New Sunseeker Ocean 156: Impressive interior with luxurious spaces

The new Sunseeker Ocean 156 may not have been the prettiest boat making its debut at the Southampton Boat Show, but it was almost certainly the best.

It’s not just the sheer size of the Sunseeker Ocean 156‘s interior that blew us away, it’s how well they’ve used it, the variety of different layout options and the equally impressive scale of exterior deck spaces. Quite how they’ve packed all this into an 82ft boat (the 156 refers to the Gross Tonnage, not the length) without compromising anything other than the rather mean crew quarters is something of a mystery – though the unconventional dimensions do go some way to explaining it.

The show boat had seating aft, the galley amidships and he dining area forward

The beam dwarfs every other boat in its class and the near vertical bow helps carry that beam a long way forward. However, it’s the size and shape of the superstructure that really capitalises on this by starting much further forward than usual and having an enclosed upper deck, which houses the helm, freeing
up the main deck for socialising purposes.

There’s room for four ensuite doubles, including a huge full-beam owner’s cabin

The result is a spectacularly large, open-plan space with views that stretch from the raised aft cockpit, with its clever Xtend seating, to the foredeck terrace. Light streams in through full-height windows, while guests, crew and fresh air flow freely through four sets of sliding doors.

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An elegant floating staircase to the upper deck provides one of the few fixed points in here but the rest of this step- and bulkhead-free space is almost infinitely versatile with options for seating and dining at either end, a mid or aft galley and even a main deck owners’ cabin forward. It’s a shame that the large fixed television and aft gunwale moulding block some of the view along the port side but we love the outside day heads tucked discreetly into the corner of the cockpit.

The vast open-plan main deck is configurable in multiple different ways

Below decks, that monster beam allows room for a huge midships owners’ suite, a very generous forward VIP and two good guest doubles, all with their own ensuite bathrooms. But it’s the upper deck that really blew our mind. Not only is it far bigger than expected but with its opening sunroof, two fixed skylights, drop-down side window and sliding side and rear doors that lead out to equally generous raised aft and foredeck areas, it looks and feels like a far better, brighter, more versatile space than the Ocean 182’s upper deck.

We’ll have to see how it performs at sea before giving it the final stamp of approval, but if it lives up to its early promise, we wonder whether anyone will buy an Ocean 182 now that the 156 seems to offer almost everything its big sister does for considerably less money.

Open decks, freestanding furniture and balustrades in the raised aft cockpit

Sunseeker Ocean 156 Specifications:

LOA: 82ft 6in
Beam: 21ft 6in (6.26m)
Engines: Twin 1,650hp MAN diesels
Top speed: 25 knots
Price: from £5.28m ex tax
Contact details: www.sunseekerlondon.com 

A twin bathroom distances the owner’s cabin from the crew quarters further aft

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Source: https://www.mby.com/news/new-sunseeker-ocean-156-impressive-interior-with-luxurious-spaces-133604