Cannes Yachting Festival 2025 Highlights: Why We Keep Coming Back

If you've ever wondered what it's like to cover the Cannes Yachting Festival... imagine trying to squeeze an entire year's worth of boats into one week. And CYF 2025 came in hot—literally. Between the Riviera sunshine, back-to-back yacht tours, and speed-walking from one appointment to the next, we definitely earned our croissants every morning. Every year we show up with a perfectly organized schedule. Every year that schedule falls apart by about 11 a.m.

Someone tells us, "You have to see this new launch," we make a quick detour, then another, Rico disappears into an engine room because "he'll only be five minutes" (it's never five minutes), and before we know it, we're halfway across Vieux Port wondering how we managed to walk eight miles before lunch.
And honestly...

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We wouldn't have it any other way.
With more than 700 boats spread across Vieux Port and Port Canto, Cannes is still one of the best places in the world to see where boating is headed. Every major builder seems to save something special for this show, whether it's a world premiere, a completely new model, or a clever design feature that gets everyone talking on the docks.
One thing we really noticed this year was how much effort the organizers have put into improving the experience. Moving between Vieux Port and Port Canto felt smoother than ever, and each marina has really found its identity. Vieux Port is still where you'll find the big motor yachts and headline debuts, while Port Canto has become a destination all on its own with sailing yachts, brokerage boats, tenders, toys, and equipment.

Speaking of Port Canto...
Even though we're usually drawn to motor yachts, we found ourselves spending way more time in the sailing section than we planned. It wasn't hard to see why. As the world's largest in-water sailing yacht exhibition, it was packed with everything from sleek performance racers to luxurious bluewater cruisers and sailing catamarans that had us casually discussing whether we should disappear into the Caribbean for a year. (Still working on convincing Rico.)
One of our favorite parts of the show once again was the Innovation Route.

A few years ago, electric propulsion and hybrid technology felt like concepts for "someday." This year, they felt very much like "right now."
We saw electric dayboats, hybrid propulsion systems, AI-assisted docking, smart navigation, advanced battery management, solar integration, and some seriously clever onboard technology. Instead of hiding these ideas in one small corner, the festival made innovation one of its biggest highlights—and deservedly so.
It's exciting to watch the industry embrace technology that actually makes boating easier, safer, quieter, and more efficient.
The same goes for sustainability.
This wasn't just companies checking a marketing box. We saw builders talking about lighter materials, cleaner propulsion, improved hull efficiency, recyclable components, and practical ways to reduce environmental impact without sacrificing comfort or performance. It finally feels like sustainability is becoming part of the design process instead of something that's added at the end.

Of course, there were plenty of jaw-dropping yachts too.
Every time we thought we'd picked our favorite boat of the day, we'd turn another corner and immediately change our minds. It's honestly one of the hardest parts of filming Cannes—you can spend an hour shooting one yacht and still worry about all the incredible boats you're missing somewhere else.
One of our favorite parts, though, wasn't actually on the boats.
It was running into so many of you.
Whether you stopped us for a quick photo, shared stories about buying your first boat after watching the channel, or simply came over to say hi, those conversations are always the highlight of these events. They remind us why we started NautiStyles in the first place. (And yes... thank you to everyone who patiently waited while we finished filming before saying hello—we notice, and we really appreciate it!)
By the end of the week, our camera cards were full, our step counts were ridiculous, Rico had probably opened every engine room hatch in Cannes, and I had already started a list of boats I wanted to revisit next year.

That's the thing about Cannes.
It's not just a boat show. It's where the industry shows its future. You can see the trends taking shape, watch builders push each other to innovate, and get a real sense of where boating is headed over the next few years.
We left with sore feet, way too many photos, more ideas than we could fit into one YouTube season, and the same thought we have every September...
We'll see you in Cannes next year.
Ahoy,
– V