They share a lot underneath, but the S65 goes after a different buyer with a tender garage, an opening sunroof and a smaller sportsbridge rather than a full flybridge.
There are compromises to that approach, and some are pretty obvious once you get on board. So this review really comes down to one question: do those differences make the S65 the one to have, or is the F65 still the better all-rounder?
Princess S65 (Gen 2) Key Facts
- LOA 67' 7"
- Model Year 2024
- Cabins 4
- Crew 1
- Max Speed 36 knots
- Status In Production
- Generations 2
- Yacht Type Sportsbridge
- Use Type Cruising
Review Video
The Princess S65 is built in Plymouth and sits on the same basic platform as the F65, but Princess uses it very differently.
At 20.6m (67ft 7in) long, with a 5.09m (16ft 8in) beam and 1.66m (5ft 5in) draft, it is slightly longer than its flybridge sister and carries much of the same underlying architecture - you can take a look at the full spec differences on the YachtBuyer Princess S65 vs F65 Head to Head Compare Tool. Construction is GRP around a deep-V hull, with teak laid across the main outside deck areas, and the S65 has an RCD Category B rating for 18 people. Light displacement is quoted at 42,277kg.
This is the second generation of the S65. The first arrived in 2015 and established the format Princess still uses today: a low sportsbridge, a large opening roof over the saloon and the sort of profile that makes the upper deck almost disappear from certain angles. The current boat debuted in 2024 and was developed by Princess Design Studio in collaboration with Olesinski and Pininfarina.
The difficult part is getting a useful upper deck onto a 20m yacht without ending up with the height of a conventional flybridge boat. Princess has kept the sportsbridge low and tapered it aft, while the canopy sits close to the main-deck glazing below. The long hull windows and those deep haunches around the aft quarters help with the proportions too. It still looks like an S Class boat rather than an F65 with the top chopped down.
That decision affects the rest of the yacht. The sportsbridge is smaller than the flybridge on the F65, the side decks aren't especially wide and there is less seating inside, but the lower superstructure allows Princess to fit a large three-panel glazed sunroof above the saloon and lower helm. A tender garage also sits beneath the aft sunpad, something the F65 doesn't have. These are the two big architectural differences between the sister boats, and they account for much of the choice between them.
There is some quite involved packaging beneath that upper deck. The main deck is split across two levels, which preserves headroom where the sportsbridge structure comes down over the saloon. Princess has kept the companionways broad and worked the furniture around the change in floor height rather than trying to disguise it. The narrower side decks also leave more width for the accommodation inside.
Below decks, the S65 uses the same basic four-cabin arrangement found across Princess's 65ft platform. One of the more important changes from the older 62-generation layout is aft in the owner's cabin, where the bathroom now runs transversely across almost the full beam instead of down one side. It gives the bathroom much more room and places it directly between the sleeping area and the machinery space behind it.
The galley sits right aft on the main deck, directly beside the cockpit. The window above the counter hinges up, the glass doors slide across and the floor stays flat between the two areas, so the dining table, galley and cockpit are all within a few steps of each other. There is also the small bar outside with its sink and cooler, while the main fridge is just inside.
It is a good-sized galley too. There is a decent run of worktop along the port side, then the counter wraps around at the aft end with more surface opposite. The full-height fridge has a freezer below, there is a dishwasher, although not a full-size one, plus an electric hob and oven. The stainless-steel sink isn't a twin, but it is plenty big enough, and there is a drained ice chest set into the worktop.
Directly opposite is the dining area, with a table that opens out when more room is needed. There are loose stools as well, so a couple more people can sit on this side without another fixed bench taking up space. Fold the table back down and part of it forms a handhold, with a pair of cupholders built in.
From there the saloon steps up to the main seating area. The change in level is quite obvious, but the passage through is wide and there is plenty of room around the furniture. This is where the S65 loses a little against the F65 because there is no opposing sofa and no navigator's bench, so there isn't as much seating overall. Instead, there is one very good-sized sofa opposite the television, which rises out of the cabinetry.
The big difference overhead is the three-panel glass sunroof. On the day of our tour it was doing a better job as a rain roof, but even shut there is glass above the forward saloon as well as those huge side windows. Open it and a large part of the roof above the seating and lower helm disappears. The F65 doesn't have that, and it changes this part of the boat quite a bit.
The finish in here is lovely. This boat has matte walnut across the galley, dining area and saloon, and the woodwork is very nicely done. Princess uses the lighting well too, with strips worked into the furniture rather than obvious fittings across the ceiling. The moveable stools, cupholders, large fridge and compact dishwasher are all packed into the aft half of the main deck without making it feel cluttered.
Owner's Cabin
The owner's cabin is amidships and feels quite a bit more generous than the two smaller guest cabins farther forward. On the way in there is a little lobby with space for a washer-dryer if you spec one, and Princess has put a shallow cupboard directly above it for all the washing bits. It's simple, but it is exactly where you want that storage.
Inside, the floor is completely flat and the headroom is very good, so there is plenty of room to move around the bed without squeezing past furniture. The hull windows are huge and run along either side of the cabin, which brings in a lot of light this far down in the boat. There is a long run of storage down one side and another very large television on the bulkhead opposite.
The sofa is a nice addition too. You don't always want to sit on the bed, and here there is somewhere else to relax while still being able to see the television. More importantly, it puts you right beside those big hull windows, so you can sit down and still get the view out rather than having to perch on the edge of the bed.
The detailing in here is lovely, with the same matte walnut carried through from the main deck and lighting neatly integrated into the joinery rather than relying on overhead fittings. There is also storage beneath the bed, so there are plenty of places to stow belongings.
Before the bathroom there is what is really a semi walk-in wardrobe. You step into the space and have two large hanging cupboards, full-height storage, automatic lighting and a big mirror behind. It isn't a separate dressing room, but there is enough room to stand in here and get changed without blocking the cabin.
The bathroom is the big change compared with the older Princess 62 layout. Instead of running down one side of the cabin, it now stretches across almost the full beam behind it. That gives you a much bigger sink unit, a very wide mirror and plenty of wall space for towels, while the shower cubicle is properly roomy as well.
There is a small step up into the shower, but the ceiling rises with it, so headroom is still very good. You get a rainfall shower and, with the blind up, a hull window beside you. The bathroom also sits directly between the sleeping area and the engine room, so there is another physical layer between the bed and the machinery aft.
VIP Cabin
The VIP is right forward and it's a very nice cabin. There is a good amount of space at the end of the double bed, so getting changed isn't awkward, and headroom stays good even where the deck starts to come down towards the bow. That matters at the head of the bed too, as you can sit upright without getting anywhere near the ceiling. Storage includes drawers beneath the bed and a hanging locker on the port side.
There isn't a skylight overhead, although there is an escape hatch, so most of the daylight comes through the long hull windows on either side. Even on a pretty grey day there was a decent amount of light in here. A bureau sits neatly into one corner and there is a large television opposite the bed.
The VIP also gets its own bathroom, and it's a big one. It stretches quite a long way aft, with plenty of floor space and a large separate shower rather than having everything squeezed around the toilet and basin.
Aft, the starboard twin is a good size and should be perfectly comfortable for adults. The two single berths can slide together electrically to make a double, so the cabin has a bit of flexibility depending on who is staying on board. There is a hanging locker for clothes and a television tucked into the cabinetry opposite.
This cabin doesn't have a bathroom all to itself, but it has its own door into the day head across the passageway. That bathroom is a decent size too, with a proper separate shower, and it can also be reached from the corridor when the cabin isn't in use.
The fourth cabin is very different. This is the bunk room and it is much more suited to children than adults. The bunks sit quite close together and there isn't a huge amount of room around them, so grown-ups could use it, but they probably wouldn't volunteer for a long stay. There is still a good-sized storage locker, air-conditioning and individual reading lights for the bunks.
Some of the Princess detail is lovely even in here. The ladder between the two bunks is beautifully made, which is a small thing, but it says quite a lot when the same care has gone into one of the least glamorous parts of the accommodation. The bunk cabin shares the day head with the twin opposite.
Crew/Storage
The crew cabin is beneath the sunpad in the transom, with access through a hatch hidden under the cushion. Lift that up, press a button and the steps take you down into the space.
This is where the S65 gives quite a lot away to the F65. There is a single berth, some storage and a separate bathroom with its own shower and toilet, but the cabin itself is very tight. It is pretty coffin-like, to be honest, and on a boat of this size it feels much better suited to extra storage than somewhere a crew member would want to spend much time.
Of course, plenty of S65 owners may run the boat themselves, so that won't matter to everyone. But if you want a 65ft Princess and genuinely plan to carry crew, the F65 is the better bet. Its crew accommodation is much larger and has room for two, whereas the S65 has just the one berth aft.
The upper helm has two large multifunction displays with a smaller screen between them, plus the throttles, thruster controls and the physical switches you actually want close to hand. Seat and wheel adjustment is good, and the view towards the bow is unusually clear from the seated position for a sportsbridge. There is also a gap between the helm seats so the co-pilot can get in and out without everyone having to shuffle around, while a refrigerated chest is built into the back of the co-pilot seat.
One last detail is the cutaway beside the sportsbridge steps. It opens up a sightline down towards the bathing platform, which is useful when the boat is close to the quay. The helm screens themselves are proper marine units, so getting soaked in the rain isn't an issue - fairly important on an open upper helm with no fixed roof.
Lower Helm
The lower helm sits on the starboard side of the saloon and it's a really nice position. The twin seats are quite snug and supportive, and they slide forward if you want to sit closer to the wheel and screens. The view ahead is very good from here too, with a broad windscreen and plenty of glass around the sides.
The dash is laid out around two large Raymarine MFDs with a smaller screen between them, which can be left on engine data while the bigger displays handle navigation. Princess has skinned the graphics in its own style, which tidies the whole thing up nicely. There are still proper buttons below rather than everything disappearing into a touchscreen, and the throttles and thruster controls sit close to hand.
The design itself is clean, with a raised section above the displays that also gives the screens a bit of shade when the sun is coming straight through the windscreen. There is one bit I'm less keen on, though. Quite a lot of the surround is made from that slightly scratchy plastic we seem to see on plenty of modern boats now, and it feels a little ordinary next to some of the lovely woodwork elsewhere on board.
A side door opens straight onto the starboard deck, which is useful if the skipper needs to get outside quickly during close-quarters work. With the cameras and the view from this position, there is no reason the boat couldn't be handled from down here if needed, although there are other places on board that give an even better view around the aft end.
The AC and DC switchboard is just behind the helm rather than far away downstairs. It covers the main electrical systems, generator and shore-power switching, and the position makes sense because it is close to the helm as well as the saloon. If you need to check something in the evening, you can get to it without heading down into the cabins.
The big difference right at the stern is the tender garage. The F65 doesn't have one, whereas the S65 can swallow a Williams 345 beneath that big aft sunpad, which is a really neat arrangement on a boat of this size. You still get the teak-laid hydraulic bathing platform as well, and there are chocks here if you want to carry another light toy once the tender is tucked away. It is worth keeping that toy light, though, because you don't want too much extra weight right at the aft end.
There is equally good access into the cockpit from either side, with the passerelle on the port side if that option is fitted for stern-to berthing. The cockpit itself is a really nice space. The main seating wraps around a folding dining table, but the spots I particularly like are the aft-facing seats tucked in behind the wheelhouse. They still have a clear view out over the wake, yet there is plenty of shelter around you, so they should be good places to sit if the weather turns or the sea gets a bit lively. A powered sunshade can cover the aft end as well.
Forward in the cockpit is a small bar area with a sink and cooler, and that is really all it needs because the galley is directly inside. The window above the galley counter hinges up and the sliding doors move right across, so food and drinks don't have far to travel. There is another fridge only a few steps away inside, which makes the extra cooler outside quite useful rather than just another bit of equipment.
Side Decks & Foredeck
The side decks aren't massively wide. There is, however, a handrail all the way along the superstructure and proper guardrails outboard, so the route forward feels secure enough. It is worth going up there because the foredeck is a lovely area. There is a bench seat with a small table between the seating and the sunpads, though this is more somewhere for drinks and snacks than a full meal.
The twin sunpads have pop-up backrests, so they work as proper loungers rather than flat pads, and there is another cooler between them. Storage is particularly good up here too. The lockers are big, there is access from more than one point and the spaces link together, so long items, fenders and the various covers have somewhere sensible to go rather than being stuffed into whatever locker is free.
Sportsbridge
On top is the sportsbridge, and this is the obvious compromise against the F65. It is a lot smaller than the full flybridge on that boat, but it is still pretty good to be honest. There is no hardtop option, so shade comes from a hydraulic bimini that folds away when you don't need it, and the deck is wide enough to fit a proper dinette without making the walkway feel pinched.
The wet bar sits right aft where a lot of boats would probably waste the space. It has a barbecue, sink and fridge, and the position makes sense because heat and smells are kept away from most of the seating when the boat is lying bow-to. There is another cooler here as well - the third one on the S65 by this point - and there is enough room around the dinette to bring up a couple of loose chairs if more people want to eat here.
Forward of that is an L-shaped seating area that can turn into a sunpad. It also gives passengers somewhere to sit when the boat is under way, rather than leaving the helm seats as the only forward-facing spots on this deck. The sportsbridge may be smaller than the F65's flybridge, but there is still room up here for separate dining, lounging and helm areas without any of them feeling token.
Engine Room
Engine room access is through a large hatch in the cockpit, and once you're down there it is surprisingly roomy considering what is fitted. There is a beam through the middle that you have to duck beneath, but otherwise headroom is good and there is enough space to move around the machinery without having to squeeze between everything.
The engines are a pair of MAN V12-1400s, so there is 1,400hp on each side and 2,800hp in total. They use the same basic V12 block as the F65 installation, but with more power - that boat has the 1,200hp version.
These V12s are big lumps, but the installation doesn't feel crammed. There is room around them to get at the main service points, and the whole space is very clean. That's useful for more than appearances because if a hose starts weeping or something else goes wrong, you have a much better chance of spotting it quickly in an engine room like this.
There is a lot of insulation too, particularly overhead and around the sides of the machinery space. That's worth having with two big diesels sitting just aft of the owner's cabin, and the transverse owner's bathroom adds another physical layer between the engines and the bed farther forward.
The rest of the installation is easy enough to pick through. The generator is tucked down behind the access ladder, the fuel tanks sit forward and the filters are mounted where you can get at them without disappearing behind an engine. Air-conditioning equipment sits off to one side, with the hydraulic pack nearby.
The S65 also has a separate engineering space aft on the port side, opposite the crew cabin. Some of the auxiliary equipment sits in here rather than in the main engine room, including batteries, air-conditioning equipment and, where fitted, the gyro hardware. It means there are jobs you can get to without having to work right beside the V12s.
Stabilisation can be done with fins or a gyro, so owners have a choice depending on how they plan to use the boat. The associated equipment sits among the auxiliary systems aft, while the generator remains in the main engine room.
Our Verdict
The main issue the S65 faces is that the F65 is probably the best all-rounder in the sector. But this is an easy win for Princess. The shared platform keeps production costs manageable, and they've produced a boat that offers things the F65 doesn't. For some, the looks, tender garage and sun roof will be enough to persuade over even something as good as the F-Class.
Reasons to Buy
- Tender garage is a really neat setup
- Lovely aft-facing seats in the cockpit
- Sportsbridge is still a good size
- Excellent all-rounder
Things to Consider
- Crew cabin is very tight
- Too much scratchy plastic at the helm
Looking to own a Princess S65? Use YachtBuyer’s Market Watch to compare all new and used Princess S65 Yachts for sale worldwide. You can also order a new Princess S65, customized to your exact specifications, with options for engine choice and layout configuration. Alternatively, explore our global listings of new and used yachts for sale and find your perfect yacht today!
Rivals to Consider
The most obvious alternative is the Princess F65 because so much of the underlying boat is shared. At 20.3m (66ft 7in), it is almost the same size as the S65 and still sleeps eight in four cabins, but everything above the main deck takes a different route. The flybridge is much bigger, the side decks are wider and there is proper space aft for two crew. You lose the tender garage and opening saloon roof, and the standard twin MAN V8-1200s give 2,400hp against the S65's 2,800hp. Princess quotes 33 knots at the top end. For an owner who wants a full flybridge and plans to use crew regularly, the F65 is the easier boat to make a case for.
The Fairline Phantom 65 is probably the closest direct rival. It is another sportsbridge, and at 19.96m (65ft 6in) long with a 5.23m (17ft 2in) beam it packs four cabins and eight berths into a slightly shorter hull. It shares its hull and lower deck with the Squadron 68, then gets a much lower upper deck and an opening roof over the saloon. The sportsbridge is quite compact, as it is on the Princess, and there is no hardtop option. Standard Cat C18s give 31 knots, while the optional 1,650hp C32s took our test boat to 36.5 knots. That engine upgrade costs £250,000, while a Seakeeper 18 was another £140,000 option at the time of our test. The Phantom started at £2.43 million, so there is quite a gap to the £3.852 million ex VAT as-tested figure we have for the S65, though base and as-tested prices aren't a clean comparison.
Then there is the Riva 66' Ribelle, which is much closer to the S65 in length at 20.67m (67ft 10in) but quite different below decks. It has three cabins for six guests rather than four for eight, so you give up some sleeping space straight away. What you get is a pair of MAN V12-1550s with 3,100hp between them and a quoted top speed of 37 knots. It also has a tender garage, hydraulic bathing platform and a sportsbridge, so there is plenty of overlap with the Princess in the way the boat is used. The Riva is wider at 5.29m (17ft 4in), draws 1.8m (5ft 11in) and carries 3,800 litres of fuel against the S65's 4,100 litres.
Considering a new yacht? Explore Princess' entire current range to find the model that best suits your needs, and compare it with alternatives from competitors to ensure you make the perfect choice.
Specifications
- Builder Princess
- Range S Class
- Model S65
- Length Overall 67' 7"
- Beam 16' 9"
- Draft 5' 7"
- Hull GRP
- Cabins 4
- Berths 8
- Crew 1
- Yacht Type (Primary) Sportsbridge
- Use Type (Primary) Cruising
- Cruising Speed
- Max Speed
- Fuel Capacity 1,083 Gallons
- Fresh Water Capacity 212 Gallons
- Engine Model 2x MAN V12-1400
- Engine max range (speed type) 300 (nm)
Princess S65 Layout
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Flybridge
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Standard flybridge layout
![Flybridge Princess S65]()
The top deck is still a really good size, despite being a sportsbridge
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Main Deck
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Standard lounge layout
![Main Deck Princess S65]()
The standard main deck layout
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Optional lounge and aft cockpit seating
![Main Deck Princess S65]()
There is an option to add L-shaped seating by the cockpit doors
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Optional aft wet bar
![Main Deck Princess S65]()
Or, you can put a wet bar out here
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Lower Deck
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Standard master cabin layout
![Lower Deck Princess S65]()
The standard three-cabin layout is the same as the F65's
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Optional master cabin layout with sofa
![Lower Deck Princess S65]()
You can replace storage with a sofa in the owner's cabin
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