Gulf Craft Majesty 100 Review (2019 Edition)

Gulf Craft and its Majesty range have steadily emerged as a significant international player, boasting a robust model lineup and recent designs hinting at further innovations from this Middle Eastern shipyard.

The Majesty 100 serves as the gateway to Gulf Craft's Superyacht division, positioned below this length is the three-model owner-operated Yacht lineup. Consequently, it offers valuable insights into Gulf Craft's approach to large yacht design and capabilities.

The Majesty 100 adheres to the familiar 30m blueprint in many respects, featuring a main deck master stateroom, a semi-displacement hull for efficient cruising, four guest cabins, and a tender garage aft, all within a sleek and angular design.

However, in a competitive sector where numerous builders offer similar models, a new yacht must present unique selling points (USPs). The Majesty 100 distinguishes itself with two notable features designed to ensure both guests and crew enjoy their time onboard.

Crew focus

The layout prioritizes crew comfort by dividing the quarters into two separate areas fore and aft. Forward, accessible through the galley and utility space, are two spacious bunked cabins providing ample floor space for crew relaxation. Alternatively, the crew may prefer spending time aft, where a full mess area, small galley, and additional utility space are situated, along with the Captain’s double cabin to Port.

This dual crew quarters setup is a rarity in this size range and greatly enhances crew satisfaction and efficiency. Throughout the yacht, a commitment to spaciousness and practicality is evident, with generous cabin sizes, wide corridors, and ample storage solutions enhancing the onboard experience.

Upper Deck

Moving from the lower decks to the upper, Gulf Craft presents a practical solution to upper deck design on the Majesty.

Traditionally, yachts of this size feature an open flybridge-style deck, often equipped with a helm position and shaded by a hardtop. However, the Majesty offers a unique approach with what can be described as a sky lounge, providing excellent views, privacy, and climate control typically associated with larger yachts.

The sky lounge offers ample space, allowing owners to customize it according to their preferences, with options for a dining area and lounge setup.

Despite the enclosed lounge area, the upper deck remains spacious, featuring a bar and free-standing furniture. Additionally, the sky lounge seamlessly connects to the deck through triple sliding doors, with side screens that can be lowered to enhance the indoor-outdoor experience.

Underneath the sky lounge, the deck salon adopts an open-plan layout, bordered by expansive glass panels. The lounge area typically occupies the aft section, while the ten-person dining area is positioned towards the bow. Although there isn't side-deck access for guests, the area boasts ample space and elegantly designed cabinetry.

In the test boat's layout, the galley is concealed behind a bulkhead on the port side, situated ahead of the dining area. However, this setup could be modified to open up into the guest area if desired. The galley is characterised by its cleanliness and practicality, featuring a handy utility area.

Owner's Stateroom 

To starboard, a spacious corridor leads to the owner’s stateroom, which offers versatile configurations. In our test boat, a sizable dressing room and table greeted us at the entrance, leading into the cabin. Large windows along the bow ensure ample natural light throughout the space. The double berth, facing aft, is surrounded by generous floor space, complemented by two club chairs and well-designed cabinetry on each side.

The ensuite is characterized by its clean, straightforward layout, featuring a separate walk-in shower room. Additionally, there is an option to combine the dressing room and ensuite to form a unified space.

Guest Cabin

A central stairwell leads to the guest accommodation, comprising two VIP double cabins aft and two twin-berth cabins forward. Each cabin features an ensuite bathroom and exudes spaciousness and thoughtful design, highlighted by large hull-side windows and an understated yet elegant style.

The overall finish of the yacht, consistent with other Majesty models, deserves mention. Significant efforts have been made to ensure that the interior finish matches the standards of any European builder, and for the most part, it succeeds. The yacht exudes a crisp, neat aesthetic throughout, with consistent quality evident in every aspect.

The 100's design incorporates a pilothouse-style exterior, complemented by a professional helm station featuring a central control chair flanked by two sets of guest seating.

Serving as the sole helm station, this area must function efficiently, with ample space for all the instruments and screens neatly integrated into the console. However, a noticeable drawback is the limited forward visibility, hindered by a shallow windscreen and the presence of forward cockpit seating.

In today's navigation practices, larger yachts like this one often utilise display screens and wing stations for close-quarter handling, with crew members communicating instructions verbally. Nevertheless, having a clear forward view remains essential for general navigation in open waters.

We've highlighted the remarkable and highly functional upper deck, primarily emphasizing the aft section. Moving forward, you'll discover an equally impressive foredeck lounge — a delightful space featuring seating, a sizable sun pad, and a playful bench nestled lower down, right at the bow.

Irrespective of your berth arrangement, this upper deck layout guarantees a splendid and opulent retreat, ensuring complete privacy. While at anchor, you might prefer to relax aft, but when docked stern-to, you can opt for a gathering forward.

Main Deck Balconies

The main deck features a centrally positioned dining table that connects to the deck salon through fully retractable cockpit doors. While the space here is ample, it's enhanced by two fold-down balconies on each side, extending the width by a meter. These balconies not only add to the allure of the main deck but also provide an opportunity to lean out over the water and soak in the surroundings.

Gentle steps lead down to the bathing platform and tender garage, with the latter utilizing an optional slide and lift system to deploy the 3.25m (10.6ft) Williams RIB.

As previously discussed and observed, Majesty and Gulf Craft have demonstrated significant advancements in both design and craftsmanship. The introduction of the Nomad range has further diversified the fleet, providing additional options and personality to the brand, and making it a more comprehensive choice for prospective buyers.

With a base price of $6,300,000 or approximately €5,700,000, the Majesty 100 offers excellent value compared to other 30m (98ft) yachts on the market, especially considering that many builders offer vessels of only 27m (89ft) at this price point. 

The yacht we examined had a total price exceeding $9,000,000, a considerable leap from the base price. This increase was largely due to extensive customisation requested by the owner, reflecting Gulf Craft's commitment to accommodating individual preferences. However, as with any builder, such alterations can impact both the final cost and delivery timeline.

Considering the overall cost and comparing it to the offerings of renowned European builders in the 27m (89ft) category, the Majesty 100 faces a more competitive landscape.