Photo of $600 million superyacht yacht sparks outrage: 'Peak hypocrisy'

A photo of a gleaming superyacht spotted off the coast of the U.S. Virgin Islands fueled a wave of debate across Reddit, where some commenters said it perfectly captures the excesses of ultra-wealthy lifestyles.

The image, shared to r/yachtporn, shows the Breakthrough, a custom-built Feadship vessel reportedly worth more than $600 million. 

Docked in St. Thomas, the yacht's sheer size immediately caught attention online, with one commenter joking, "That things got its own zip code." 

The post quickly racked up reactions, as users debated not just who could possibly own such a ship, but whether something this massive should exist at all.

The Breakthrough has been touted as eco-conscious by superyacht standards. According to Yacht Buyer, it's the world's first hydrogen fuel cell superyacht. 

The hydrogen fuel powers the onboard energy, including the ship's hotel load, or non-propulsion systems, which is "the most substantial contributor to a yacht's carbon footprint," according to the publication. 

It also supports alternative fuel options for its engine, using hydro-treated vegetable oil and methanol, the latter of which can be turned into hydrogen on board.

However, despite it being less polluting than traditional superyachts, the discussion zeroed in on the broader environmental cost of building and maintaining a floating mansion that spans multiple decks, requires a large crew, and consumes enormous resources long before it ever leaves the shipyard. 

As one Reddit user wrote, "Regardless of what it runs on, the carbon footprint of just building it is insane. Peak hypocrisy." 

Users pointed out that even "greener" superyachts still come with a staggering carbon footprint when you factor in steel production, global supply chains, luxury materials, and the decades-long lifecycle of maintenance and upgrades. 

What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment? $200 or more 💰 $100 💸 $30 💵 I'd only do it if someone else paid for it 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

These green upgrades also don't erase the environmental damage tied to port infrastructure or the displacement of marine ecosystems.

Beyond the environmental angle, the comments also touched on the common critique of wealth inequality. With over 30 million people living in poverty each year in the U.S. alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the excessive lifestyles of tech giants, billionaires, and super-rich celebrities can be off-putting, to say the least. 

As one commenter said, "Sink the gaudy waste of precious resources that could have been put to actual societal needs to the deepest trench."

Other reactions summed up the overall mood, which is often conflicted — torn between being impressed by the yacht's scale and features and questioning the ethics of yachting culture and ultra-wealthy lifestyles. 

"It's amazing to look at these, then zoom all the way in to the crew on the stern here," one user wrote. "Really puts the size into perspective. Holy cow." 

Another added, "In my opinion and my experience just because you have money, toys and financial power doesn't bring you happiness, without that I believe you are just a slave to your money."

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.