10 submarine-carrying superyachts that make a splash

At 194.9 metres, REV Ocean is set to claim the title of the world's largest superyacht when delivered next year. Built by Vard, the yacht represents a new era where scientific and philanthropic missions meet superyachting, with the mammoth new build set to be used for chartering, ocean exploration, and marine research. REV Ocean's scale and capabilities are extremely impressive; she will be host to an array of advanced oceanographic systems and state-of-the-art scientific equipment, including a dedicated submarine hangar for guests and scientists to explore and research what lies beneath the surface. Designed from inception as an environmentally conscious project, REV Ocean places fuel efficiency and a reduced footprint at its core. Her planned maiden voyage will head up the Norwegian coastline into Arctic waters. 

Octopus is the 126.2-metre legendary Lürssen superyacht that raised the bar for off-grid exploring. Her ice-class hull and 12,500 nautical-mile range make her capable of facilitating endless adventures. The highlight of her toybox, and for underwater exploration, is her Triton 3300 submarine, which allows guests to dive to depths in comfort; although her underwater observation lounge also offers an excellent view down under for those seeking an alternative. The remainder of Octopus' toybox is equally impressive, including seven tenders, two helipads, an ROV, and a fully equipped dive centre. Accommodating 12 guests, the German build also features a cinema, a wellness centre, and a swimming pool.

Initially conceived as a shadow vessel, the 52.5-metre Limerence instead developed into a fully fledged superyacht with expedition credentials and an adventurous personality. Alia Yachts built the yacht as a playground for watersports aficionados, with a toy inventory more often associated with yachts above 80 metres. The Triton submersible, which is onboard, sits alongside sailing catamarans, e-bikes, multiple tenders, a full dive centre, and an inflatable water park. Meanwhile, her certified helideck accommodates larger helicopters and doubles up as a multi-use sports court, expanding playtime possibilities even further. Limerence is a launchpad for off-grid exploration, ready for adventures, both above and below the water. 

The latest in Damen Yachting's Yacht Support series, the 53.3-metre Emotional was delivered in 2025 to the same owner of the first Xplorer 60, After You. As the third hull in the support series, Emotional is the ultimate adventure platform, capable of carrying a wide range of tenders, toys and submersibles. A 15-tonne deck crane and 200 square metres of open deck space allow handling of all types of adventure gear, plus her offshore-rated helideck can accommodate an Airbus H125. Designed for both owner and charter use, her high-sided axe-bow hull delivers a stable ride for discovery and adventure anywhere in the world. 

The 35-metre compact explorer yacht, Fox, built by Pendennis, is proof that capability doesn’t always require massive scale. Designed for versatility and expeditions, the 103.5-square-metre aft deck is capable of carrying various equipment, including two 7.5-metre tenders, a submersible, amphibious vehicles, and modular science labs. The twin 2.3-tonne deck cranes make launching and retrieving toys and gadgets easy, and the dedicated toy garage offers even more playtime options. Fox can be reconfigured to support different itineraries and guest requests, from science-led discoveries to diving operations and off-grid adventures. Her transatlantic cruising range also supports her name in a nod to the age of exploration - named after the 19th-century inventor of a pioneering compass used on the expedition that discovered the South Pole. A fitting tribute for a yacht that today offers worldwide exploration for anyone who steps on board. 

Nicknamed the "world’s largest floating toy box", the 66-metre Hodor is the first of a breed of shadow cats designed to make the storage, launch and recovery of toys and tenders as slick as possible. Her top deck alone carries a 7.3-metre Novurania catamaran RIB, a nine-metre Metal Shark landing craft, and a 388 Skater race boat. Below, in the belly of the beast, she carries nine jet skis, four Yamaha ATVs, four Yamaha TW200 trail motorcycles, a Hobie cat, two laser dinghies, and a Seamagine Aurora-3 submersible. The submarine garage is housed in the centre of Hodor, and its launching system uses air casters to move from the garage to the beam cranes.

Another in Damen Yachting’s YS 53 series, the 53.3-metre Five Oceans, while touted as a shadow vessel, was in fact built to operate as a standalone explorer. Delivered in 2024, the yacht has an expansive deck and is a playground for exploration, designed to accommodate a Triton 3300 submersible, paired with its own operational support container. The container, built by Damen Yachting, ensures rapid maintenance and recharging of the submersible, while also being fully transferable, allowing it to be lifted and deployed on another vessel if required. Alongside the submersible, Five Oceans’ modular deck layout and a 15-tonne deck crane lifting system mean that she can also be geared up with a range of tenders, jet skis, and even planes. The yacht also features a full dive centre, complete with a hyperbaric chamber and wetsuit-drying facilities, for further underwater missions. 

The 59.4-metre Akula, delivered in 2024 by Rossinavi, has a narrative that dives beneath the surface - taking her name from the NATO reporting designation for a class of Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines. While she doesn’t currently carry a submersible on board, her identity is strongly tied to them, and the robust capabilities and space suggest future potential. For the time being, a 1:90 scale model of the Akula submarine sits among a curated collection of other nautical artefacts, including vintage diving helmets and submarine crests. Beyond the submarine connection, with her ice-class hull, Akula is ready for adventure and carries an impressive suite of tenders and toys. The yacht can also serve as a base for scientific research with laboratory containers placed on the aft upper deck. 

The world-exploring 76.6-metre Yersin was purpose-built to support underwater adventures, with the capability to host a submersible on her large, uncluttered aft deck, complete with power points and storage for lifting and deploying. Everything about Yersin’s design reflects its ethos of balancing scientific research (the dedicated laboratory) with superyacht comfort, including a fully-equipped dive centre which also opens up more possible underwater adventures. Beyond the equipment and toys, the yacht is outfitted for genuine off-grid exploration, with a sophisticated medical room equipped with a live link to specialists, a touch-and-go helipad, and the ability to carry a seaplane. A true ice-class explorer, she has a 12,000-nautical-mile range. 

The ice-classed La Datcha is an intrepid explorer built for adventures in the world’s wildest regions and is equipped with toys for every climate. A pair of helicopters - twin Airbus H125s – can whisk guests off for an afternoon of heli-skiing, while a three-person Triton submersible, made to match the mothership, is suited to cruising in warmer climes where the sea below is bustling with aquatic life. Other highlights on board include an illuminated iceberg-looking bar in the main saloon, a purpose-built mudroom and a lower deck wellness centre with a traditional hammam, Finnish sauna and an LED-lit stalagmite ice fountain.