Prestige 630 S

With so many people interested in the 63-foot fly and drop-top versions, Prestige found a way to please both sides. 

Prestige shortened the flybridge to make room for the retractable roof, but was still able to provide plenty of space and options up top. A well-equipped helm on the port side allows the captain to join guests in the open-air, and provides a different vantage point while maneuvering.

A large L-shaped settee and teak hi-low table sit just aft, and the space converts into a huge sundeck with grill and sink nearby. The shortened bridge, or Mini Fly, provides plenty of room to entertain, share a meal, or lay out comfortably. Best of all, guests on the main level still get an open-air ride. 

Approaching from the dock, the Prestige 630 S is the perfect example of the term “understated.” At a time when swoops, curves, slashes and color contrasts seem to dominate many vessel’s exterior design, Prestige kept things simple, sophisticated and stylish across all of its models.  

That same subtle styling continues as you step onto the huge teak swim platform and board the boat. 

At the transom, instead of cooking surfaces or a garage, you’ll find a door that opens to a standard crew quarters to port, complete with a wet head and separate environmental and entertainment controls. Access to the crew cabin from the swim platform also means wet guests do not have to trek through the entire vessel to use the forward head. 

Here, Prestige also added easier access to the vessel’s mechanical space. A door from the rear of the crew quarters opens into the engine room, allowing for easy maintenance of the two Volvo IPS 950 Pod systems and all of its related equipment. Although there is an access panel in the cockpit floor, the crew quarters door makes getting in so much easier. 

A few steps up the single starboard stairwell lands you in a comfortable cockpit with a huge sunpad across the stern and flip-up backrests that convert the pad into seating. A teak table can either fold open for more serving space or stay closed to expose cupholders and grabrails.

A portside ladder provides bridge access, with an icemaker and serving space nearby. At the cockpit’s starboard side is an access panel with a third set of joystick controls. The placement of each of the three joysticks allows the vessel’s operator to drive from the location that provides the best visibility for any given situation. 

The salon’s rear door and center window can open to give the main deck nice airflow. With the retractable roof open, the salon feels like an outdoor living space.

To port, between the salon and the cockpit, is a well- designed galley with a cooktop, microwave oven and fridge/freezer. An optional wine cooler and dishwasher are also available. Many of the aft galleys sandwiched in this space have something missing, but here, it felt like Prestige did its best to make this a great, workable space. 

Matched with the huge windows, the light-colored upholstery in the salon creates a comfortable entertainment or relaxation space. The retractable blinds can be raised to let in the colors of the evening sunset, or dropped for privacy. 

At the main helm, three glass panels are available to the captain instead of the traditional two. This gives the operator more customizable feedback; instead of splitting two screens to fit the depth, radar and GPS on the dash, each system can have its own panel. 

All of the helm’s controls are well-placed, including the main helm’s Volvo joystick. There’s also a door from the helm out to the starboard walkway, allowing the operator quick access to lines and to the dock. 

Down the main stairwell, the VIP stateroom lies straight ahead, while the guest (or third) stateroom is aft and to port. Both the VIP and guest staterooms have private heads.

The master suite, accessed via a private entrance near the rear of the salon, spans the entire width of the vessel’s 16-foot beam. The headroom is incredible, with more room than seems possible in a sport cruiser of this size. The master head is forward and to starboard, with access through a sliding door to save space. The master cabin, with its queen-size bed and lounge at the port side, also has plenty of hanging storage, drawer space and spots to hide other accessories. 

Another great use of space by Prestige: Both the master and VIP suites include a vanity for people to sit and get ready for a night on the town. The vanities provides a great way to free up the bathroom so multiple people can get ready at once. 

After I finished touring the 630 S, Captain Tony fired up the Volvos and we took the big boat out for a spin. It was a nearly perfect day on Lake Michigan so, although we had a beautiful ride, we did not get to see how it handled in the rough stuff. 

The boat cruised smoothly up to planing speeds and kept her nose down so the horizon was always in view. Once we hit 22 mph, even with the roof open, the three of us were able to have a normal conversation in the salon without straining to be heard. 

Prestige claims the 630 S will cruise at 22 mph with a top speed of 28 mph. We were able to climb up and over 28 mph, nearly touching 29 before backing down again. 

The Prestige 630 S has so many features it’s impossible to discuss them all. There are industry-standard options, like zoned HVAC and entertainment systems. It would be easy to fill these pages with talk about electrical control panels, underwater lights, central vacuum and all of the other things appearing on nearly every new boat in this class.

But it’s the little things that caught my attention on the Prestige. The speakers were chosen to closely match the color where they were mounted. And, everywhere I reached, even without looking first, there was a handrail. 

It’s the attention to detail, quality workmanship, innovative construction methods and a finished product that delivers more than promised that sets Prestige apart. 
Hopefully, I’ll get to review the 750 next. 

DEALERS
Spring Brook Marina
springbrookmarina.com 
815-357-8666

Central Marine Midland
centralmarine.ca 
855-226-1306