Octopus is the most recently built yacht of Paul Allen, one of the founders of Microsoft, who also owns the 92.38m Tatoosh and the 60.6m Méduse.

Octopus features a helicopter pad and garage aft and can also accept a second helicopter on the bows. A novel facility of her design is her internal dock, which, opening from her transom, runs forward through the yacht, allowing a 20m submarine and a tender of similar size to float into their storage positions. Once secured, the water is pumped out, leaving them resting on chocks.

The yacht has a permanent berth in the International Yacht Club Marina in Antibes, where her owner acquired the largest dock by buying the 55.78m superyacht Hanse together with its berth – he kept the berth and immediately sold Hanse, which has now been renamed Insignia.

• Builder / naval architecture: Lürssen
• Exterior styling: Espen Oeino
• Interior design: Jonathan Quinn Barnett / Sam Sorgiovanni

Known as Project Crystal by her builder, this 124 metre yacht’s name has been unveiled as Katara. She was built by the Lu?rssen shipyard in Bremen and spent her first full season in the Caribbean. She has one helipad and carries both her tenders and her SOLAS rescue boats in davits port and starboard. She flies a Qatari flag, which means her name is more likely a translation of the word for “celebration” than a reference to the female water bender in the film, Avatar, although that works, too.

• Builder / naval architecture: Lürssen
• Exterior styling: Espen Øino

Savarona was built in 1931 for Emily Roebling Cadwalader, granddaughter of John A. Roebling who designed the Brooklyn Bridge. In 1937 she was purchased as the presidential yacht of Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey. Following his death, she was passed on to the Turkish Navy and her condition deteriorated.

In 1989 she was leased from the Turkish government by Kahraman Sadikoglu, who spent $35 million on her refurbishment, including the replacement of her original steam turbines with modern diesel engines. Available for charter, her guests have included the Sultan of Brunei, King Juan Carlos of Spain, Princess Diana, Valentino and Tom Cruise.

• Builders: Blohm + Voss (1931) / Kahraman Sadikoglu (1992)
• Naval architecture: Cox & Stevens (1931)
• Interior design: Donald Starkey (1992)

This yacht started life in 1965 as the passenger vessel Regina Maris. After several changes of ownership she was converted to a yacht for the late Greek shipping tycoon John S Latsis and renamed Alexander.

Extensively refitted in 1985 and again in 1998, she accommodates up to 60 guests and is equipped with a helipad, a swimming pool and spa, a gymnasium, a full-size disco bar, a 27-seat cinema, a beauty salon and a mini-hospital.

• Builder & naval architecture: Flender-Werft

This most extraordinary yacht, built for the Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, had an unusual conception in that its designer, Philippe Starck, drew what he considered to be a ‘cool shape’ – taking a full three and a half hours for the job. Unlike the design progression of most yachts, the naval architecture was made to work subsequently under the control of the technical designer, Martin Francis, who used models and towing tanks to confirm the hull lines.

Deck spaces are minimal – a tiny sun deck with splash pool; a shaded fore deck area with rectangular pool; and the main deck aft with a curved pool. The interior features the owner’s open-plan ‘loft apartment’ ringed by windows and a wide balcony aft, while the main saloon, equally open, features a ‘romper sofa’ with space for at least 10 people.

A was featured in the 2011 edition of The Superyachts book

• Builder: Blohm + Voss
• Naval architecture: Francisdesign
• Exterior styling / interior design: Philippe Starck

Named after a river in Borneo, this vessel was originally built as a cruise ship to operate in Hong Kong harbour and was subsequently converted to a yacht in Greece by the Latsis-owned company SETE Yachts. Classed to Lloyd’s highest standard (@100A1, @LMC, UMS and Ice Class 1A), and having full SOLAS certification as a passenger vessel, Turama’s accommodation includes an extensive master suite, two junior master suites, 24 VIP suites, each with an impressive floor area of 39.8 square metres, and 16 single cabins.

The facilities include a beauty salon, a sauna, gymnasium, a 12-seat cinema, an 80-seat conference theatre, a 12-seat meeting room, a disco, a children’s playroom and a mini-hospital. On deck are a swimming pool, two spa pools and a helicopter pad. The yacht, which remains in the ownership of the Latsis family, is manned by 60 crew and is available for charter.

• Builders: Rauma Shipyard (1990) / SETE Yachts (2004)
• Former names: Columbus Caravelle, Sally Caravelle, Delfin Caravelle

Thought to be a gift from Stavros Niarchos to King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, this yacht has now been renamed Issham Al Baher following the launch of Al Salamah in 1999. Advanced in years, this one-time royal yacht has been passed one rung down the ladder of Saudi Arabian royal yacht ownership. However, it is possible that Issham al-Baher remains a state-funded vessel as the crossover between state and private funding among the Saudi royal family is unclear.

• Builder: Hellenic Shipyards
• Naval architecture: Maierform
• Exterior styling: Cesar Pinnau
• Former names: Al Salamah, Prince Abdulaziz, Atlantis

It is said that Stavros Niarchos, the shipping magnate, built Atlantis II to outdo his rival Aristotle Onassis in the yacht-owning stakes. Some 16.7m longer than Onassis’s Christina (now Christina O), Atlantis II was built by Hellenic Shipyards in Skaramanga, Greece, in 1981. She is, incidentally, the near sister-ship of the former Saudi Arabian royal yacht Issham al-Baher, which was originally launched as Atlantis.

Accommodating 25 guests in great comfort, she boasts a helicopter, a hangar and a swimming pool with a rising floor that converts to a disco. Still owned by the Niarchos family, she is usually moored in Monaco.

• Builder: Hellenic Shipyards
• Naval architecture: Maierform
• Exterior styling: Cesar Pinnau
• Interior design: Michael Sumner

Luna was built for Roman Abramovich as an upgraded replacement for his former exploration yacht Le Grand Bleu, always a favourite among his many yachts. Luna, ice classed and built to the highest possible standards, features six decks and a rapid launching and recovery tender system on her stern, similar to that found aboard the 57m Senses, but for a significantly larger tender.

Diesel-electric powered, she has two helipads, one forward and one aft, and the ability to stow a helicopter below decks for transit. Her tenders are stored in two garages in the stern that open through shell doors on each side of the hull. She was delivered in June 2010.

• Builder: Lloyd Werft / Stahlbau Nord
• Naval architecture: Blue Ocean Yacht Management
• Exterior styling: Newcruise - Yacht Projects & Design
• Interior design: Donald Starkey

Launched in November 2003, Pelorus was built at Lu?rssen’s Krogerwerft facility. She was originally commissioned by a Saudi Arabian as a replacement for Coral Island. He loved the finished product but, when made an offer that was too good to refuse, sold her to the Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich. David Geffen bought her in May 2011.

The yacht is the work of two internationally known designers: Tim Heywood, who drew the superstructure and working areas, and Terence Disdale, who created an interior that revels in the informal atmosphere of a beachside villa. This yacht has everything: two helicopter pads, a swimming pool with artificial current, a spa pool, and an owner’s suite with 180-degree panoramic views that opens to a private deck.

The quality of the engineering is stunning, with many of the systems, including the bowthruster, being provided with a back-up, while the control of all propulsion units is united in a ‘Lipstick’ that allows a single joystick to precisely manoeuvre the yacht. The vessel is managed by 41 crew, including seven engineers and five personal staff.

Pelorus was featured in volume 18 of The Superyachts book

• Builder & naval architecture: Lürssen
• Exterior styling: Tim Heywood
• Interior design: Terence Disdale