Sunseeker 90 Ocean Review (2023 Edition) by Aquaholic

On Deck

Boarding happens on a broad bathing platform with a smart trick up its sleeve. The centre section lowers to launch and recover a tender sized up to a Williams 460. It will also hoist a jet ski clear of the water so the ski can slide forward into the platform bay and the tender can sit behind. The whole aft module transforms. The cutout panel cantilevers upright, the neighbouring section hinges to create a flat extension, and the central cockpit doors open to add serious lounging space. With everything shut again the lid lifts to reveal deep gear stowage. There is a deployable passerelle and a folding swim ladder section that doubles as steps into the sea or onto the quay. A compact grill station is built into the transom and folds flat when a tender is parked.

Step up and the cockpit continues the theme of usable tech. A bank of controls manages the platform lift and the extending steps. Rope bins and speakers are set into the coamings. A fridge and a small serving counter live beneath the seating. Shade is sorted by a powered blind that drops from the deckhead and an aft awning that pulls out over the cockpit.

Side decks are high and safe with bulwarks well above waist height and a reassuring handrail added along the outer edge where the walkway narrows. Glass windows are set into the bulwarks to keep the view out when seated. There are two side doors on the main deck, one by the galley for straight onto the deck service and one by the helm. A stern docking station sits just abaft the wheelhouse door with engine and thruster controls for close quarters.

Right forward the bow is a private social zone. Sunbeds push as far to the stem as possible and a wrap of settees creates a wind-free nook. Twin capstans handle ground tackle. From here the scale is obvious. You can look back past the long coachroof and appreciate how much of the hull length has been given to open air living. Along the way there is a proper deck locker under the side deck for fenders and lines. Overhead the flybridge hardtop carries the radar mast, GPS and comms aerials, and there is a large opening roof section plus an aft awning that pulls out of the top.

The flybridge is laid out as an easy entertaining deck with a long bar, backless stools, a big dining area and a vast open aft terrace that owners set up as they please. Sunpads, loose loungers, bean bags or even a hot tub will fit. The outdoor galley line hides a barbecue, an ice maker, fridge drawers, more fridge drawers and a deep sink. Refrigeration appears everywhere on this boat which is exactly what you want on a long summer day. If you cruise in very hot regions you can specify this entire level enclosed with solid sides and sliding doors to create a second climate controlled saloon without losing the upper helm.

A wide four-leaf aft door opens so far that cockpit and saloon feel like one. The main deck is a single plane with floor to ceiling glass and a warm, contemporary lighting scheme. The lounge has space to circulate behind the furniture and a big screen with soundbar for movie nights. A side door by the dining table brings a welcome cross breeze at anchor.

The galley can be tailored to how you run the boat. This example has the fully enclosed version. That keeps a long sideboard in the dining room for crockery and stemware and adds overhead cupboards inside the galley for extra stores. Go open plan and you gain a sociable serving counter but lose that cabinetry. There is also a halfway option with sliding panels in the bulkhead so you can open or close the space at will. Spec here includes large stainless fridge freezer, additional cold drawers, a dishwasher, full cooking kit and a crew service door straight to the side deck. There is yet more refrigeration in the passageway and a wine cooler as a finishing touch.

A neat dayheads sits opposite the galley lobby. Forward of that the wheelhouse is opened up by a snug settee to starboard which turns the bridge into a shared living area on passage rather than a working cave. Materials and textures across the bulkheads break up the volume without fuss.

At the lower lobby the corridor hides two tall linen cupboards. They look big enough to take laundry appliances if you wanted to move them here although the boat already has a separate laundry in crew.

Owner's Cabin

The owner’s suite runs full beam amidships and feels like a proper apartment. Hull windows pour light across a generous seating and breakfast spot by the waterline. The footprint is broad so you are not tiptoeing around the bed. A dressing zone aft lines up illuminated wardrobes and deep drawers. An emergency escape route is neatly concealed here as well, leading forward to a stair up and out. The vanity sits opposite. The en suite is the largest on board with twin basins, rich timberwork, a long bank of drawers and a big rainfall shower finished in stone with soft backlighting.

Guest Accommodation

There is a smart split in the guest layout that owners will appreciate on family trips. Forward, a separate guest suite sits a deck up from the main guest corridor like an annex. It gives visiting parents or friends their own zone away from the bustle. The cabin has big hull windows with opening ports, a dressing table, a safe, good hanging space and a refined en suite with rainfall shower and stone detailing.

Back on the main guest corridor there are two identical twins that convert. Each room is a square, usable bedroom rather than a token bunk space. In one cabin the berths slide together and you can see the tracks in the sole. In the other the beds are spread wide with a generous walkway between and a big sea view through the glazing. Both have wardrobes, shelving, televisions with soundbars and matching en suites with the same soft indirect lighting used throughout.

Crew Accommodation

A secure hatch aft leads down to a nice crew space for a yacht of this length. There is a compact mess with seating, a small galley line, AV rack, a fridge and the laundry with stacked machines. Two crew cabins are fitted with upper and lower bunks so four crew can be berthed. They share a crew heads with a separate shower stall. Systems access sits behind panels so engineers can get at what they need quickly.

Access is from the crew area into quite a tight engine space. Power comes from twin MAN V12 diesels at 1,900 horsepower each. Top speed is about 27 knots and a comfortable fast cruise sits around 22 knots. Throttle back to 12 knots and the range stretches beyond 1,000 nautical miles which opens up long coastal passages without a fuel stop. Two generators are installed, one each side, to split the hotel load and provide redundancy. Ventilation fans, a fire system and the main electrical boards are all sited where you can get at them. An emergency ladder leads straight up to deck. The main helm carries large navigation displays, a boatwide operating system, MAN engine instruments, autopilot, a likely stabilisation controller, bow and stern thrusters and an iPad dock for media and hotel controls. The upper helm mirrors the key gear so you can con the boat from the flybridge with the same confidence.

The 90 Ocean hits a very handy size bracket. Although it’s just over 27m (88ft) overall, its load-line length stays under 24m (78ft) so it avoids the heavier class rules that come in above that mark.  

Sunseeker backs the boat with a solid factory warranty and a global service network covering more than 70 countries, so support is never far away. Many owners opt for the Sunseeker Elite plan which extends that cover and bundles in routine servicing and seasonal care.

Budget-wise, allow a healthy six-figure annual sum in sterling once berthing, crew and maintenance are in. Owner-operators will find it manageable thanks to the side-deck doors and stern docking controls.

For rivals boats, the Sanlorenzo SL90 Asymmetric gives a similar footprint with its clever offset deck and Italian polish. The Azimut Grande 27 Metri brings lighter lines and a touch more pace.  

Sunseeker’s 90 Ocean earns its reputation by keeping the spaces generous rather than chasing an extra stateroom. The helm and systems fitout are modern and readable, the crew space is practical, and the MAN V12s give you the choice between a quick hop at 22 knots or a long stretch at 12. It is a big chunk of boat and it feels it in every cabin and every deck, which is exactly why this model has been such a hit.