Orient Express is moving closer to its expansion into the sea.
Leaders with the Accor-owned ultra-luxury brand named its flagship sailing yacht on Tuesday in Saint-Nazaire, France, marking the debut of the world's largest sailing vessel ever built for a hospitality company. The 720-foot Orient Express Corinthian will depart for the French Riviera on May 2 for positioning ahead of her inaugural season. The vessel will accommodate as many as 110 guests across 54 suites in a fully inclusive model that positions the storied brand firmly in the ultra-luxury cruise market.
Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, the same shipyard that produced the Normandie and Île-de-France, the Corinthian weighs 15,000 tons and deploys three automated SolidSail rigs spanning 1,500 square meters each. During sea trials in February, the yacht achieved 12 knots under sail alone in 20-knot winds, a performance benchmark for vessels of this scale. Hybrid liquefied natural gas propulsion and AI-assisted marine mammal detection round out the vessel's tech offering.
The naming ceremony, held in the Joubert graving dock where the Normandie was born, unfolded with French pageantry. Four Fouga Magister jets flew the French flag overhead. The minister delegate for the sea formally presented the French ensign. An Orthodox archbishop blessed the ship.
Laurent Castaing, CEO of Chantiers de l'Atlantique, positioned the ship as a direct response to maritime decarbonization imperatives: The ship will avoid approximately 9,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually compared to conventional cruise vessels of similar size.
Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin emphasized the vessel is a natural extension of the Orient Express brand DNA.
"Bringing Orient Express to the sea fits naturally within the imagination of this legendary brand: a journey rooted in discovery, unhurried time, excellence, and elegance," he said at the ceremony this week.
The interiors, designed by architect Maxime d'Angeac and executed by close to 2,000 French craftsmen and artisans, channel the golden age of ocean liners through a contemporary lens. Leathers, precious wood veneers, and marbles compose cabins with panoramic windows and ceilings raised 25 centimeters above industry standard. Each suite includes a dedicated butler.
The culinary direction falls to multi-Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno, who oversees five restaurants and private dining rooms. Eight bars — including an Art Deco speakeasy fit for characters to inspire this generation's Agatha Christie — a 115-seat cabaret, a Guerlain spa, a marina, and a 54-foot swimming lane complement on-board amenity lineup.
The inaugural season runs May through October 2026 across the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas, with a transatlantic crossing and Caribbean winter planned for autumn. Itineraries range from one to four nights, a flexibility model positioning the Corinthian against established ultra-luxury cruise operators like Seabourn and Regent Seven Seas. The modular voyage structure allows guests to combine passages into bespoke multi-week itineraries.
A sister ship, Orient Express Olympian, is currently being fitted out at the Penhoët quay, indicating Accor's commitment to building a small Orient Express Sailing Yachts fleet rather than a one-off flagship.
"This sailing vessel, born from the collaboration and trust built over the past two years between Accor and Chantiers de l'Atlantique, now proudly showcases the very best of French expertise and craftsmanship," Bazin said.
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