Luxury yachts are a type of exceedingly expensive, privately-owned, pleasure crafts are large enough to require professional crews. The term originally was used to describe planetary ocean-going crafts similar in function to today's space-faring ones, it is today generally used to refer to the latter.
Historical Background
With the massive accumulation of wealth brought on by the addition of spaced-based industries and economies, products and services geared towards the very rich have also seen vast growth, particularly within the Amarr Empire and the Gallente Federation.
Private space-faring vessels were once reserved for the very elite, leaders, and those at the height of power. In time, these grew to be luxuriously appointed, as these men and women often spent an inordinate amount of time traveling. Within a few decades, the market in these types of vessels grew beyond this niche to include CEOs, Holder families, and anyone rich enough to afford them, and in some cases, those that couldn't.
Uses
While yachts of this type are generally owned privately and are reserved for their owner's exclusive use, many of these are available for part-time charter, particularly within the Gallente Federation. A growing number are purchased for use only as charter vehicles. These are normally used for pleasure cruises, sight-seeing tours, and private functions.
Major Manufacturers
One of the best known vessels of this type, the Opux, is also the most rare, and by YC 112 the company had claimed it sold six, though only four have ever been registered. Despite the small number in existence, the Opux has been popularized by the Gallente media to the point that it has become a standard symbol of wealth within the Federation. Manufactured by a private firm, the Opux is widely acknowledged to be the apex of luxury yacht design by those in the industry.
Viziam is probably the best known luxury yacht manufacturer in the Amarr Empire, and are favored by royalty and holder families, such as the Ardishapur Family.
See Also
- Interstellar ship technology
- Chronicle: Fait Accompli