We established our home in Plymouth, on the edge of the English Channel, in 1965. Today, a highly skilled team come together at our shipyards to create something remarkable.
From designers to engineers, from carpenters to metalworkers, each of them possesses a mastery of their individual craft. And each one is completely focused on the details for which they are responsible.
By crafting every detail, we can perfect every detail. So you can enjoy the perfect experience.
Our culture of innovation makes our yachts some of the most technically advanced in the world. And our dedication to craftsmanship, with over 80% of every Princess yacht crafted in-house, means they’re also the most beautifully realised. Watch the film to find out more.
A Princess yacht begins its life in the Princess Design Studio, our in-house team responsible for all areas of yacht design, styling and finish. Working closely with our naval architects, they set new standards for powerful, practical and memorable design.
The Design Studio consists of 14 in-house teams, including Computer Aided Design and engineering departments – as well as consultants who work with our customers to bring their individual interior design schemes to life. For every boat in the range, the initial concept stage is followed by more detailed drawings and layouts. Once these are signed off, a mock-up can be created.
Our pioneering deep-V hulls are born from our naval architects’ obsession with both spaciousness and seakeeping. Sculpted from a lightweight, resin-infused hull composite, they allow for greater internal volume than standard hull production methods. The ingenious design also requires less power and burns less fuel to achieve its maximum speed, allowing for superior performance defined by efficiency, agility and poise. Wherever you’re heading, you can be sure of an exhilarating journey.
At Princess, a 1:1 scale model is made of all new yachts. This is a totally unique part of our design process and is not carried out by any other yacht manufacturer. The mock-ups give the design team the opportunity to sit in the spaces, check sight lines in the windows, experiment with different materials and even optimise the design of component parts. They also give our customers a unique opportunity to walk around a life-size model of a yacht before it even goes into build, allowing them to get a feeling for the atmosphere the space creates.
From the hull to the locker doors, our Mould Shop produces all the strong yet lightweight GRP components on board our yachts. We use high-precision 5-Axis machining to create polysterene moulds known as ‘plugs’, which are then used to create the individual moulded elements for each yacht.
All of our hulls are resin-infused, which is the most efficient and consistent form of GRP moulding. This results in weight savings, enhanced fuel economy, superior performance and a lower environmental impact. The moulding phase can take between one and three weeks, depending on the size of the boat. Once this is complete, the holding tanks, fuel tanks, plumbing and pump systems are all installed.
Once the final mock-up adjustments have been agreed, drawings are issued and the Furniture Shop starts the intricate process of creating all the furniture for the yacht. All the built-in and freestanding timber elements are created by our bench joiners and skilled carpenters, from the bulkheads to the furniture.
The Furniture Shop brings the beautiful shapes of each design to life, adding an essential part of the elegant, contemporary style that is a feature of every Princess yacht. Component parts are precision cut from sheets of wood on state-of-the-art CNC machines, while hardwood edging is completed using bespoke tooling, handmade in-house. And Radio Frequency and Post-Forming machinery creates our signature curved furnishings. The result is custom-made, handcrafted furniture, impeccably realised.
Each craftsperson sees the furniture unit they are creating through from start to finish, allowing for a real sense of pride in what they’re creating. Timber can vary greatly in grain patination, colour and texture, so building the pieces side by side enables our carpenters to make sure the timber panels match and fit together perfectly. Once assembled, the furniture goes to the Paint Shop, where it is buffed and lacquered to a perfect polish.
Most of the metalwork is on display, and it all needs to look and feel perfect. If there are any blemishes in the raw materials, they are rejected immediately. Our welding is done by hand but must look as if it’s been made by machine, a feat which requires the utmost dexterity. As the metal work is done in-house, our craftspeople can see exactly where each element will sit on board, allowing them to visualise the finished project and ensure the quality of their work is world-class.
To power everything from lighting and air conditioning to televisions and audio systems, an intricate system of electrical cables runs through every yacht. Before these can be installed, a series of complex wiring looms are created in our Loom Shop. Around 200 looms are created for a smaller boat, while our largest yachts can require over 800 looms.
Creating the looms is a complicated feat of engineering. Operating on a ‘right first time’ basis, the team must be quick to respond to any changes in the electrical design as development progresses. As each customer’s yacht specification is unique, we never build the same boat twice, making the Loom Shop a varied and rewarding place to work for our skilled electrical craftspeople.
Once all the elements of a yacht have been created, the Fit Out stage sees all the component parts being installed. On boats up to 70 feet, they are installed on a rolling line, with the boat moving down the line to the next stage every 10 to 15 days in a meticulously structured process.
The Fit Out stage can take anywhere from 30 days to four months, depending on the size of the yacht. With each element already created by our craftspeople in the Pre-Build stage, a galley, for instance, can be fitted out in one go, installing the units along with plumbing, taps and electrical items.
Yachts which are built away from the sea are tested in a tank at the facility where they were built. The engines are started, the hull fittings inspected, the hydraulics and air conditioning tested, the generators fired up – and all on-board systems are thoroughly checked.
The yacht is then transported to our Newport Street facility, where the Princess Outside Crew begin the commissioning sea trials, involving over 3,000 checks. All installations are tested and signed off, with the manufacturers of the engine and other original equipment brought in to help test their specialist areas. Nothing on board your yacht, including the fine details, remains unchecked.
Sea trials culminate in extended trials, and the yacht is only signed off once all the systems have been checked and stress-tested and found to be running perfectly. Noise checks, performance checks and all speeds and rev ranges are also tested. Final quality audits are carried out, followed by a thorough clean. Only then can the yacht be handed over to the owner.
