Jeff Bezos’ $800 Million ‘Pirate Ship’ Superyacht Leaves American Tourists Stunned

• Jeff Bezos’ superyacht, Koru, worth $500 million USD (~800 million AUD), continues to grab attention worldwide.
• Recently spotted in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the luxury vessel left vacationers at a Caribbean resort both amazed and amused.
• In another instance, locals in Montserrat feared Bezos’ arrival was a land-buying mission.

Owning one of the world’s largest and most luxurious superyachts means that no destination—no matter how remote or bustling — is out of reach. Jeff Bezos‘ $500 million USD (~800 million AUD) superyacht, Koru, has been doing just that: surprising and sometimes shocking people across the globe.

Last week, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a favourite getaway for billionaires, guests at the Bolongo Bay Beach Resort were sipping a frosty piña colada with reggae beats floating through the air. But suddenly, their relaxing day turned into a scene straight out of a movie.

Gliding through the crystal-clear waters was Koru — Jeff Bezos’ 417-foot-long superyacht, with it its sleek black hull shining under the sun and masts towering 230 feet high. One resort guest captured the moment on TikTok and captioned it: “That moment when you’re on vacation hanging out at the pool bar in St. Thomas, and Jeff Bezos decides to sail by on his superyacht just outside the bay.”

As expected, the video exploded online and different reactions poured in with some people awed and others just having a laugh. One user said: “It’s giving giant pirate ship.” Another joked: “That’s not Jeff, that’s Captain Jack Sparrow.” Clearly, Koru’s massive masts and dramatic presence reminded many of the infamous Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean.

And as if one mega-yacht wasn’t enough, Koru doesn’t travel solo. Abeona is Bezos’ “support” yacht and it is complete with a helipad, smaller boats and other water “toys”. Imagine needing a backup yacht because your main one doesn’t have room for the helicopter. It must be nice. A user told people online about Bezos’ “support” yacht by saying: “That’s his main yacht. The ‘support’ yacht, Abeona, was in St. Thomas when I was there. They were INSANE!!!”

Some tourists are definitely excited at the chance of spotting Koru sailing by, but not every island greets Bezos with open arms.

A great example of this comes from last month when Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, visited Montserrat, a quiet Caribbean Island. While some locals grabbed their phones for photos, others weren’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat. Rumours spread fast, and people were wondering whether the world’s second-richest man was there to snap up land.

The panic reached such a high level that Montserrat’s Prime Minister, Reuben Meade, had to step in and clarify: “He [Bezos] came here as a tourist.” With that statement, tensions finally eased.

Seeing Koru can lead to two very different reactions. If you’re a tourist, it’s pure wonder and amazement, similar to seeing a floating palace glide by. But if you’re a local? Well, you might find yourself wondering what it means when one of the world’s richest people parks his yacht nearby.

Either way, one thing’s certain that when Bezos sails in, people notice.