Something majestic is emerging from Dubai

The United Arab Emirates is well known as a destination for luxury yachts. They fit perfectly with the glitz and glamour that is associated with the region, especially moored alongside the vast skyscrapers of Dubai.

Superyachts aren’t just sailing into the UAE though, they are also being built there. In March 2024, Sunreef Yachts opened a new construction yard there, its first outside Poland. The biggest name though is Gulf Craft, which builds a wide range from its Silvercraft day boats and Oryx sport cruisers up to the long-range Nomad yachts and luxurious Majesty vessels.

Gulf Craft is not known as one of the big global yachting brands, in part because it has only really operated within the Gulf Cooperation Council. However, the numbers are surprising because in its 42-year history, the company has sold 11,000 boats. It’s now on a mission to expand its presence on the international stage, hence displaying at big shows such as Cannes and Monaco with sales expanding in the US and Europe in particular. Not that it’s short on business, one superyacht sails out of its yard every seven weeks and that’s the largest of its boats that span anything from 30ft-175ft. Few boat builders can claim to have that wide a range of vessels in their catalogue.

That’s not to say that this is some sort of production line, in fact the opposite is true. While there are specific models, every yacht is completely custom built. This includes the Majesty 120 which Wanted recently had an on-board tour of. It’s already attracting attention, receiving awards for its naval architecture and it was the winner in the Motor Yacht 25m-40m category at the International Yacht & Aviation Awards.

The lower deck features accommodation for 10 guests in five generously sized staterooms, while the owners have a master cabin on the main deck. There’s also room for seven crew members.

All the guest rooms are finished to an incredible standard using the latest materials. Walking through the yacht, it all feels like a modern and warm, with natural tones and an elegant mix of wood, leather, marble and carpets that your feet sink into like your favourite slippers.

There’s also a wonderful flow to the interior design. Deep set windows provide panoramic views for those sitting in the main salon, while the large amount of glazing in the suites ensure occupants feel connected to the sea or to their island stopover. They also allow a surprising amount of light to filter in, ensuring the interior feels spacious and airy, something enhanced further by the neutral tones of the interior finishes. A full length corridor ensures a seamless connection between many of the rooms on-board and plenty of thought has gone into ensuring the main living spaces cater perfectly to the occupants in terms of layout an equipment.

Speaking of catering, there’s a surprising large commercial galley with all the essential appliances, more than enough to ensure a full complement of guests are well looked after on-board.

Like most luxury yachts, the real fun is to be had in the recreation areas. As well as outdoor dining, there is a jacuzzi on the sundeck, a bar and plenty of comfortable seating. The beach club can be used for storing a range of water toys, including a tender, jet skis and inflatables.

The upper bridge deck offers additional outside seating and another dining table so up to 10 guests can sit and enjoy a meal while having clear views of their surroundings. It seems like the perfect place to enjoy watching the sun go down while you enjoy an evening with your guests.

If you feel like heading off in search of a new port, lagoon or island, then a cruising range of 1,000nm is more than enough to most vacation needs. It definitely suits idyllic cruising around the Seychelles or Maldives, or further afield in the Mediterranean or Caribbean.

The Majesty 120 also ticks some sustainability boxes. The yachting industry is abuzz with talk of electrification at the moment, from pure electric vessels to hybrids and even hydrogen. Every major yacht builder is working hard on solutions to make their vessels cleaner and greener but it’s not always the big changes that grab the attention. Another of the awards for the Majesty 120 was an eco award, given because it has an innovative heat recovery system that reduces the carbon footprint as well as fuel consumption and overall running costs.

At 37m long, Majesty 120 is one of the smaller yachts to be classified as a superyacht, but it also comes in at under $10m, something of a bargain in luxury yachting terms. Even more impressive is that the design layout means it has an extra cabin compared to many rivals and 30% more exterior space. That combination of price and interior space also makes it an attractive option for chartering, a great way to recoup some of the annual running costs and ensure your yacht is just sitting around.

As always, our tour came to an end and we had to put our shoes back on and climb on dry land. As impressive as some of the megayachts cruising our oceans today are, there’s something about vessels like the Majesty 120. The costs are perhaps less extravagant, even for the wealthiest, but there’s no sign of compromise. Instead, owners and guests have all the luxury they could ever need on-board, complete with something that is priceless, the ability to make memories that are sure to last a lifetime.