Yard, a historic dockyard site in Plymouth that became part of its production footprint.

For buyers, this creates a strong “built in Britain” story. Princess is not simply a brand label attached to distributed production. The Plymouth identity is central to the product. Buyers who value continuity, craftsmanship, in-house control, and a relatively conservative interpretation of luxury often find that appealing.

The trade-off is that Princess is not as industrially massive as Azimut|Benetti or Ferretti Group. It has scale, but it is not a sprawling multi-country production empire. That can make Princess feel more focused, but it also places the brand in a smaller, more specialized market position. While inventory may not be as readily available, resale values remain high and overall customization opportunities 

Total Square Feet Of Production Space: 1.1 million square feet

 

AZIMUT SHIPYARDS: A LARGE, SEGMENTED PRODUCTION MACHINE

Azimut’s shipyard structure is broader and more industrially diversified. Within the Azimut|Benetti network, different facilities specialize in different sizes and functions. The group’s shipyard footprint includes Avigliana, Savona, Viareggio, Livorno, Fano, and Itajaí, Brazil. Avigliana is described as the headquarters and main shipyard for fiberglass yachts up to 75-feet; Viareggio handles Azimut yachts over 78-feet as well as Benetti production; Fano is associated with Magellano and S Series models; Itajaí builds Azimut yachts up to 98-feet in Brazil; Savona serves as a service, outfitting, and delivery center.

This is one of Azimut’s greatest strengths. The brand can serve multiple buyer segments without trying to force every yacht through the same production logic. Smaller fiberglass models, larger Grande models, long-cruise Magellano models, and regionally important Brazilian production all fit into a wider industrial map.

For buyers, Azimut’s shipyard system translates into variety and availability. The brand can launch new models frequently, maintain a large global product range, and support owners through a broad dealer and service network. It also gives Azimut a powerful upgrade path: an owner can start with a smaller Fly, Verve, or Atlantis and later move into an S, Magellano, or Grande.

The trade-off is that Azimut’s breadth can make the brand feel less singular than Princess. An Azimut Verve buyer and an Azimut Grande buyer may be buying into the same brand, but their yachts serve very different lifestyles. That is not a weakness; it is part of Azimut’s strategy. But it means buyers should evaluate the specific model family, not just the badge.

Total Square Feet Of Production Space: 3,229,173 square feet

 

FERRETTI SHIPYARDS: BRAND SPECIALIZATION INSIDE A LARGER GROUP

Ferretti Yachts benefits from being part of Ferretti Group’s wider Italian production system. Ferretti Group lists production centers including Ancona, Cattolica, Mondolfo, Sarnico, Forlì, and La Spezia, supported by design, manufacturing, and engineering departments.

For Ferretti Yachts specifically, Cattolica is especially important. Ferretti Group describes the Cattolica shipyard as “the Ferretti Yachts tradition,” opened in 2001 and dedicated to Ferretti Yachts motor yachts from 24 to 30 meters. It uses an island construction system and benefits from proximity to the sea for testing and checks.

The group’s Ancona Superyacht Yard is a different but relevant part of the picture. Ancona is associated with CRN, Custom Line, Riva superyacht activity, and large-yacht construction, and it functions as a major superyacht center within Ferretti Group.

This gives Ferretti Yachts a useful balance: it has a distinct brand lane, but it is supported by the engineering resources, supplier relationships, production knowledge, and aftersales ecosystem of a much larger group. For buyers, that can be reassuring. Ferretti Yachts may feel more specialized than Azimut’s extremely broad model family, but it does not feel small or isolated.

Total Square Feet Of Production Space: 3,013,894 square feet

 

 

THE BROADER MARKET POSITION: NORMALIZING SALES LEVELS

The current yacht market is no longer in the same overheated condition it reached after the pandemic-era boom. BOAT International’s 2026 Global Order Book counts 1,093 yachts of 78-feet and above on order or in build, down from the post-pandemic high but still well above the pre-pandemic range. The same report notes that, while the number of projects has declined, gross tonnage and average size have increased, showing a shift toward larger and more substantial yachts. Italy remains the dominant production country, accounting for about half of global superyacht production by the report’s measure.

"We remain in a K-shaped economy right now," said Jay Hendrix. "Luxury yacht buyers continue to be active. While sales aren't comparable to 2021, we're still receiving new orders at a steady pace and our brokerage business has been steady. I'm confident this is going to remain and even improve over the next 24 months."

That context matters for Princess, Azimut, and Ferretti Yachts. Buyers are still active, but they are more selective. They care about brand stability, shipyard capacity, delivery timelines, service support, and resale strength. A yacht brand now has to offer more than glamour; it has to prove that it can build, deliver, support, and protect owner confidence.

 

PRINCESS MARKET POSITION:

Princess occupies a strong but more specialized position. In the 2026 Global Order Book’s ranking of builders by 24m+ projects, Princess appears with 24 projects totaling 2,063 feet. BOAT also notes that the UK order book has softened relative to prior years, while Princess has been moving through ownership and business recovery after its 2023 change of ownership.

At the same time, Princess has shown signs of improved financial performance. Reporting on Princess’s 2024 results indicated a return to pre-tax profit after a previous loss, with revenue rising materially year over year.

So Princess’s market position is best described as premium, respected, and more focused than gigantic. It is not trying to be Azimut|Benetti. It competes on brand trust, craftsmanship, and a loyal owner base. In many markets, a Princess is seen as a safe and tasteful purchase: prestigious, but not flamboyant; luxurious, but not excessively experimental.

Here are several examples of pre-owned Princess Yachts, their location, and prices:

• 2021 Princess F-70 in Miami, Florida for $3,199,000
• 2026 Princess S65 in Miami, Florida for $4,980,000
• 2017 Princess 56 Fly in Old Saybrook, Connecticut for $1,175,000

Video of the 2026 Princess S65 for sale:

 

AZIMUT MARKET POSITION:

Azimut’s market position is defined by scale. Azimut|Benetti announced that it remained at the top of the Global Order Book for the 26th year, with 163 yachts over 78-feet under construction, totaling 19,435 feet, and representing 23% of the global market. The group also reported 2025 revenues of about $1.7 billion and an order backlog extending to 2029.

It is important, however, to separate Azimut the brand from Azimut|Benetti the group. BOAT’s order-book data indicates that the Azimut side accounted for 99 projects over 78-feet totaling 9,694 feet, while Benetti accounted for 64 projects totaling 9,740 feet.

Even with that distinction, Azimut remains one of the most powerful names in production and semi-production luxury yachts. Its current position is that of a global design-and-volume leader: a brand with enough scale to influence trends, launch many models, and serve buyers in multiple regions.

Here are several examples of pre-owned Azimut Yachts, their location, and prices:

• 2024 Azimut 36M Tri-Deck in Fort Myers, Florida for $19,500,000
• 2024 Azimut S8 in Miami, Florida for $4,250,000
• 2021 Azimut 72 Fly in Hollywood, Florida for $2,395,000

 

FERRETTI MARKET POSITION:

Ferretti Yachts’ market position is different because the brand sits inside Ferretti Group, which also owns several other prestigious yacht names. Ferretti Group reported 2025 net revenue from new yachts of $1.45 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $239.9 million, net profit of $10.6 million, and an order backlog of $2.02 billion. The group also described 2025 as a challenging and selective market while emphasizing growth in high-margin segments and larger models.

That makes Ferretti Yachts part of a financially significant and strategically diversified yacht group. But Ferretti Yachts itself is not positioned as the wildest, fastest, or most exotic brand in the group. Pershing carries the performance-extreme image, Riva carries the glamour and heritage image, Custom Line and CRN move deeper into larger semi-custom and custom superyachts, and Wally represents avant-garde design. Ferretti Yachts is the group’s refined cruising brand: comfortable, elegant, and highly usable.

That is a valuable market position. Many buyers do not want the most aggressive-looking yacht. They want a yacht that their family, guests, captain, and crew will enjoy using repeatedly. Ferretti Yachts speaks directly to that buyer.

Here are several examples of pre-owned Ferretti Yachts, their location, and prices:

• 2023 Ferretti 860 in Miami, Florida for $6,300,000
• 2024 Ferretti 720 in Key Biscayne, Florida for $4,390,000
• 2023 Ferretti 670 in Miami, Florida for $2,940,000

 

 

WHAT DO BUYERS LOOK FOR BETWEEN EACH BRAND?

 

WHAT DO PRINCESS BUYERS LOOK FOR WHEN PURCHASING?

Princess buyers often want a yacht that feels complete, polished, and proven. They may be moving up from a smaller cruising boat, replacing another premium flybridge yacht, or choosing between Princess, Sunseeker, Fairline, Azimut, and Ferretti. They usually value a yacht that looks contemporary but will not appear dated too quickly.

Key Princess buyer priorities often include:

• Craftsmanship and finish. Princess’s emphasis on in-house production and Plymouth craftsmanship appeals to buyers who care about joinery, detailing, and tactile quality.
• Seakeeping and practicality. Princess has a reputation for building yachts that are not just marina showpieces. Buyers often want a boat that feels capable in real cruising conditions and is logical to operate.
• Understated prestige. A Princess typically signals success without shouting. That matters to buyers who prefer a more discreet form of luxury.
• Balanced layouts. Princess designs usually work well for family cruising, owner operation on smaller models, and crewed use on larger models. The brand is especially strong for buyers who want one yacht to do many things well rather than one thing dramatically.
• A strong dealer network to properly handle commissioning of their yacht, warranty work, and ongoing maintenance.

The Princess buyer is often the person who says: “I want a yacht that feels beautifully made, behaves extraordinarily well at sea, and will still make sense in ten years.”

Below: An example of a 10-year old Princess 52 Fly that recently came on the market.

 

 

WHAT DO AZIMUT BUYERS LOOK FOR WHEN PURCHASING?

Azimut buyers often want style, variety, and a modern Italian experience. They may be drawn to large windows, sculpted exterior lines, clever deck spaces, and a sense that the yacht feels current. Because Azimut’s range is so broad, the buyer profile changes by series.

A Verve or Atlantis buyer may prioritize open-air fun, speed, and dayboating. A Fly buyer may want family cruising with Italian style. An S Series buyer may want something sportier and more dramatic. A Magellano buyer may want longer-distance cruising and a more substantial feel. A Grande buyer may want superyacht presence in a more production-oriented package. Azimut’s current product menu supports that breadth.

Key Azimut buyer priorities often include:

• Design impact. Azimut appeals to buyers who want the yacht to make a visual statement.
• Choice. Few brands offer such a wide spread of model personalities under one name.
• Innovation and freshness. Azimut frequently introduces new design ideas, layouts, and lifestyle concepts.
• Global scale. Azimut|Benetti’s worldwide shipyard and dealer structure can be attractive to owners who cruise internationally or want the comfort of a major global brand.
• As a major production brand, more inventory generally means better negotiating on price for the buyer.
• Brokerage market is much larger for Azimut, meaning buyers have more potential pre-owned choices over buying new.

The Azimut buyer is often the person who says: “I want a yacht that feels modern, stylish, and exciting, and I want plenty of choices before I commit.”

 

 

WHAT DO FERRETI BUYERS LOOK FOR WHEN PURCHASING?

Ferretti Yachts buyers are usually focused on comfort, hospitality, and ease of life aboard. They may appreciate Italian design, but they are not necessarily looking for the flashiest yacht in the marina. They want the boat to work for family, guests, crew, meals, shade, conversation, and longer days on board.

Ferretti Yachts’ own positioning around “Just like home” is important here. The brand is not merely selling performance or exterior drama; it is selling a feeling of residential ease on the water. Its Flybridge range emphasizes comfort, technology, and seaworthiness, while INFYNITO adds explorer-inspired long-voyage thinking.

Key Ferretti Yachts buyer priorities often include:

• Interior comfort. Ferretti owners often care deeply about salon volume, cabin comfort, galley placement, crew separation, and relaxed onboard movement.
• Guest experience. The yachts are designed for people spending time together, not just for fast passages between destinations.
• Refined Italian style. Ferretti Yachts is elegant but usually calmer than some more extroverted Italian competitors.
• Group backing. Buyers get the benefit of Ferretti Group’s wider engineering, production, brand, and service ecosystem.

The Ferretti Yachts buyer is often the person who says: “I want a yacht that my family and guests will love living on.”

 

The right decision as to what brand to purchase depends heavily on how the yacht will be used. A buyer planning frequent family weekends in mixed conditions may gravitate toward Princess for safety, stability, and space. A buyer who wants high-style Mediterranean entertaining may lean toward Azimut for its flair. A buyer who wants dinner parties, comfortable cabins, and a home-like cruising experience may prefer Ferretti Yachts. The best advice is to sit down with your SI Yachts Sales professional and discuss your boating plans, lifestyle, personal tastes, and the distinguishing factors between all three brands.

 

 

A SHIFT IN DESIGN TOWARDS OUTBOARD-POWERED LUXURY DAY BOATS?

 

Both Princess Yachts and Azimut Yachts have recently shifted towards a smaller, and ever-growing segment of the industry, outboard-powered luxury day boats. For Princess, the new C48 and C48-Open offer Princess quality and engineering in a fun, day-to-weekender model. "The Princess C-Class series is a perfect entry point for the beginning yacht owner that wants an exhilarating day on the boat with the option to stay overnight," said Jay. "This is Princess answering the success the market has seen with the 48 Coupe' from Absolute Yachts and, of course, the Verve model range from Azimut."

The Azimut Verve model line has sold over 120 units since it first debuted in 2024. The Verve 48 received the Robb Report award for "Best of the Best" in the Dayboat category. (Seen Below)

The new Princess C48 and the Azimut Verve 48 are closely matched fast luxury weekenders, but they express the 48-foot concept differently: both sit around the 49-foot mark and both lean on Michael Peters performance-hull thinking, yet the Princess feels like the more protected and versatile British interpretation, while the Azimut is the more extroverted Italian sport-weekender. The Princess C48 (Seen Below) combines a walkaround center-console layout with an enclosed deck salon, two cabins for four guests, and a wider choice of propulsion, including triple Mercury outboards (or twin Volvo D6 inboards), with a maximum speed range up to 53 knots. The Azimut Verve 48, by contrast, is built around triple 600 hp Mercury Verado outboards, a top speed up to 50 knots, GRP plus carbon-fiber construction, and a highly social cockpit with transforming furniture and a full outdoor kitchen island.

In buyer terms, the Princess C48 is likely to appeal to someone who wants speed with more all-weather comfort, British refinement, and configuration flexibility, while the Azimut Verve 48 is better suited to a buyer who wants bold Italian styling, open-air entertaining, and a more adrenaline-led dayboat/weekender personality.

Ferretti Yachts has not yet entered into this segment with a similar model.

 

 

SO WHICH BRAND IS BEST?

 

There is no universal winner between Princess, Azimut, and Ferretti Yachts. They solve the luxury-yacht problem in three different ways.

Princess is the legendary British luxury motor yacht: elegant, capable, and craftsmanship-led. Azimut is the high-energy Italian global player: broad, stylish, innovative, and backed by enormous scale. Ferretti Yachts is the refined comfort specialist: residential, social, and supported by one of Italy’s most important yacht groups.

The best yacht is the one whose shipyard philosophy matches the way you actually plan to cruise. For owners who want understated confidence, Princess is hard to ignore. For owners who want design impact and variety, Azimut is the natural benchmark. For owners who want comfort, calm, and a floating home for family and friends, Ferretti Yachts may be the most emotionally satisfying choice.

• Choose Princess if you want a yacht that feels refined, capable, and beautifully built without being overly flashy. Princess is especially compelling for buyers who value craftsmanship, seakeeping, and long-term design restraint.
• Choose Azimut if you want modern Italian style, a wide range of model choices, and the backing of one of the largest yacht-building groups in the world. Azimut is especially compelling for buyers who want visual impact and a model family tailored to a specific lifestyle.
• Choose Ferretti Yachts if you want comfort, livability, and a yacht that feels designed around family and guests. Ferretti Yachts is especially compelling for buyers who want Italian refinement without chasing the most aggressive or theatrical design statement.

SI Yachts is here to help you decide what brand and model is best for you, along with new or pre-owned options, and all of the other considerations that come along with a yacht purchase from financing, to trading in your current boat, insurance, storage and more. To get started with the process, particularly around these three iconic shipyards, please contact the SI Yachts team today by emailing Sales@SIYachts.com or calling our main office at (718) 984-7676.

 

 

FURTHER PRINCESS-RELATED READING:

• Princess S72 Awarded For Best Exterior Design
• Introducing The Princess F65
• Review Of The Princess S80
• Princess V50: The Crossroads Of Luxury & Adventure
• Princess Y72 Review: Subtle Details & Setting Trends
• SI Yachts Named Top Princess Dealer For 2020
• Princess Offers New Air Purification System
• The Princess X95 Is Breaking Boundaries
• What Are The Most Popular Azimut Yachts?
• How Much Is An Azimut 50?