The port of Gustavia in St. Barths is getting crowded this holiday season as the legendary superyacht showdown begins.
The billionaire superyacht season started early, with the richest men in the world and their celebrity friends anchored outside of Gustavia and neighboring St. Maarten and Antigua.
Many will stay throughout Christmas, taking glamorous day trips to nearby islands, and then party with the traditional fireworks show above St. Barths Fort Oscar on New Year’s Eve.
Jonny Dodge, CEO and Founder of My Ocean, handling superyacht sales, charters and management, says, “More billionaires congregate on this tiny rock in the Caribbean than anywhere else in the world at once. Last year, we went to the UNICEF Gala with clients at a $300k table, followed by an after-party on the billionaire owner of superyacht VAVA II. There are more celebrities than you can count in St. Barths, and it’s really like they picked up St Tropez and transported to the Caribbean.”
New this year, Bagatelle Group opened their second St. Barts location, iTA, a disco-jungle themed restaurant and bar located in Gustavia overlooking the harbor, and the famed Le Ti cabaret club, open since 1995, was recently purchased and reopened under new ownership.
Superyachts in the area for the holidays will send their guests in via tender to numerous exclusive parties and host their own private celebrations on board.
Among the high-profile New Year’s Eve events this year, Gala One from AAB Productions will have one of the most exclusive parties on the island on December 29, with an intimate 200-person dinner at the famed Eden Rock.
With performances by Bebe Rexha and Saweetie, as well as a thrilling live auction, the evening will benefit several charities dedicated to protecting children, biodiversity and the waters and lands of the Caribbean.
Here is a selection of some of the largest yachts that are in and around St. Barths for the holidays. It is important to note that yachts are often privately chartered during the holidays, so you may never see their wealthy owners.
Detailed positions and owner information were sourced by my friends at Marine Traffic and Superyachtfan (yacht positions updated daily through January 1, 2024).
Also, check out this amazing live webcam at the port of Gustavia for a front row view of the superyachts docked.
Over 300 feet
- RISING SUN (454 feet) *Currently in St. Barths
Owned by billionaire entertainment mogul David Geffen
*With 16 guests and 42 crew members, this 82-room megayacht holds a gym, basketball court, a wine cellar and a two-story movie theater.
- KORU (417 feet) *Currently in St. Barths
Owned by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos. This three-mast sailing schooner has a swimming pool on the aft deck and can accommodate up to 18 guests with crew of 40.
- INFINITY (383 feet) *Currently in St. Maarten
Owned by Harbor Freight Tools billionaire Eric Smidt
- SEVEN SEAS (358 feet) *Currently in Barbados
Owned by billionaire film icon Steven Spielberg
- SYMPHONY (331 feet) *Currently in Antigua
Owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton billionaire Bernard Arnault
- MOONRISE (328 feet) *Currently in St Barths
Owned by billionaire WhatsApp founder Jan Koum
*Koum owns four yachts: the Moonrise support vessel Nebula, Mogambo, and its support vessel Power Play.
- CARINTHIA VII (318 feet) *Currently headed to St. Maarten
Owned by Argentinian electronics entrepreneur Rubén Cherñajovsky
- FAITH (317 feet) *Currently in St. Maarten
Owned by Canadian food magnate Michael Latifi (father of F1 driver Nicholas Latifi)
- MADSUMMER (312 feet) *Currently in St. Maarten
Owned by Florida real estate billionaire Jeffrey Soffer
- NAHLIN (300 feet) *Currently in Antigua
Owned by vacuum billionaire James Dyson
- QUEEN MIRI (300 feet) * Currently in Antigua
Owned by the late casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson family
Under 300 feet
- ABEONA (246 feet) *Currently in St. Barths
Support vessel for Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, it serves the purpose of carrying all the toys and tenders of the main yacht and features a large helicopter hangar. With a capacity to accommodate 45 staff, crew, and guests
- CARPE DIEM (190 feet) *Currently in St. Barths
Owned by US attorney Perry Weitz
- EXCELLENCE (263 feet) *Currently in St. Barths
Owned by billionaire car dealer Herb Chambers
- ELYSIAN (253 feet) *Currently headed to St. Maarten
Owned by Boston Red Sox billionaire John Henry
- GO (253 feet) *Currently in Antigua
Owned by Capri Sun juice founder billionaire Hans Peter Wild
- ANDREA (240 feet) *Currently in St. Maarten
Owned by casino magnate Steve Wynn
- JOY (230 feet) *Currently in St. Barths
Owned by Indian mortgage businessman Sameer Gehlaut
- HORIZONS III (230 feet) *Currently in St. Barths
Owned by Tyson foods billionaire John Tyson
- GALAXY (184 feet) *Currently in St. Maarten
Owned by Runningball Sports founder Hans Thomas Gross
- HUNTRESS (197 feet) * Currently in St. Barths
Owned by Greek real estate billionaire George Argyros
- ILLUSION (213 feet) *Currently in St. Maarten
Owned by former CAA talent agency head and Disney honcho Michael Ovitz
- JAMAICA BAY (196 feet) *Currently in St. Barths
Owned by Morgan Stanley heir John Adams Morgan
- LADY LARA (299 feet) *Currently in St. Maarten
Owned by mining guru Alexander Machkevitch
- MOGAMBO (241 feet) *Currently headed to St. Maarten
Owned by WhatsApp founder Jan Koum
- MOSKITO (181 feet) *Currently in Antigua
Owned by British Home Bargains billionaire Tom Morris
- NEBULA (224 feet) *Currently in St. Barths
Support vessel owned by WhatsApp founder billionaire Jan Koum
- NENINKA (222 feet) *Currently in St. Maarten
Owned by Grupo Financiero Interacciones billionaire Carlos Hank Rhon
- NERO (296 feet) *Currently in Antigua
Owned by Irish billionaire / Digicel founder Denis O’Brien
- OLIVIA O (291 feet) *Currently in St. Barths
Owned by shipping billionaire Eyal Ofer
- POWER PLAY (181 feet) *Currently in St. Barths
Second Support vessel owned by WhatsApp founder billionaire Jan Koum
- SEVEN SINS (271 feet) *Currently in Antigua
Owned by insurance magnate Hugo Verlinden
- SHERAKHAN (229 feet) *Currently in St. Maarten
Owned by yacht charter head Jan Verkerk
- TITANIA (240 feet) *Currently in Antigua
Owned by UK mobile phone billionaire John Caudwell
- TOP FIVE II (200 feet) *Currently in St. Maarten
Owned by Buffalo Bills billionaire owner Terrance Pegula
- TRIUMPH (213 feet) *Currently in Antigua
Owned by British retail magnate Chris Dawson
This article was first published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
