The Princess S65: When Performance Meets Four-Cabin Practicality
Princess S65: a 67-foot sport-bridge that pairs a 34 to 36-knot top end with four full staterooms, galley-up 40ft main deck, hull-length cab…
Read the articleThe Princess Yachts S Series
The sportbridge line — the S65, 67'7", twin MAN V12-1400, 34 to 36 knots
You want the flybridge and you refuse to give up the speed. That is the whole argument for the S Class, which Princess describes as the sportbridge experience perfected — a streamlined superstructure that keeps the upper deck without the drag penalty of a full flybridge box.
We have reviewed one boat in this class so far, the S65. Princess also builds the S72, S74 and S80; those are not yet in our review library, so the guide below covers the S65 alone rather than pretending to a lineup we have not been aboard.
The S Lineup, Smallest to Largest
Every Princess Yachts S model we review in depth, in the order owners step up through the series.
Photo credit Princess Yachts.
The Princess S65 is a 67-foot sport-bridge yacht that merges flybridge space with sports-yacht speed — twin 1,400 HP MANs deliver a 34 to 36-knot top end and four full staterooms.
Don't see the S model you're after — or a brand-new launch? Request specs through Yacht Specs Direct.
Moving Up the S Series
The S65 is 67'7" on a 16'9" beam at 82,100 lb, on twin MAN V12-1400s for a published 34 to 36 knots. Four cabins including a full-beam master, 1,083 gallons of fuel, 212 gallons of water, and an optional crew cabin with its own en-suite.
It shares its platform with the V65 — same length, same fuel and water, same engines — and the difference is entirely in what sits above the main deck. The V65 gives you a sliding roof over a single level; the S65 gives you a second helm and a sportbridge you can seat people on. That is the choice, and it is a genuine one.
Above it, Princess's S Class continues to the S72 and S74 at 75'9" on twin MAN V12-1800s for 36 to 38 knots, and to the S80 at 83'6" on MAN V12-2000s or 2200s for 31 to 35 knots.
Our Take
The S65 answers a question a lot of buyers ask badly. They say they want a flybridge, and what they actually want is somewhere to put six people in the sun without losing the way the boat drives. A conventional flybridge at this length costs you several knots and a great deal of windage. The sportbridge costs you far less of both.
The counter-argument is that you are paying for a second helm you may never use, and the upper deck is smaller than a true flybridge of the same length. If you entertain at anchor more than you run, an F65 gives you more usable square footage for less money.
Compared against the V65 on the same hull, I would take the S65 if there are usually more than four aboard and the V65 if there are usually two. That is the honest dividing line, and it has nothing to do with the spec sheet.
Princess Yachts S Articles & Guides
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Videos courtesy of Princess Yachts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Princess S Class faster than an equivalent flybridge?
Generally yes, at the same length. The sportbridge superstructure is lower and less bluff than a full flybridge, so it carries less windage and weight up high. The S65 publishes 34 to 36 knots at 67 feet 7 inches, where the F65 at 66 feet 7 inches publishes 31 to 33. You give up some upper-deck square footage for it.
How many models are in the Princess S Class?
Princess currently builds four: the S65, S72, S74 and S80. We have reviewed the S65 so far, so this guide covers that boat rather than implying a lineup we have not been aboard. Above the S65, the S72 and S74 are 75 feet 9 inches on twin MAN V12-1800s for 36 to 38 knots, and the S80 is 83 feet 6 inches.
Which S Fits Your Life?
Tell us how you plan to use the boat — guests, range, crew or no crew — and we'll give you the straight story on where in the S series you belong, new or brokerage.
Explore All Princess Yachts ModelsOr reach Tony directly: TS@MintedYachts.com · +1 (404) 805-9819