The Largest Yachts and Their Rich Owners: From Mark Zuckerberg to Jeff Bezos

The Rich Owners of Some of The Largest Yachts

For the average person, celebrating growth after a major life change might involve getting a sports car with their hard-earned savings. However, if you're a billionaire, you might commemorate it by spending hundreds of millions on a yacht! Getting a yacht has become a status symbol as its picturization in popular culture has shaped the image. Among the ultra-wealthy, superyachts stand as the pinnacle of status symbols, providing exclusive settings for leisure and networking. Tech moguls like Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison have embraced this trend, each owning superyachts that are essentially floating palaces. Here's having a look at their prized possession. 

1. Mark Zuckerberg 

Earlier this year, there were widespread rumors within the yachting community suggesting that Mark Zuckerberg had acquired Launchpad, a 118-meter superyacht initially intended for a sanctioned Russian businessman. The superyacht was bought around the techie's birthday. In March, the vessel embarked on her maiden voyage from Gibraltar to St. Maarten, eventually docking in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While the exact price tag has not been disclosed, sources suggest it reaches into the nine-figure range. Though not many pictures are available, it is supposedly spacious, as Business Insider reported. 

2. Jeffrey Bezos

Last year, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' $500 million megayacht, the 127-meter Koru, garnered attention as it navigated the Mediterranean during its inaugural summer at sea, accompanied by its 75-meter support vessel, Abeona as reported by Dutch Yachting. This sizable sailing yacht, known for its unique design, hosted Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez's prominent friends. Even in its pre-completion stage, Koru stirred up headlines, provoking debate among certain members of the Dutch public. Concerns arose when it was proposed that a historic bridge in Rotterdam might need dismantling to accommodate the passage of the Oceanco vessel. The shipyard devised alternative strategies to prevent any potential incidents involving egg-throwing.

3. Eric Schmidt

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt caused a stir last year when he initially agreed to purchase the Alfa Nero, previously owned by a sanctioned Russian oligarch, for $67 million in an auction conducted by Antigua and Barbuda. However, he withdrew from the deal due to legal complications regarding the true owner. Schmidt subsequently opted for the purchase of Kismet instead. This 95-meter-long Lürssen-built vessel, formerly belonging to Jacksonville Jaguar's billionaire owner Shahid Khan, was quietly acquired and renamed Whisper. Accommodating up to 12 guests and a crew of 28, Whisper boasts a master deck featuring a private jacuzzi, full-service spa, lap pool, movie theater, and outdoor fireplace per Yacht Charter Fleet. 

4. Barry Diller

Barry Diller, chairman of digital media company IAC, and his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, co-own the megayacht Eos, adorned with a figurehead sculpture by Anh Duong. As one of the largest private sailing yachts globally, this three-masted Lürssen schooner spans 93 meters in length. Following a three-year construction period, Eos was delivered to Diller in 2009, and details about her interior and features have remained largely undisclosed. The influential couple often hosts celebrities on their yacht Eos, which usually sails around the Mediterranean in the summer and celebrates New Year's Eve in St. Barts per Business Insider.

5. Larry Ellison

Over the years, Oracle founder Larry Ellison has possessed a series of superyachts, including the Katana, the Ronin, and the Rising Sun — the latter he later sold to fellow billionaire David Geffen. In 2011, Ellison acquired his current vessel, Musashi, for a reported $160 million from custom-yacht giant Feadship. Taking inspiration from the renowned samurai warrior, Musashi, an 88-meter-long yacht, showcases a fusion of Japanese and Art Deco design influences per Business Insider. Its amenities include an elevator, swimming pool, beauty salon, gym, and basketball court.

6. Laurene Powell Jobs

Laurene Powell Jobs, investor, and wife of Steve Jobs, inherited the nearly completed 78-meter yacht named Venus upon the passing of the Apple co-founder in 2011. Having previously enjoyed vacations on Larry Ellison's yachts, Jobs desired a yacht of his own. Collaborating with renowned French architect and designer Philippe Starck, he designed Venus, valued at $130 million upon completion. "Venus comes from the philosophy of minimum. The elegance of the minimum, approaching dematerialization," Starck said of her design. According to Vanity Fair, Jobs and Starck initiated their collaboration in 2007, engaging in monthly meetings over four years. The result was Venus, delivered in 2012 according to Jobs' specifications: featuring six identical cabins, meticulously crafted to maintain areas of complete silence, and equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

7. Charles Simonyi 

Charles Simonyi, an early Microsoft employee, has acquired two megayachts from the German shipyard Lürssen: the 90-meter Norn and the 71-meter Skat. Delivered in 2023, Norn boasts luxurious features, including an outdoor cinema and a pool floor that transforms into a dazzling dance floor. It shares a militaristic style with Skat, which Simonyi sold in 2021. Skat derives its name from the Danish word for treasure and was launched in 2002 with a listing price of 56.5 million euros. "The yacht is to be home away from my home in Seattle, and its style should match the style of the house, adapted for the practicalities of the sea," Simonyi said as reported by Boat International. 

8. Sergey Brin

Google co-founder Sergey Brin has assembled a collection of yachts, boats, and recreational watercraft known as the "Fly Fleet." The flagship of Brin's fleet is the sleek Dragonfly, named after a once-secret Google project. This 73-meter-long creation from the Australian shipyard Silver Yachts boasts luxurious features like a movie theater and a helipad. It can accommodate up to 18 guests and 16 crew members, as reported by SuperYacht Times. Among Brin's collection is also the superyacht Butterfly, measuring a modest 38 meters in length. Often seen in the Bay Area, the crewmembers of Butterfly enjoy leisure activities like kitesurfing and providing swimming lessons to local children during their downtime.