Princess F55 Review (2022 Edition)

The F55 is available with two versions of the Volvo Penta D13 shaft drive block, with either 800hp or 900hp. For the small increase in price, the 900s are worth the outlay. Being the same block as the 800s they take up no more space in the engine room than their less powerful counterparts and that extra 200hp in total will be felt mid-season when there's some growth on the hull and a full complement of cruising kit on board. 

Princess quotes a 31-33 knot top speed and, depending on load, that is perfectly achievable. The 12.8-litre in-line 6s have plenty of punch and make easy work of shifting the F55's 31-tonne (at half load) weight on to the plane, where it will happily sit at 25 knots with noise readings in the saloon of just 73 dB(A).

At Sea

The day of our sea trial in Princess's home port of Plymouth brought with it stiff south westerlies and challenging sea conditions but the F55 took all of this in its stride. The twin 900hp engines have more than enough grunt to haul the boat out of deeper troughs without it getting bogged down and the hull irons out the worst of the bumps with ease. 

The handling is far more playful than you might expect of a boat of this style, the benefit being that amongst larger crests it is very easy - rewarding, in fact - to hand steer the boat through the worst of it. The steering is light but not artificially so and with just 2.5 turns from lock to lock, the boat reacts keenly to inputs from the helm station(s), banking eagerly and turning on itself within a couple of boat lengths.

It's quiet, too, with sound levels at the lower help barely registering above 70dB(A) at cruising speed, making this a very relaxing position to cover hard yards from. 

The driving position is good at both helms and with slide adjustment on the seats and adjustable steering wheels, it should be easy for skippers of all shapes and sizes to get comfortable. At the lower helm, there is enough headroom to stand and drive, even for those over 6ft, and the lift bolster on each seat provides a comfortable spot to lean on. Both around the marina and at sea, the F55 is polished and easy to handle. 

The Princess/Olesinksi partnership is almost as old as time itself and the two brands appear to be able to knock out cohesive, ageless designs with staggering consistency. Adding the Turin-based design house Pininfarina into that mix has done nothing to upset that synergy and has bestowed the modern Princess with a swooping curvy architecture that is restrained and beautifully clean. 

Does the F55 lack a bit of visual punch? There's an argument that it does, certainly in contrast to the rakish Azimut 53 and more bombastic designs from the likes of Absolute and Galeon. 

Fit and finish are as high as we have come to expect from Princess and attention to detail is impressive. The quality and sculptural finish of the mooring gear alone sets the tone on a boat where it's clear that designers and engineers have gone the extra mile to provide aesthetic functionality. It's not just the stuff you can see, either. Digging behind the scenes is easy because access panels are hinged and open on simple pop catches, so getting behind the helm, for example, couldn't be simpler. 

It's the same story in the engine room where the motors are mounted with plenty of space around all sides, there are lashings of sound-deadening material, and plumbing and wiring are neatly labeled with functions and flow directions. It's an easy boat to drive but, for an owner-operator, it's also a very easy boat to live with. 

The curvature that characterizes the F55's exterior continues inside where the neatly rounded edges are not only good on the eye but much more friendly to knock into at sea, compared to a sharp corner. There is a variety of wood and upholstery choices but the mix of oak wood and blue upholstery on our test boat (not pictured) struck a somewhat austere tone without the personal touches of an owner.

The quality can't be faulted, though, from the execution of the woodwork to the delightfully subtle use of recessed lighting and the dedicated storage for everything from cutlery to crockery and glassware.

The galley's position aft works especially well with the top-hinged window to port, which opens the kitchen to the cockpit and creates a bar between the two areas. The galley itself features a domestic fridge-freezer and induction cooking plus a decent dishwasher, replacing the slightly hopeless drawer-style machine that was fitted to the Mk1 F55. 

Another change from the previous generation boat is that there is no longer the spear of GRP running into the saloon windows, which makes for even better views out of the vast glazed area. The bulwarks neatly drop with the window line so even when sitting in the main saloon area the views out are superb. The levels of natural light drawn into the main deck are superb, too. 

Our test boat had a stylish coffee table at the dinette but there is the option to have a proper table on a hi-lo mechanism for those who want the option to dine inside the boat. 

Cabins

The boat has a three-cabin layout with the option to add a (rather good) crew cabin in the transom as an option. The layout comprises three cabins and two bathrooms with the VIP and twin guest cabins sharing a bathroom, though the VIP has private access from inside the cabin. At this size, there is enough beam for the beds in the twin to be side by side, rather than bunks, and Princess has added to the functionality by adding (as an option) an electric mechanism so the two berths can slide together or apart in a matter of seconds to create a pair of twins or a decent double. 

The VIP ensuite is forward and has well over 6ft of headroom at the end of the bed and a good amount of floor space so it's easy to get changed.  There's a good variety of storage too with eye-level lockers all around, deep drawers built into the base of the bed, and a large hanging locker on the starboard side. It would be good to see fiddled edges on the areas on either side of the bed, so loose items can't slide off when the boat is at sea. 

Heading amidships there is day head access to the VIP ensuite and, in the companionway leading to the master suite, a locker to house the washer and dryer, neatly placed between all three cabins.

The master cabin, as is the norm on boats in this sector, is full-beam with its own private ensuite on the port side. Princess has cleverly employed a pocket door here, which slides into the bulkhead, a neat space-saving trick that maximizes the amount of room in an ensuite that isn't enormous but is nicely finished, though. 

The stateroom is spacious with plenty of headroom and a flat floor around the large double berth. Here, the hull windows are at their largest and the effect is wonderful. Princess has made the most of the view on the port side by installing a compact dinette where the owner could have a quiet coffee or do a bit of work in private. It's a great space and of more use than the ubiquitous chaise lounge.

Storage is impressive throughout as the starboard side of the cabin is almost exclusively dedicated to stowage solutions, be that deep drawers, a pop-out bureau, or the double floor-to-ceiling wardrobe. In a trio of really good cabins, the master is the icing on the cake. 

A single crew cabin is an option but it's a well-designed space that could act as an ad hoc guest cabin if required. It's as nicely finished as the rest of the accommodation, has decent good light thanks to a strip of glazing in the transom, and has 6ft of standing headroom. By putting the sink inside the cabin there is more space to move around in the ensuite wet room. If crew space is a priority, the Galeon 550 may be a better option as it has space for two crew.

Both helms benefit from good ergonomics thanks to sliding seats with bolster sections and adjustable steering wheels so most skippers will be able to find a driving position that suits them. The upper helm is more stylish than its counterpart downstairs, especially in the silver paint finish that comes as part of the optional Allure pack. 

Two large MFDs (one is standard) and a smaller engine data screen handle navigation and engine information. The amount of storage for loose items at the upper helm is particularly impressive with everything from shallow slots for mobile phones to cupholders and a deep glovebox that could swallow all manner of kit. 

The lower helm is similarly well designed, though the test boat only had one large MFD whereas most buyers will likely opt for two. The dashboard design is smart and clear, with dark materials dominating so you don't get a reflection of the dash top in the windscreen on really bright days. 

There are electric windows on both sides of the boat but no side door at the helm, which means the F55 isn't quite as easy to crew single-handed as the likes of the Sealine F530 and Absolute 56 Fly.

The F55 is tightly proportioned - and all the better looking for it - but it doesn't feel as spacious on deck as a Sunseeker Manhattan 55 or Absolute 56 Fly. The spaces are well-balanced, and the inclusion of sun pads with angled backrests, a sofa, and a walk-through section on the foredeck make the very most of this extra living space. 

Most boats in this sector stow their tenders on a hi-lo bathing platform (though the Prestige 520 has a tender garage) and the F55 has the capacity (450kg) to launch and recover a Williams 435 Sportjet. However, if the boat is fitted with the optional Seakeeper gyro stabilizer and a passerelle, the platform's capacity drops to 125kg. Worth thinking about if you want a decent tender on the back. 

There is symmetrical access on either side of the transom into the cockpit where there is a decent dinette with a hefty teak table. The quality stands out once again in the substantial stainless steel handrails built into the table support, inset cupholders, and the finger slots that are carved into the table edge to make it easier to lift the sections. 

There is a gentle ascent onto the side decks from the cockpit where tall guardrails and well-placed grab rails on the flybridge structure make moving along the sides of the boat safe and easy.  Fender storage is a touch limited but then the crew cabin can double up as a store for the occasions when the fenders need to be off the decks. 

The flybridge is a really well-designed place with a focus on seating. The dinette bench runs right across the aft end of the top deck and there is enough space on the other side of the table for a couple of stools or free-standing chairs. The wet bar is compact but has all you need to serve guests up top including a sink, BBQ grill, fridge, and optional icemaker. The bar's proximity to the flybridge hatch means those doing the cooking need to be careful not to step back and disappear down the flybridge staircase.

There is the option to have a hard top with a sunroof over the flybridge but the canvas Bimini with built-in LED lighting is a cheaper alternative that looks better and can be collapsed forward of the helm if shelter isn't required. 

You do tend to pay a premium for a Princess but it's easy to see where that extra money is going. The F55 feels like a quality product through and through, uses high-end components, and comes as standard with options that many rivals would charge extra for.

This eye on quality, the timeless styling, and the fact that Princess doesn't produce in enormous numbers means residual prices tend to be better than the competition, too. 

At the time of the review in August 2022, the price of the boat we tested was GBP £1.78M inc VAT.