Princess V40
Over 300 yachts ordered in the last year, including a record number of boats for the New Zealand and Australian markets.
Princess Yachts reported 320 orders in the last year, which includes the X80, which is now up to 40 units. The Y72 is up to 70 and the extraordinary X95 up to nearly 30. The next building slots are in 2024 for some models. The current order book is valued at around $1bn.
In a timely arrival, the first Princess X95 sold in the Middle East arrived at the recent DIBS so that it could be shown on the last day of the show. One X80 has also been sold to the region which will arrive in 2022 or 2023.
Greg Haines, MD of Princess Australia says last year was unbelievable, with lots of boats sold and delivered, plus there are more in build.
“We are experiencing unprecedented times with sales right across the boat, from sport yachts to flybridge cruisers, 50ft right through to 62ft, plus there is a lot of interest in the X80 and even the X95”, says Greg.
For the forthcoming SCIBS, Princess Australia will have no fewer than six boats on display, including three V Class and three F class yachts.
Princess X95
It seems there is also plenty of interest in Princess in New Zealand, with local importer, Scott Williamson from Sports Marine also busy with new deliveries and signing up new builds.
“2021 was a great year and 2022 is looking even stronger, especially the interest we are getting in the new X Series.
Princess add that on average they receive 25 orders a month, but after the Cannes show it went up to 42. As the order book extends further ahead, Princess anticipates that the pace of orders will fall off because buyers will not wish to wait so long. Current supply chain issues are hampering the rate at which boats can be built and delivered.
Princess normally builds about 200 boats a year but in 2021 they did not build as many as they hoped to. For 2022 they are looking to build over 250 boats.
To cope with the order surge, Princess is planning to build a new-build facility on land that it has in the South Dock area which was formerly part of the Royal Navy dockyard. However, while this is progressing it will take possibly two years to complete once planning permission is received.
