Cannes & Monaco 2026: The New Yachts and Trends That Caught Our Attention

From exciting new models in the 50–70ft segment to changing expectations around space, lifestyle and time spent aboard, Cannes and Monaco 2026 offered a fascinating glimpse into where yachting is heading

September remains one of the most important months in the international yachting calendar. The Cannes Yachting Festival, followed shortly afterwards by the Monaco Yacht Show, brings together many of the world’s leading yacht builders, owners and industry professionals on the Côte d’Azur. Cannes alone welcomed around 700 yachts and 680 exhibitors this year, with approximately 150 world premieres, a strong indication of the level of investment and innovation still taking place across the industry.

Michael J. Zammit, Founder & Director, and Simone Budai, Yacht Broker – Malta & the Med.

Beyond the impressive numbers and new launches, however, one message stood out to us: the way people are using yachts is changing and builders are responding. Industry data shared around the September show season points towards a younger generation of owners spending considerably more time aboard than in the past. Whether this applies equally across every size category is difficult to establish, but the direction is evident in many of the latest models: greater usable space, stronger connections with the sea, more flexible social areas and yachts designed for owners who increasingly want to live aboard, travel further and use their yacht more frequently.

Cannes: new thinking in the 50–70ft market

For us at UNICO Yachting, Cannes is particularly interesting because much of the show sits directly within the 50ft-plus market in which we operate. One of the models that particularly caught our attention this year was the new Pardo GT65. At just over 20 metres, the GT65 sits between the GT52 and flagship GT75 and perhaps best illustrates how the traditional boundaries between yacht categories are disappearing. Pardo describes the GT concept as combining the dynamic character of a walkaround yacht with the volumes and comfort associated with its Endurance range. On the GT65, a hydraulic bathing platform creates a genuine waterside area, while the opening aft glazing connects the cockpit and saloon to create one continuous living environment. Panoramic glazing provides virtually uninterrupted views around the yacht. It represents an increasingly attractive proposition: sporty performance and enjoyable handling without sacrificing the comfort and practicality required for longer periods aboard.

Another important world premiere was the Azimut Fly 70. Here the approach is more traditional flybridge, but interpreted for the way owners are using their yachts today. The cockpit can become a terrace overlooking the sea, while the flybridge provides three distinct social areas. Azimut has also introduced technology aimed at dramatically reducing generator particulate emissions and noise at anchor. Ferretti Group also arrived in Cannes with six world premieres, including the updated Ferretti Yachts 720, Pershing GTX90, Itama 70 and Riva 56' Rivale Super. The redesigned 720 places particular emphasis on larger, lighter and more functional living spaces. At the slightly smaller end of the segment, the Sunseeker Manhattan 56 demonstrated just how much yacht builders are now achieving within 55–60ft. Its new 2026 exterior profile, expanded glazing and three-cabin layout including a full-beam master  combine owner-operation practicality with accommodation that would once have required a considerably larger yacht. Different yachts, but a remarkably consistent direction: More space. More light. Greater connection with the water. And yachts designed to be used for longer.

Monaco: the same philosophy, on a different scale

Two weeks later, Monaco took many of these themes into the superyacht world. The 2026 show brought together around 120 superyachts, including 43 yachts delivered this year. The fleet demonstrated that although scale changes dramatically at this level, owners’ priorities are not necessarily so different. Large beach clubs, terraces directly over the water, wellness areas and increasingly sophisticated tenders and water toys are becoming integral parts of the ownership experience. The emphasis is moving beyond simply asking “How big is the yacht?” Increasingly, the more relevant question is “What can we do with it?” That distinction is important.

A yacht today may be a family retreat, a base for exploring several countries during a season, a place to work remotely and, increasingly, somewhere owners can comfortably spend extended periods of the year.

Charter: experience increasingly matters

We see a similar evolution in the charter market. An attractive charter yacht today needs to offer more than impressive accommodation and a recognisable builder. Guests increasingly expect direct access to the water, generous outdoor living areas, sophisticated tenders and toys, wellness facilities and spaces that can transition from relaxed family use during the day to entertaining in the evening. In other words, the yacht itself remains fundamental, but the experience around the yacht is becoming just as important. For owners considering chartering their yacht, this is worth recognising. Specification, equipment, condition and crew can materially influence how a yacht positions itself within an increasingly competitive charter market.

What was the mood of the market?

Perhaps the most interesting takeaway from Cannes and Monaco was that the yacht market appears to be normalising rather than standing still. The extraordinary post-Covid conditions were never likely to continue indefinitely. Today’s buyer has greater choice, greater access to information and an impressive pipeline of new models against which to compare pre-owned yachts. That naturally creates a more selective buyer. At the same time, the industry continues to invest heavily. The Monaco Yacht Show's 2026 market analysis covers an active global order book alongside brokerage, refit and charter activity, while market data indicates that performance is increasingly differing between individual yacht segments rather than the entire market moving uniformly in one direction. That distinction is important. There is rarely just one yacht market. A well-positioned 55ft flybridge, a 70ft crossover and a 50-metre superyacht can each be experiencing quite different supply-and-demand dynamics at exactly the same time, and perhaps that is one of the clearest messages we took from this year's shows. Yachting is evolving.

Owners appear increasingly interested in using their yachts more, travelling further and making them a bigger part of their lifestyle. Builders are responding with more usable volume, better access to the water and layouts that increasingly blur the distinction between indoor and outdoor living. For an industry ultimately built around spending time on the water, that is an encouraging direction.

Next: What does this mean if you are considering selling your yacht?

In Part 2 of our Cannes & Monaco 2026 review, UNICO Yachting will look at the market specifically from an owner’s perspective including buyer behaviour, realistic pricing, presentation, time on market and what today’s increasingly informed buyer means for owners considering selling their yacht.