Onlooker sparks backlash with video of 400-foot megayacht: 'Sometimes you just gotta sigh'

A picturesque video of a glowing superyacht on the water, paired against background fireworks in the night sky, captured the attention of superyacht fans across the TikTok platform. Posted by the TikTok page superyatchs (@super yatchs), this clip has since garnered over hundreds of thousands of likes, earning the envy of commenters who could only dream of owning such a boat. 

@superyatchs 122 meter super yacht "Kismet" #fyp #fypp #superyacht #Summer #ocean #southoffrance #night ♬ son original - Ilyes

"122 meter super yacht 'Kismet,'" the video's caption read. "In the South of France." 

Although many of the video's commenters pined over owning a boat like the glowing vessel in the video, other commenters were repulsed by the overconsumption culture that the boat symbolized.

"Why isn't this money given to the poor?" one commenter called out. 

The Kismet luxury yacht measures 400 feet (122 meters) long, accommodating up to 16 guests with a 37-person crew, according to Superyacht Times. The boat runs on twin MTU engines at a top speed of 18 knots and carries up to 360,000 liters of diesel fuel.

In the boating world, the cost of yacht maintenance is estimated by calculating 10% of the vessel's value; the Kismet luxury yacht, which is valued at $360 million, costs about $36 million annually to upkeep and operate. That is about $3 million per week — regardless of whether the boat is used. 

On top of the excessive cost to run and maintain superyachts, these luxury boating vessels release a significant amount of carbon dioxide while in operation. This gas pollution creates a heat-trapping effect in the atmosphere that contributes to rising global temperatures and subsequent unusual and extreme weather events. 

A 2024 report published by Oxfam International found that among 23 superyachts owned by 18 billionaires, each superyacht emitted an average of 5,672 metric tons of carbon each year. That is the equivalent of 1,323 gas-powered vehicles driven for an entire year, or 14.4 million miles driven by an average gas-powered vehicle, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. 

The average carbon impact for the average American is 16 tons over the course of an entire lifetime, per Perch Energy, which means that over their entire life, the average American releases a total carbon output that is only a fraction of what billionaires produce on a casual outing on their luxury superyacht. 

Flying private carries a similar environmental impact. A Yale Environment360 report shared that among the prolific private fliers, each produced at least 2,645 tons of carbon in 2023. 

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Even so, private jets and luxury boats represent the epitome of success for many, fueling their daytime dreams. 

"Sometimes you just gotta sigh & scroll," one user lamented. 

"This will be mine," another commenter wrote.

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