The Orient Express Corinthian: What It's Like to Sail the World's Largest Yacht

What the Corinthian actually is

Launched in 2026, the Orient Express Corinthian is the world’s largest sailing yacht — 720 feet, 54 suites, backed by Accor and LVMH, built at the legendary Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire. But the numbers don’t capture what makes this ship genuinely different. This is Orient Express—a name that has meant something in luxury travel for over 140 years—returning to the sea for the first time since its origins. The design team took that legacy seriously. The movie theater seats are exact replicas of those from the original 1910 Orient Express train. The Le Wagon Bar features a real gold back panel. There is so much gold, marble, teak, and leather aboard that Orient Express required a special maritime certificate to sail. Walking through the Corinthian feels less like boarding a ship and more like checking into a heritage hotel that happens to move.

The three “Solid Sail” rigid masts—each 100 meters tall—can power the ship at 12 knots on wind alone. Picture it: standing on deck as the Corinthian glides silently toward the pastel harbor of Portofino, or rounds the headland above Amalfi as the light goes golden. No engine roar. No diesel smell. Just wind, water, and the particular stillness that belonged to the great ocean liners of another century—now available on one of the most advanced vessels ever built. A dynamic positioning system eliminates anchoring entirely, protecting seabeds at every port. For travelers who care about how they travel, not just where they go, this matters in ways that are hard to explain until you’re standing on that deck.

The suites

All 54 suites have private terraces and floor-to-ceiling windows. Entry-level Panoramic Suites begin at 506 square feet—generous by any standard. Duplex suites and penthouses go significantly beyond that. The presidential suite spans 9,700 square feet. Every suite comes with butler service, and the level of finish signals that Aman and Four Seasons are the points of comparison, not traditional cruise lines. Suite pricing starts at approximately €17,700 per suite for a three-night voyage; four-night voyages start at around €23,600 per suite.

The Agatha Christie Penthouse—as the Mediterranean light does what it does best.

Space, light, and a private terrace. The Duplex suite aboard the Corinthian sets a standard that most hotels on land are still trying to meet.

Dining—a gastronomic landscape, not a restaurant

Five restaurants and eight bars, curated by multi-Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno — including a 1930s-style speakeasy and a Parisian Art Deco cabaret. Almost all dining is included in the voyage fare, with the exception of Alléno’s signature restaurant, which carries a supplement. This inclusive model is a meaningful distinction from ships where everything beyond breakfast is à la carte. For clients who want their food spend to be predictable from the start, the Corinthian’s structure is worth understanding before they choose.

La Table de l’Orient Express by Yannick Alléno is the fine-dining pinnacle—refined, considered, worth every euro of the supplement it carries. L’Écrin offers a more relaxed expression of the same culinary intelligence. L’Encre is a marine counter, seafood-forward, and connected to whatever coastline the ship is currently sailing through. La Terrasse accompanies the changing rhythms of the day with open international cuisine, indoors and out. La Piscine extends this into an informal setting designed for continuous dining between the pool and the open sea. The cuisine moves through the ship the way the journey moves through the Mediterranean—with intention, with shift, and a sense that each moment belongs to a different chapter.

La Table de l'Orient Express—where the supplement is worth every euro and the meal becomes the memory.

L'Encre—the marine counter where the menu changes with the coastline and the drinks are worth lingering over.

Life onboard—the details that matter

The onboard amenities tell you a lot about who Orient Express built this ship for. La Marina is a full water sports platform at the ship’s edge—sailing, diving, kayaking, direct ocean access at every port. Le SPA by Guerlain is an exclusive partnership developed specifically for the Corinthian, combining Guerlain’s 190-year heritage with treatments designed for life at sea. Le Cabaret seats 115 and brings live performance back to the golden age—curated programming, intimate theatre, cultural evenings. La Bibliothèque houses over 1,500 curated volumes alongside a Library Bar where rare books and exceptional drinks share equal standing. Le Cinéma offers 20-seat private screenings nightly—complimentary, always exclusive. La Salle Des Cartes brings back the game room of the golden age—chess, backgammon, cards—the kind of unhurried afternoon that belongs to another era entirely. And then there is the detail that genuinely stopped me: a fully equipped professional recording studio, available to guests throughout every voyage. It is an unexpected amenity that says everything about the kind of traveler Orient Express had in mind when they designed this ship—someone for whom creativity and culture are not optional extras but part of what travel is for.

La Marina at water level—the Caribbean spread out in every direction, and not a crowd in sight.

Wellness at sea

The wellness offering aboard the Corinthian deserves its own mention. Le SPA by Guerlain offers exclusive treatments developed specifically for this ship—combining Guerlain's 190-year heritage with therapies designed for the restorative qualities of life at sea. A yoga studio and fitness center overlook the open ocean. The 16.5-meter swimming lane and leisure pool are designed for both movement and stillness. What strikes me about the wellness program here is the intention behind it—this isn’t a spa tucked into a lower deck as an afterthought. The sea itself is treated as part of the experience. Time slows down differently on the Corinthian. It is what this ship is actually designed to do.

The Mediterranean itineraries

From May to October 2026, the Corinthian sails the Mediterranean and Adriatic: Monte Carlo to Portofino, Valletta to Amalfi, Rome to Calvi. Voyages run three to four nights and are designed to be combined—so guests can string together a longer journey without repeating ports. Most guests who do this properly plan for at least six to seven nights. The Caribbean season opens in late 2026.

The full Orient Express journey—what nobody else is offering

This is the part I get genuinely excited about when I’m talking to clients. Orient Express has two hotels in Italy right now—Orient Express La Minerva in Rome, and the brand-new Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Venice, opening April 2026. They also operate La Dolce Vita Orient Express, a train that runs from Rome to Venice.

Which means this is possible: arrive in Rome, stay at La Minerva, steps from the Pantheon. Board La Dolce Vita train—Art Deco carriages, white-glove service, the Italian countryside rolling past your window. Step off in Venice into the Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, a 15th-century palace at the confluence of two canals in Cannaregio, restored by the architect behind the Doge’s Palace. Then sail the Mediterranean on the Corinthian. As a Fora advisor, I can book all of it—with Preferred Partner amenities requested at every Accor property, subject to availability—and manage every transfer and detail in between.

No other brand in luxury travel is offering a complete land-rail-sea experience at this level. For the right client, it is simply the most extraordinary journey available.

Who this is for

Travelers who have done the five-star hotels and private villas and are looking for something genuinely new. Couples celebrating something significant. Anyone who has looked at a superyacht and thought—I want that, but with a Michelin-starred kitchen and a speakeasy. History and design enthusiasts who appreciate the depth of the Orient Express heritage. And clients who want the Mediterranean done properly—intimate ports, no crowds, the magic that happens after the day-trippers leave.

It is not for families seeking traditional cruise entertainment or guests who want a large-ship social atmosphere. The Corinthian is quiet, curated, and intentional. That is precisely the point.

La Bibliothèque—1,500 curated volumes, a Library Bar, and the particular pleasure of a morning with nowhere to be.

The 16.5-metre swimming lane—movement, stillness, and an unobstructed view of the open ocean. On your schedule, always.

• Book early: Seriously, 54 suites fill faster than clients expect, particularly during peak Mediterranean season. The inaugural 2026 season is already moving. If a specific itinerary is in mind, now is the time.

• Plan for longer: Voyages are 3–4 nights but fully combinable. Most guests feel most settled at 6–7 nights. I can build a custom sequence without repeating ports—and if we’re adding the train and hotels, the entire itinerary needs to be planned together from the start.

• The $250 onboard credit: All Fora bookings include $250 in onboard credit per guest—applies to Alléno’s signature restaurant, spa treatments, and experiences on board.

• Pre & post-voyage: Orient Express handles it beautifully The ship offers a complimentary meet-and-greet at embarkation airports, private luxury transfers, and an exclusive off-site check-in lounge before boarding. Luggage can be shipped directly to suites via their Luggage Forward partnership. For the full Orient Express journey, combining train and hotels, I handle all coordination across every touchpoint.

• Suite selection matters: The range from Panoramic to Presidential is significant. Each category has a different feel and position on the ship. Talk to me before choosing based on the brochure alone—the right suite for how you actually travel makes a measurable difference.

• The Orient Express hotel connection: Orient Express La Minerva, Rome — 93 rooms in a 17th-century palace, steps from the Pantheon. Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, Venice — 47 rooms and suites in a 15th-century palace in Cannaregio, opening April 2026. Both are bookable with Fora Preferred Partner amenities requested, subject to availability.

• Pricing at a glance: A 3-night voyage from €17,700 per suite. 4-night voyage from €23,600 per suite. Most guests combine voyages for 6–7 nights total. Contact me for current availability and suite-specific pricing.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our cruises page.