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A 27-meter yacht designed around the living space
At 27.11 m overall length with a bow pulpit, the Princess X90 isn?t just meant to fill the gap between the X80 and the X95 Vista. Its design takes the principle underlying the X Class range a step further: dedicating more of the boat?s floor space to living areas by relocating certain features traditionally located on the main deck.
At 6.62 meters wide and with a reported displacement of approximately 91.5 metric tons, the X90 remains a substantial yacht. It carries 11,000 liters of diesel fuel and 1,500 liters of fresh water. But its appeal lies less in these figures than in the way Princess makes use of its three decks. The key factor is the location of the main wheelhouse. It is not situated at the forward end of the main deck, but on the upper deck, in an enclosed space connected to the Skylounge. This relocation frees up a significant amount of length on the main deck, allowing for the installation of the owner?s suite there. This is the ?Super Flybridge? concept developed by Princess for its X series: the flybridge is no longer just an outdoor helm station with a few benches. It becomes a true additional deck, featuring both indoor and outdoor spaces.
The wheelhouse is raised one story, freeing up space on the main deck
Moving the helm significantly changes the flow of traffic on board. On the X90, the main deck remains at the same level from the aft areas all the way to the forward section occupied by the owner?s suite. The suite features windows that provide a wide, unobstructed view to the front and sides. An optional gull-wing door even allows passengers to step directly from the cabin onto a terrace located on the foredeck.
The benefit isn?t just aesthetic. On a yacht designed to accommodate crew and guests for several days, separating traffic flow quickly becomes just as important as increasing the square meters. Princess therefore designs layouts that allow the crew to work without constantly having to cross through the areas reserved for the owners and guests. In the bow, the crew quarters may include up to three cabins, a bathroom, and a crew lounge with a kitchenette.
On the main deck, the galley can be configured in two ways. It can be open, with a counter facing the living areas, or closed off to accommodate a more traditional layout with a crew.
A cockpit that gets wider once the boat is at anchor
The most noticeable change is probably at the stern. For the first time on a Princess model, the side bulwarks of the cockpit can be lowered on both the port and starboard sides. This feature is now common on yachts and some smaller boats: a section of the bulwark becomes a horizontal platform when the boat is at rest. This increases the usable width of the cockpit without taking up space when the boat is underway or maneuvering in port.
On the X90, these two extensions flank a cockpit situated relatively close to the water. The stern also features a glass railing to maintain the view aft. However, it?s important to distinguish between available space and an actual swimming platform. These balconies primarily expand the outdoor living space. Their value is therefore most apparent at anchor, when the cockpit becomes one of the focal points of life on board. Another design element contributes to this sense of continuity: the door separating the cockpit from the dining area features a curved design. When open, it creates a direct connection between the interior dining table?which seats ten people?and the outdoor space. When closed, its glass surface maintains visibility to the stern.
This pursuit of continuity between interior and exterior is no small matter on a boat weighing more than 90 metric tons. On this scale, the proliferation of decks, bulkheads, and passageways can quickly fragment the spaces. Princess, on the other hand, seeks to maintain long lines of sight throughout the boat.
The upper deck becomes a second, fully equipped living space
Relocating the wheelhouse would be less appealing if the upper deck were merely a technical walkway. The X90 therefore features a layout more similar to that of a three-deck yacht. The Skylounge forms the interior section. It includes a lounge surrounded by windows and can be equipped, as an option, with an 85-inch television. Sliding doors separate it from the wheelhouse.
Outside, the rear of the flybridge remains customizable. The owner can choose to include movable furniture, a bar, or a spa, among other options. Another configuration allows this area to be used to carry a tender, complete with a crane for handling it. At the bow, the seating can be converted into sun loungers. The boat thus features several distinct outdoor areas: the foredeck, the aft cockpit, and the flybridge.
This layout addresses a rather unique constraint of yachts of this size. There are enough guests that several groups can use the boat at the same time, but the X90 remains much more compact than a superyacht with four or five decks. The versatility of the same spaces is therefore essential.
Up to five cabins for owners and their guests
The owner's suite, located on the main deck, leaves the lower deck for the guest cabins. The advertised standard configuration includes three cabins with en suite bathrooms below the main deck. Including the owner's cabin, the yacht therefore has four cabins for the owners and guests. An alternative layout increases the total to five cabins, with four guest cabins plus the main-deck suite. Princess?s current specifications thus indicate a maximum capacity of ten berths.
The crew quarters remain separate, with their living quarters located toward the bow. This separation becomes particularly important when the yacht is operated with several crew members on board.
A new hull design to expand the range of use
The changes go beyond the interior design. The X90 introduces a hull design that Princess refers to as Hybrid Progressive-Planing, or H.P.P. Developed in collaboration with the British firm Olesinski, a long-standing partner of the shipyard, this hull design aims to reconcile two performance characteristics that are often difficult to achieve on a heavy yacht: relatively fuel-efficient cruising at low speeds and the ability to transition to planing speeds necessary to exceed 20 knots by a wide margin.
This is a particularly interesting topic when it comes to the X90. Its stated displacement exceeds 91 metric tons. Propelling such a mass at 25 knots or more naturally requires considerable power, whereas operating at lower speeds is subject to different hydrodynamic constraints.
Princess reports that this hull would require about 10% less power above 16 knots than a Y85, once displacements have been normalized to ensure a valid comparison. Below 10 knots, the shipyard also reports fuel consumption comparable to that of the Y85, even though the X90 is about 18 metric tons heavier.
From 3,800 to 4,400 chevaux, depending on the engine
The technical specifications published by Princess list three power levels. The entry-level model is powered by two MAN V12-1900 engines, each producing 1,900 chevaux. A second configuration uses two V12-2000 engines producing 2,000 chevaux, while the most powerful version is equipped with two V12X-2200 engines producing 2,200 chevaux. Total power can therefore reach 4,400 chevaux...
Depending on the engine, Princess lists a top speed of between 22 and 27 knots. The manufacturer notes, however, that this performance may vary depending on the load, the condition of the hull and appendages, temperatures, and sea conditions.
The Princess X90 will now have to live up to the promises of its hull design
Ultimately, the X90 illustrates a fairly clear evolution in large motor yachts: length is no longer the only factor for gaining space. The relocation of technical systems, movable bulwarks, and an increase in convertible spaces make it possible to utilize a given hull in new ways. Princess takes this concept quite far by removing the wheelhouse from the main deck, thereby dedicating it almost entirely to living spaces. The expandable cockpit follows the same logic on the exterior.
