6 of the World’s Most Stunning Pools on Private Yachts

 In 1906, the RMS Adriatic became the first major cruise liner to include its own indoor lido deck, complete with Turkish baths. In the decades since, luxury sailing has transformed into a more private affair—and onboard water features have become the sine qua non of high-end yachting, with practically everything above 30 meters sporting at least one place to dunk or do laps. From brand new superyachts to historic trophy boats, here’s a brief tour of some of the best pools afloat. 

1. Kismet (Lürssen, delivered 2024)

One of the most anticipated—and certainly one of the largest—debuts at last year’s Monaco Boat Show, the Kismet is the super-est of superyachts, a 122-meter behemoth that includes a helicopter pad, multiple tenders, nine staterooms, and a basketball court that can be rapidly converted into a dance floor. Unsurprisingly, all those dribble- and dance-weary passengers require someplace to cool off, and Kismet affords them plenty of that: the boat has a mosaic-lined, Roman-style infinity pool with swim-up bar as well as a two additional spa pools, one near the owner’s cabin and a second on the top deck. Anyone who feels that all this is simply too luxurious might take some solace from the fact that the pool water is powered by an ultra-efficient heat-recovery system, with excess warmth drawn from the engines.

2. Platinum (Italian Sea Group, delivered 2024)

An imposing, almost military-looking vessel with suitably crisp interiors from the Dutch team of Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design, the 78-meter Platinum can cleave the waves at 16 naughts. Given the boat’s outsized scale and palpable strength, it should come as little surprise that the the main-deck water feature is not only large but plainly intended for serious swimming. At nearly eight and a half feet long, the infinity pool has a built-in counter-current system that allows guests to do laps against a consistent and controllable flow running in the opposite direction. While they’re at it, users will have a bit of an audience—the pool is readily visible from the decks above, thanks to extensive glazing on the aft balustrades.

3. Santosha (Heesen, delivered 2024)

There’s plenty of things to like about the new offering from Netherlands-based manufacturer Heesen: the 57-meter Santosha cuts through the waves at max 22 knots, and its exterior sports a lean, hungry look that contrasts nicely with the warm, welcoming interior scheme from British designers Harrison Eidsgaard. But the highlight, comfort-wise, is the capacious, dramatically lit jacuzzi: instead of the more typical location near the rear lip of the boat, the hot tub sits on the upper sun deck, offering guests a panoramic view of the ocean. As an added plus, the aft beach-club area where the pool would ordinarily be situated is taken up by a gym, making a cruise on Santosha an all-around wellness experience.

4. Akula (Baglietto, delivered 2024)

At 52 meters, Akula is a sleek, shark-like superyacht with a party-forward program that includes a triple-deck beach club, generously sized sundeck, and a top-level sky lounge with a 270-degree exposure. The interiors by Enrico Gobbi are plenty plush, but not half so impressive as the water feature: a large rectangular pool that can be hidden away with the push of a button, the aft-deck floor rising and the water draining away to provide space for alternate uses with minimal hassle. Surrounded by protective extensions, the sneaky, high-tech feature seems oddly appropriate given the boat’s name: as literarians of a certain age may recall, Akula was the class of Soviet submarine that inspired Tom Clancy’s novel (and the subsequent film) Hunt for the Red October.

5. Asani (Benetti, delivered 2024)

Along with its sister brand Azimut, Benetti is a giant of the Italian superyacht industry, and the “Oasis Deck” is the trademark design concept in the company’s most recent catalogue. Dreamed up by London yacht-design office RWD, the feature opens up the customary beach-club area into a full-service social-and-recreational hub, integrated with the adjacent saloon interior and offering a range of options for both lounging and playing. The 50-meter, five-suite Asani shows how the Oasis Deck puts the pool at the center of the seagoing action: a glass-encased infinity pool greets visitors on arrival from the dock, the water seemingly floating in air as though a portion of the ocean had been trapped onboard. The boat’s hinged rear bulwarks add further drama, the deck unfolding into a 1,200 outdoor space that connects the pool to the sea.

6. Christina O (Canadian Vickers, refurbished 2022)

Formerly the personal yacht of Greek shipping magnate (and Jacqueline Kennedy’s second husband) Aristotle Onassis, Christina O is one of the most luxe boats ever to ply the seas—a 99-meter, 2,500-tonne-displacement behemoth, originally commissioned as a sub hunger by the Canadian Navy during World War II. Retooled by Onassis for optimal comfort, the boat had an even more elaborate glow-up a couple years back, including restoration to one of its signature features: the enormous main-deck pool, complete with mosaic bottom featuring a full-scale reproduction of an ancient Cretan fresco. Another tip for film lovers (though a warning perhaps to prospective passenger): this was the boat featured in the 2022’s Triangle of Sadness. Daring cineastes can start their own high-seas adventure by inquiring with broker Morley Yachts, which is offering the boat for charter.