“As a species, we’ve always been discoverers and adventurers, and space and the deep ocean are some of the last frontiers,” said Paul Allen. The late Allen’s 126.2-metre Octopus is one of the most recognisable and well known superyachts in the world, by many opinions setting the standard for true 'explorer' superyachts. An explorer superyacht is a robust yacht, built with the intention of covering long distances, uncovering remote corners of the world and often with the additional point of acting as a research vessel.
In the spirit of discovery and exploration, SuperYacht Times has compiled a list of some of the largest explorer yachts currently in operation, as well as a number which are currently under construction. 
The in-build VARD yacht REV Ocean was scheduled for delivery in 2021 though delays to the build of the vessel and issues with her construction have postponed her launch date until at least 2024. Upon completion REV Ocean will be the largest explorer yacht in the world measuring over 40-metres longer than the current frontrunner. REV Ocean shows off an exterior design by Espen Øino and interiors by H2 Yacht Design. The yacht will have a volume of 17,440 GT, accommodation for up to 55 scientists and 35 crew in research mode, or 36 guests and 54 crew when being used for a luxury expedition.
Read: REV Ocean: Work restarts on world's largest superyacht after 2 year delay 
The Lloyd Werft-built steel and aluminium yacht Solaris was launched in February 2021. Designed by Marc Newson, the 11,247 GT superyacht can accommodate as many as 36 guests across 18 staterooms, alongside 60 crew. Since her launch, the shipyard Lloyd Werft went bankrupt but has since restarted and is back in business.
Video: Exclusive footage of new 140m super explorer Solaris 
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen owned the 126-metre Lürssen yacht Octopus until his untimely passing at the end of 2018. The 9,932 GT superyacht built in 2003 is currently undergoing an extensive refit at the Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven shipyard in Germany. Octopus was purpose-built for extended voyages and challenging expeditions and is one of the most recognisable superyachts across the globe. The superyacht features exterior design penned by Norwegian designer Espen Øino, while her interior was imagined by Jonathan Quinn Barnett and Monk Design and her naval architecture is the work of her builder, Lürssen Yachts. The luxury superyacht features many notable features onboard including a spa, library, expansive cinema, fully equipped gym, basketball court and two large touch-and-go helipads.
Read: Onboard Octopus: Interior of Paul Allen's legendary 126m superyacht unveiled
J7 Explorer is not only the largest yacht delivered by the Indonesia-based Bahtera Bahari shipyard, but the largest from the nation – surpassing her predecessor Lamima by an incredible 55-metres. Very little is known about the J7 Explorer, except that she has an estimated interior volume in excess of 8,000 GT and is constructed with a steel hull and superstructure. Construction started on the great Indonesian explorer back in 2019.
Read: Indonesia’s flagship: The 120m J7 Explorer delivered 
Built jointly in Norway at the Kleven shipyard and later completed at Dörries Maritime in Bremerhaven, Germany, Multiverse was delivered in 2018 to an interior design by British studio RWD. Previously named Ulysses, her exterior design was penned by Oscar Mike Limited and Marin Teknikk AS. Multiverse has a huge volume of 6,862 GT, allowing her to accommodate a massive number of tenders and toys including a custom 68-foot tender on the foredeck. 
Delivered to her owner in 2010, the 115-metre Lloyd Werft-built superyacht features in-house naval architecture, exterior lines penned by Newcruise and an interior design by London-based Donald Starkey Designs. Luna has one of the widest selections of amenities among the fleet today, including two helipads, an array of tenders and a generously-sized beach club. The 5,655 GT superyacht can accommodate up to 50 guests, who are taken care of by up to 18 crew. The superyacht made headlines in late 2021 when she left Dubai for the first time in many years, after having been caught within a contentious divorce settlement.
The Bremer Vulkan yacht Le Grand Bleu, delivered to her owner in 2000 by the German shipyard, has naval architecture penned by Kusch Yachts, exterior design crafted by Pastrovich Studio, and interiors penned by Bannenberg & Rowell Design and Luciano Di Pilla Design. Le Grand Bleu’s superstructure is made up of a combination of steel and aluminium and is powered by twin Deutz engines allowing her to reach a top speed of 17 knots. She has benefited from several refits throughout the years, with the most recent taking place in 2020.
Renaissance, also known as hull NB724, is the largest superyacht, by length, to have been built by the shipyard and is currently Spain's largest ever yacht. With an interior volume of 7,200 GT, Renaissance features interior and exterior design from London-based design studio Bannenberg & Rowell Design. Marin Teknikk AS managed the yacht's naval architecture, and it is the first time the Norway-based firm has collaborated with Bannenberg & Rowell Design. Very few details have been unveiled about the steel and aluminium superyacht, but the first images of Renaissance in March 2023 revealed she has a helipad on her bow, and a swimming pool on her main aft deck.
Read: Spain’s flagship 112m Freire superyacht Renaissance delivered
Both Andromeda and her sistership Multiverse were commissioned by the same experienced owner and built at the Kleven shipyard in Ulsteinvik, Norway and later moved to Bremerhaven in Germany where the two vessels were outfitted to a superyacht standard. Andromeda is around nine metres shorter than her sister at 107-metres and with a volume of 5,937 GT, Andromeda is able to host up to 30 guests across 15 staterooms.
Read: Ulysses vs Andromeda: What's the difference? 
Constructed at the Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast, Germany, which belongs to Lürssen's naval division NVL Group, Icecap features exterior design and naval architecture crafted by Salt Ship Design. The yacht is designed for exploring off the beaten track and was built to ice class specifications. With her helipad and sunken helicopter hangar, the yacht’s occupants will have easy access to any shore.
Read: First look: Lürssen’s secretive 107m superyacht Icecap in Germany
Very few details are known about the Friere 105m Explorer. Her keel was laid in 2022 and the superyacht is set to be an intrepid explorer. She is expected to have around 4,000 GT of interior volume and is constructed with a steel hull and an aluminium superstructure. 
Voyager, which has also sailed under the names Candy Trader, HOS Trader and Danah Voyager, took to the seas in 1997 as an offshore supply vessel built by Swiftships and was converted to an explorer superyacht at the Dania Cut Super Yacht Repair facility. This conversion included a 12-metre extension of the hull and the addition of a raised helicopter platform.
The 88.5-metre X-bow yacht Olivia O was officially handed over to her owner in May 2020 and headed straight out for a summer season in the Med. Over four years in the making at the Norwegian yard Ulstein, she has a hefty beam of 16.3 metres and a high freeboard created by the ship’s unique X-Bow hull shape, developed to withstand all weather conditions. With in-house naval architecture by Ulstein Verft, the shipyard collaborated with Espen Øino on the exterior design to form a layout that includes a helicopter pad, a 10-metre pool and a full-beam tender garage. The 4,989 GT superyacht features interiors penned by Droulers Architecture.
Watch: Video: The X-Bow explorer yacht Olivia O
Built in 1969 by Schichau Unterweser as a deep sea salvage tug, she roamed the high seas as one of the mightiest deep sea ice-breaking tug vessels for over two decades. In 1993, she was sold to Magenta Investment, renamed Arctic Research and converted into a superyacht at Malta Shipyards. Arctic P features exterior design by Kusch Yachts while her builder Schichau Unterweser completed her naval architecture. During her conversion, Oliver Design took the reins on the interior of this fully-steel superyacht. The 2,610 GT explorer yacht can accommodate as many as 12 guests across six staterooms, including an impressive 90 square-metre master suite.
Read: Unveiled for the first time: Onboard the 88m conversion superyacht Arctic P
The 87.1-metre OceanXplorer 1 was built in 2010 and is the world’s most advanced research vessel. With more than 80% of the world’s oceans unmapped, “The ship OceanXplorer 1 will take ocean explorers to never-before-seen undersea worlds and allow them to beam back what they encounter via social media, digital experiences, and a TV show,” said Ray Dalio, co-founder of OceanX and President of Dalio Philanthropies. This will be made possible through the vessel’s two custom Triton manned submarines with the capability to dive over 1,000 metres. She also features an ROV and Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) that can be operated at 6,000 metres below sea level.
Read: OceanXplorer: Inside the world’s most advanced research vessel
Built by Silver Yachts and delivered in 2019, the yacht's distinct exterior is by renowned designer Espen Øino who created a unique glass-enclosed loft on the upper deck that covers over 300 square-metres of interior space. The modern interior, designed as a New York-style loft by Vain Interiors, is built to accommodate up to 12 guests in eight luxurious staterooms and can carry up to 96 passengers while cruising thanks to Bold’s PYC build specifications. Featuring some of the most eye-catching naval architecture in the fleet, Bold is complete with two helicopter landing pads, two 9.5-metre Rupert Marine tenders and an autonomous range of 5,500 nautical miles.
Previously named Grand Seraglio and U77, Victorious features exterior design by Michael Leach Design, while her interior was penned by H2 Yacht Design, with naval architecture by Marco Yachts and Ark Yacht. Victorious can comfortably accommodate 24 guests across a 12 stateroom configuration. In terms of performance, Victorious is powered by twin Caterpillar engines that generate enough power to give her a cruising speed of 10 knots and a top speed of 16 knots.
Read: Onboard AKYacht's magnificent 85m superyacht Victorious
With her striking exterior design and high-performance aluminium hull, the 85-metre Silver Yachts superyacht Wanderlust certainly lives up to her name. Following her delivery in October 2022, the Silver Loft series motor yacht was renamed from GlobalFast to Wanderlust and is the second iteration of the militant and utilitarian series, following on from her iconic and polarising sistership Bold. Wanderlust features exterior design and naval architecture penned by internationally renowned designer Espen Øino, while her interior was penned by Vain Interiors. The 1,504 GT motor yacht has space for up to 16 guests across her contemporary staterooms.
Read: Wanderlust: A first look at the interiors of the 85m SilverYachts superyacht