The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper S2024E02 - Superyachts and the Super Rich

The series returns with an inside look into the exclusive and luxurious world of the ultra-wealthy at sea. CNN Anchor/Correspondent Alisyn Camerota journeys to Monaco, the richest country in the world per capita, during the annual Monaco Yacht Show, one of the greatest concentrations of wealth in the world and a major annual event for the ten billion dollar a year yachting industry. Camerota tours some of the largest superyachts in existence and speaks to owners, captains, crew and industry leaders to examine the appeal of these floating islands, what it takes to build and maintain these symbols of extreme wealth, their environmental impact and the symbolism it holds for the world's economic divide.

"Before this assignment, I couldn't imagine the level of opulence and wealth we'd find – I'd never seen floors made of wood from a 16th Century monastery or wallpaper made of Italian leather," said Camerota. "But what most surprised me was the universal desire for more – bigger, newer, more extravagant yachts – from the richest people in the world, telling us that even huge superyachts aren't enough."

In this episode, Camerota also reports on how superyachts are now a matter of geopolitical concern. As the U.S. and European countries seized more than a dozen vessels allegedly belonging to Russian oligarchs, leaving American taxpayers on the hook to shell out millions of dollars in maintenance and upkeep.