Yachts have long been a symbol of the rich and the famous, with marinas around the world full of their gleaming multimillion-pound toys.

But more and more people are now sampling this pampered lifestyle at sea on small boats and cruise ships styling themselves as superyachts.

At one end of the scale, you have operators in places like Croatia offering a week onboard a 38-passenger motor yacht for as little as £800pp. For that, you get a sundeck, hot tub, loungers and personal service that make you feel like a VIP.

At the other, there are high-end brands like Ritz-Carlton, Emerald and SeaDream, with their opulent restaurants, bars and suites.

SeaDream, which coined the tagline “It’s yachting, not cruising”, has enjoyed a record year with its two 112-passenger ships.

“Once travel advisors or their clients understand the value of our personalised service, laid-back luxury and the freedom of yachting, they tend to come back again and again,” UK sales director Mark Schmitt explains.

Furthermore, SeaDream recently announced it would be tripling the number of British Isles voyages and ports it offers following its nearly sold-out 2026 season.

New itineraries will include visits to multiple locations around Ireland and the British Isles such as Edinburgh, Liverpool, Dartmouth, the Isles of Scilly, Dublin, Cork, Lerwick and the Orkneys.

This, of course, means British and Irish customers can test out these cruises without venturing to destinations where yachts are commonplace.

Scenic Luxury Cruises, meanwhile, has twin 228-passenger Scenic Eclipse “discovery yachts” complete with submarines and helicopters. UK sales head Jonathan Davies says: “We continue to see increased demand through the trade, which has grown by more than 300% since 2023.”

Sister brand Emerald Cruises also has two “next-generation superyachts”, with the fleet of 128-passenger ships due to grow to five by the end of 2027.

The market is attracting new entrants, too, with Four Seasons, Orient Express and Selar all preparing to launch yachts next year.

Sophie Galvagnon is co-founder of Selar, whose 36-guest eco-ship Captain Arctic will be largely powered by wind and solar energy. “Our guests are mostly between 40 and 55 – a generation younger than the typical polar cruise demographic,” she says. "They’re active, curious, and deeply aware of the need for more meaningful travel.”

The fact the ship won’t even offer WiFi “shifts the way guests travel – more present, more open, more alive”, she claims.

Four Seasons Yachts, which is currently planning a fleet of two, already has bookings from 54 countries – led by Canada and the UK – for destinations including the Caribbean, Bahamas and Mediterranean.

Nils Lindstad, of Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings, joint owner-operator of the line, says one of the things that makes their 220-passenger ship a yacht is a watersports platform that opens on both port and starboard sides.

Luxury rail operator Orient Express is also planning to launch the 120-passenger Corinthian in 2026, followed a year later by Olympian.

Then there’s Unforgettable Croatia, whose ships carry a maximum of 38 customers. This summer it has launched a series of 28-guest sailings called the Yacht Cruise Collection, which is attracting customers aged from their 30s to 50-plus.

Co-founder Graham Carter says: “There is strong demand for a boutique style of cruising that is more akin to a yachting experience.”

Helle Seuren, co-founder of another operator on the Dalmatian Coast, Sail Croatia, says: “Our guests can travel in style in spacious cabins, yet enjoy a very informal atmosphere. One of the highlights for many is the daily swim stops, an experience that is hard to replicate on a larger ship.”

Will Sarson, product director at Riviera Travel, agrees. “Guests enjoy the experience of a private yacht without the high cost of chartering one,” he adds.

Some brands believe yachting is tempting travellers to try cruising for the first time. Sean Atton, global cruise manager at Audley Travel, says: “It also suits clients who are looking for the most authentic local experiences or who want a slower pace of travel.”

Agents agree. While questioning how some ships carrying more than 400 passengers can be marketed as “yachts”, Edwina Lonsdale from Mundy Cruising believes real small-ship voyages can be the gateway to more conventional cruising.

“Once many ‘new to cruise’ guests have experienced the concept, they are more open to moving to something a little larger for enhanced facilities and dining options,” she adds.