After more than a century as a byword for luxury rail travel, the Orient Express brand is leaving the tracks for the sea. The company has unveiled the Orient Express Corinthian, the world's largest sailing yacht. Measuring 220 meters (722 feet) in length, it accommodates just 110 guests across 54 suites. Onboard amenities include a personal butler for every suite, gourmet restaurants, a hidden bar, a spa, a private marina and even a recording studio.
The project is backed by hotel group Accor and luxury giant LVMH, which see luxury experiences as the industry's next major growth engine. In an interview with Reuters, Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin explained who the yacht is designed for.
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Orient Express Corinthian, the world's largest sailing yacht
(Photo: from orient-express.com)
"When people are very wealthy and already have seven homes, 12 cars and 17 watches, their wish list no longer includes an 18th watch," he said. "What they are looking for is experiences and recognition."
He added that the company expects the new wave of billionaires created by the artificial intelligence revolution to further boost demand for such experiences.
According to consulting firm Bain & Company, the luxury experiences market is expected to grow by 9% to 11% this year, far outpacing the traditional luxury goods market. Reuters reported that the trend is being driven in part by the growing number of ultra-wealthy individuals worldwide, who increasingly prefer to spend on cruises, luxury hotels and exclusive events rather than additional luxury products.
The Corinthian is the first of two yachts the brand plans to launch. It is equipped with three masts rising 69 meters (226 feet) above the deck, or roughly 100 meters (328 feet) above the waterline, and carries about 4,500 square meters (48,400 square feet) of sails. Made from carbon fiber and fiberglass, the sails combine advanced technology with a design intended to revive the golden age of travel. A crew of 170 serves the yacht's 110 guests.
The project's artistic director, Maxime d'Angeac, said he wanted guests to forget they were aboard a ship.
"The guests' first impression should be that they have entered a hotel, not a yacht," he said.
Duplex Suite on board the Orient Express Corinthian
(Photo: REUTERS/Stephane Mahe)
To achieve that effect, the designers used materials rarely found in shipbuilding, including large marble slabs, glass, polished wood and luxurious fabrics. The interiors draw inspiration from both the historic Orient Express train carriages and France's great ocean liners of the last century.
The entry-level suite, which also comes with a personal butler, spans 47 square meters (506 square feet) and features floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows, a marble bathroom and board games awaiting guests. Six penthouse suites occupy the top deck, some with private hot tubs. Two of them recreate the original sleeping compartments of the 1927 Orient Express train, complete with foldaway beds and the train's iconic luggage racks.
Guests in the bar and restaurant area aboard the Orient Express Corinthian
(Photo: REUTERS/Stephane Mahe)
Dining is another centerpiece of the experience. The yacht has five restaurants, all overseen by French chef Yannick Alléno, who holds 18 Michelin stars. His flagship restaurant, La Table de L'Orient-Express, seats just 20 diners. Meals at the other restaurants, along with beverages, are included in the cruise fare.
The yacht also features eight bars, including Le Wagon, a recreation of the Orient Express train's iconic bar car, and a hidden bar called Le Speakeasy, whose entrance is concealed inside a barbershop. Other onboard amenities include two swimming pools, a spa operated by French luxury beauty brand Guerlain, a library with about 1,500 books, a movie theater, a card room, a recording studio and a private marina offering water sports.
Orient Express is not alone in seeing the opportunity. In recent months, other luxury hotel brands, including Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton and Aman, have also entered the yacht market as hospitality brands seek to extend their luxury offerings to the open sea.
The first yacht from Four Seasons, unveiled earlier this year, was built at an estimated cost of about €400 million. It accommodates just 222 guests in 95 suites and offers an unusually high crew-to-guest ratio. Measuring 207 meters (679 feet), it is designed as a luxury "floating hotel" with 11 restaurants and bars, a large pool, an innovative beach club that opens directly onto the sea and access to smaller ports that cannot accommodate large cruise ships. Its inaugural Mediterranean season began this year with itineraries calling in Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Italy and the French Riviera.
The Four Seasons yacht
(Photo: Four Seasons)
Cruise fares start at about $20,000 per week for a suite. The highlight is the Funnel Suite, a four-level, 892-square-meter (9,600-square-foot) residence featuring three bedrooms, a private elevator, a plunge pool and a gym. It is priced at an estimated 320,000 to 350,000 dollars per week.
Unlike all-inclusive cruises, however, the fare includes breakfast only, while lunch, dinner and beverages are charged separately.
The yacht is commanded by American Capt. Kate McCue, one of the cruise industry's best-known figures and the first American woman to captain a major cruise ship.