As a country about the same size as Oregon, the United Kingdom has established many luxury benchmark brands. Vehicles produced in the UK have created many icons, including Rolls-Royce and Bentley, as well as brands like Aston Martin, Jaguar, and Lotus.

Therefore, the luxury of the Princess Yachts V55 goes beyond layout or speed; it lies in the details.

The garage beneath the sunbed on the aft deck can accommodate an 11.5-foot tender.

Whether it is the master stateroom on the lower deck, the other two cabins, the gourmet galley, or the cockpit designed for outdoor living, the soft, handcrafted leather and suede used throughout the V55 interior exude classic British elegance.

The helm seats feature armrests and headrests, with flawless and textured stitching that stands proud of the material, just like in a top-tier custom luxury car. The leather sofa in the master stateroom also allows me to feel the exquisite quality of the materials.

This is also a highly versatile yacht. Boarding from the transom platform via the twin staircases on either side leads to the garage that accommodates an 11.5-foot tender. The hull features gentle curves, combined with a hydrodynamically raked windshield.

An L-shaped seating area is equipped with a folding teak table, followed by a sofa further aft, alongside a Kenyon grill and an outdoor oven. The cockpit features full-glass side windows.

In addition, the V55 features a second open-plan saloon that integrates the indoor living space with the outdoors via a concealed door, a sunroof, and drop-down windows. The bow is also configured with another outdoor seating area, featuring a wrap-around lounge sofa.

A particularly remarkable detail is the disappearing saloon door. The stainless-steel door slides into the saloon structure, while the adjacent window drops down into a recess, opening up the cockpit completely to the saloon. This is an impressive display of artistic engineering, which, combined with the 90-inch long sunroof and opening windows on both sides of the saloon, makes outdoor living on deck comfortable and effortless.

When the team designing the V55—with Bernard Olesinski responsible for the hull design—conceived the yacht, they were clearly inspired by luxury sports cars. The helm console is equipped with a pair of 16-inch Garmin touchscreens and a standalone engine monitor, all neatly tucked beneath a wide dashboard brow to prevent reflections on the windshield.

The helm station is the owner's favorite spot, featuring perfectly aligned control switches, dual throttles, and the steering wheel. The V55 I boarded was equipped with the optional marine Joystick control, combining both thrusters and the engines to make docking significantly easier, even in tight spaces. I must also praise the detailed electrical panel onboard.

The master stateroom spans the entire 15-foot-3-inch beam, featuring a centerline queen-sized bed and a 5-foot-high hanging locker to keep clothes wrinkle-free. A sliding door leads to the en-suite bathroom and a 30×36-inch shower stall.

Forward is the guest accommodation, with bunk beds on the starboard side for children. The VIP cabin further forward features a queen bed that can scissor into V-berths when needed. The en-suite here has a private entrance and also doubles as a day head. An optional crew cabin can be tucked away in the stern, complete with its own toilet and berth.

Standard power for the V55 comes from a pair of 1,000 hp Volvo Penta D13 straight-shaft diesel engines, which sets it apart from the V50 and its IPS propulsion system. Straight-shaft drives require less maintenance and offer greater horsepower, while the captain can still use the joystick to operate the thrusters and engines. Notably, there is a hidden docking station on the starboard side of the cockpit, complete with engine and thruster controls.

The V55 I boarded featured several options that occupy engine room space, such as a Seakeeper NG9 gyro stabilizer and a larger generator (21.5 kW instead of 9.5 kW), yet it still maintains a generous headroom of 5 feet 10 inches. All systems are easily accessible, including the fuel filters, seawater strainers, and the Mastervolt isolation transformer. Three Dometic air conditioning systems are neatly mounted on ledges for straightforward maintenance.

At top speed, the V55 can reach 35 knots at 2450 rpm, while cruising at an efficient and durable 28 knots at 75% engine load and 2100 rpm, maintaining excellent engine efficiency and longevity.

While the V55 performs outstandingly in terms of size and speed, its most striking feature is the low noise level. Rolls-Royce once promised that the loudest noise in its Silver Shadow model came from the ticking of the electric clock, and the Princess V55 is by no means an exception. According to my measurements, when the vessel is running at full speed, the decibel meter barely exceeded 70, making it remarkably quiet. When the speed drops to around 20 knots, the meter reads only about 64, which is equivalent to background music. At dock, I could barely hear the generator running.

The operating experience of the Princess V55 is as effortless as handling a much smaller yacht: the steering is highly responsive, without the need for rapid adjustments to the Bennett trim tabs. Pushing the bow away from the dock proved that this deep-V hull design can easily handle strong winds in regions like the English Channel, the Catalina Channel, or the Gulf of Mexico.

In terms of interior design, this V55 offers an optional gloss walnut finish, creating a serene and contemporary ambiance. The standard options for the timber finish include alba oak (light) or rovere oak (medium), while the darker silver oak and walnut are available as premium upgrades.

The V55 relies on the robust twin D13 diesel engines for power. This engine is the marine version of Volvo's heavy-duty D13 truck engine, world-renowned for its rugged reliability, high fuel efficiency, and stable torque. The engine features a six-cylinder cast-iron block, a displacement of 780 cubic inches, and is equipped with fuel injection and electronic control systems.