Orient Express Corinthian: The Quiet Future of Legendary Luxury at Sea
Orient Express Corinthian redefines luxury yacht sailing with wind-first propulsion, quiet design, and low-density elegance for presence-driven travel.
White superyacht anchored in turquoise cove surrounded by forested cliffs and sailboats (concept image, not Orient Express Corinthian).
The legendary Orient Express embarks on an unprecedented new chapter: Orient Express Corinthian. This revolution in maritime travel transitions from luxury trains to the world's largest sailing yachts. Some names refuse to fade; they evolve. For more than a century the Orient Express has signaled a slower, richer, and more intentional way of crossing the world, marking one of the first luxury trains of its kind. That lineage now steps away from polished rails and moves toward open water, inviting travelers into a new dimension of motion, one steeped in wind, quiet, and patience. The Orient Express brand enjoys a worldwide reputation for excellence, influencing luxury travel across the globe.
The Orient Express Corinthian, originally named the Orient Express Silenseas, is not a cruise ship in the common sense. Measuring 220 meters from bow to stern, the sailing yacht is slated to debut from Marseilles in June this year, as the largest vessel of its kind, yet it will welcome only about one hundred and twenty guests divided among slightly more than fifty suites. Density is deliberately low, stillness carefully cultivated. The project unites Orient Express, now part of Accor, with Chantiers de l’Atlantique, the French yard known for technically ambitious builds that nevertheless honor aesthetic craft. The yacht is being constructed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, a renowned French shipbuilding company, reflecting the rich maritime tradition de l’atlantique and exceptional French craftsmanship. The savoir faire of French artisans is evident throughout the vessel, ensuring sophistication and refinement at every turn. Both the design and construction are taking place in France, emphasizing the vessel’s prestigious French heritage. The interiors are designed by Maxime d’Angeac, combining Art Deco elements with inspirations from the Golden Age of the French Riviera. Together, they imagine a different future for luxury at sea, one defined by restraint rather than accumulation.
For travelers who prize atmosphere over acquisition, the yacht harmonizes with our slow travel philosophy. The Orient Express Corinthian distills the heritage and elegance of the original Orient Express train, offering a maritime experience that echoes its legendary sophistication. This extraordinary vessel redraws the boundaries of maritime luxury and adventure, setting a new standard for yachting. The Orient Express Corinthian asks an appealing question: What if premium experience were judged not by spectacle, but by the ability to hear the water, taste salt in the breeze, and move without hurry? It then answers that question with canvas raised and engines muted. Prepare to linger here a moment longer. In the pages ahead, we trace the curve of each towering sail, wander through suites shaped for stillness, taste menus tuned to shifting coastlines, and measure how quiet engineering lets the sea find its own voice. Follow the wake onward and discover why this vessel promises to reshape the cadence of refined travel.
the journey ahead
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IMAGE DISCLAIMER
The images shown are generated for mood only and do not depict the actual Orient Express Corinthian.
Art-deco luxury Orient Express train suite, wood paneling and landscape rushing past the window (concept image, not Orient Express Corinthian).
What Is The Orient Express Corinthian
At its heart, the Orient Express Corinthian is the world’s largest sailing yacht, a wind-first, hybrid-propulsion vessel conceived to carry the legendary history of the Orient Express heritage onto open water. As the world’s most prestigious and innovative luxury sailing yacht, it sets a new standard in maritime travel and stands as the world's ultimate achievement in shipbuilding and luxury travel. The hull spans 220 meters, the beam stretches a generous thirty wide, and three SolidSail masts reach more than one hundred meters toward the sky. Each mast supports rigid composite sails that unfold like gigantic fans, creating a collective sail surface of roughly forty-five hundred square meters. Under favorable conditions those sails alone can drive the vessel at competitive cruising speed, leaving nothing but the whisper of water curling away from the bow and the soft creak of rigging overhead.
Inside, the Orient Express Corinthian will feature 54 exquisitely appointed suites designed to accommodate around 120 guests, each offering panoramic sea views. Even the smallest accommodations measure close to seventy square meters, while a monumental Presidential Suite tops nine hundred square meters and features a private terrace larger than many apartments on land. Every stateroom faces the sea; none stare inward at corridors. On board, guests will find two restaurants and a speakeasy bar, providing a refined culinary experience. Service functions follow suit: restaurants, reading salons, and wellness areas all open outward so the horizon and light remain the ever-present décor. This vessel represents a revolution in luxury maritime travel, redefining expectations with its groundbreaking design and technology. An exclusive cultural and gastronomic program is offered on board, elevating the overall experience.
This low-density arrangement means a guest-to-crew ratio approaching one-to-one. Staff can focus on nuance, remembering a preferred tisane, preparing a picnic basket timed to a shore excursion, arranging a book on a nightstand at the exact page last marked, rather than rushing to feed or entertain thousands. The effect is intimate yet spacious, luxurious yet gentle, befitting the world’s most exclusive sailing experience. After exploring the public spaces, guests will be able to enjoy a variety of entertainment options on board, including a cabaret and a cinema.
Among its technical innovations, the yacht will implement an artificial intelligence-based detection system to reduce the risk of marine mammal collisions. Additionally, a dynamic positioning system will eliminate the need for traditional anchors, protecting seabeds and furthering the vessel’s commitment to environmentally friendly and sustainable travel.
The Vision Behind The Orient Express Corinthian
The original Orient Express embarked on its Paris to Istanbul journey in 1883, inaugurating a golden age of rail travel that defined opulence for generations. Now, nearly a century and a half later, the legendary Orient Express Corinthian embarks on open water, extending its story from iron rails to wind-filled sails. This project draws deeply from the romance of the Roaring Twenties and 1930s, an era when the French Riviera became synonymous with leisurely grand tours, artistic salons, and the unhurried pursuit of beauty. The Corinthian seeks to recapture that atmosphere, not through nostalgic recreation, but through a contemporary vessel where wind and water become part of the experience rather than background noise.
The ambition is clear. The Orient Express Corinthian is part of the new Orient Express Sailing Yachts, marking the brand’s entry into luxurious ocean cruising with large, sail-powered vessels inspired by the iconic train legacy. The Orient Express Corinthian is set to launch in 2026, with a second similar vessel, known as the Orient Express Olympian, debuting in 2027, signaling that this is not a one-off concept, but the beginning of a fleet built around slow, sensory-rich exploration. The yacht aims to create the quietest, most refined form of sailing currently possible, a new era where guests feel the sea beneath them and hear the wind in the sails. Guests can expect unique journeys, including bespoke shore excursions such as private museum tours and gourmet tastings, further elevating the personalized and exclusive nature of the experience. The journey is designed to immerse guests in rich culture and artistic experiences, celebrating diverse cultural heritages through curated design, performances, and exploration.
Midnight-blue Orient Express sleeper carriages with brass trim and oval windows, gentle steam drifting at dawn.
History and Inspiration
The Orient Express story began nearly 140 years ago, when the first luxury trains set out from Paris, forever changing the landscape of travel. The legendary Orient Express embarks on an unprecedented new chapter with the introduction of Orient Express Sailing Yachts, led by the extraordinary Orient Express Corinthian. This vessel, the world’s largest sailing yacht, distills the heritage of the legendary Orient Express into a floating sanctuary, where refined opulence, art, and adventure converge on the open sea.
Inspired by the golden age of luxury cruises and the timeless allure of the French Riviera, the Orient Express Corinthian invites guests to relive the spirit of the roaring twenties. Iconic destinations such as Monte Carlo, Saint-Tropez, and Cannes form the backdrop for a journey that celebrates cultural treasures and the elegance of a bygone era. Every detail aboard this extraordinary vessel is a tribute to the Orient Express’s legacy: from the artful interiors to the curated itineraries, guests are immersed in a world where heritage and innovation sail side by side.
As the legendary Orient Express embarks on this new chapter, the Corinthian offers more than a voyage, it offers a return to the art of travel itself. Here, the journey is as meaningful as the destination, and every moment is steeped in the refinement, beauty, and adventure that have defined the Orient Express for generations.
Sailing System and Hybrid Propulsion
The Orient Express Corinthian is propelled first by the wind, then only by the engine when the horizon refuses a breeze. Harnessing wind power through innovative rigid sails known as SolidSail, the yacht achieves improved energy efficiency. Three SolidSail rigs soar more than sixty-six meters above the teak, each mast carved from carbon-fiber composites and crowned with rigid sails that unfold like alabaster fans. A full rotation of three hundred sixty degrees lets the yacht thread shifting winds; a seventy-degree incline lowers clearance so the vessel can slip beneath bridges without dropping pace. The articulated panels deploy or furl in minutes through bridge-level automation refined by Chantiers de l’Atlantique over a decade of sea trials and recently certified for oceangoing tonnage.
Under full canvas, the ship glides in near silence. SolidSail’s glass-fiber skin holds aerodynamic form where cloth would billow, converting the ocean breeze into forward motion with uncommon efficiency. Engineers project a fuel saving of roughly one thousand metric tons per mast each year, an emissions cut approaching forty percent, while the absence of engine rumble lets conversation drift across the deck like salt mist. Service life for the sails stretches toward a quarter-century before major overhaul, aligning longevity with ecological intent.
When the wind settles, a hybrid heart awakens so quietly it feels like breath rather than machinery. Twin controllable-pitch propellers draw power from LNG generators linked to high-efficiency electric motors. Ingeteam converters smooth the current, reducing vibration to a gentle hum beneath leather soles. The architecture is already wired for tomorrow’s fuels, green hydrogen or e-methanol, awaiting only regulatory allowance. Integrated energy software balances thrust and sail in real time, ensuring the yacht honors its promise to travel lightly, asking as little of the ocean as possible.
This setup allows the sailing yacht to achieve competitive speeds under sail alone. Under favorable conditions, the sails can provide up to 100 percent of propulsion, rendering the vessel virtually silent at sea, hence the initial name, the Orient Express Silenseas. The experience is fundamentally different from conventional cruising: minimal vibration, no engine drone, and a soundscape shaped by water and wind.
Hybrid Engine Backup
When wind power is insufficient, an environmentally friendly hybrid propulsion system activates. At launch, engines will run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), a lower-carbon alternative to traditional heavy fuel oil. The design includes provisions for future clean fuels such as green hydrogen or e-fuels as regulatory approvals and infrastructure mature.
This hybrid approach significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and particulate pollution compared with conventional cruise ships. But for the guest experience, the impact is equally significant: softer soundscape, enhanced stargazing, and fewer vibrations underfoot. For our readers, the technical innovation matters less than what it enables: a journey where the sea itself becomes audible, where the rhythm of sailing shapes each day.
Art-deco Orient Express bar car with emerald armchairs, marble cocktail table and soft lamp-light against nighttime mountains (concept image, not Orient Express Corinthian).
Corinthian Suites and Life Onboard
Life aboard the Corinthian resembles a boutique hotel at sea more than a conventional cruise ship. With only 120 guests sharing the vessel, the experience is intimate by design, a deliberate contrast to the crowded spectacle of mass maritime travel. Guests can expect an unforgettable adventure, with unique and memorable experiences that set the journey apart from any other.
Suites feel more like private salons than conventional staterooms. Even the most modest category embraces refined elegance with wall-to-wall glass, while upper tiers unfold into apartment-sized sanctuaries complete with separate living rooms and deep teak terraces. Inside, a king bed dressed in high-thread-count linen anchors the sleeping area; bedside lighting glows softly from hand-cast bronze sconces so dusk settles without a switch click. Bathrooms are clad in veined marble or honed limestone, fitted with walk-in rain showers and, in higher categories, soaking tubs positioned to endure panoramic sea views. Guests also have access to luxurious treatment rooms as part of the wellness offerings, creating dedicated spaces for relaxation and rejuvenation. A reading corner, armchair, low table, and leather-bound stationery invite slow correspondence, and a discreet work desk tucks beneath a window for those rare moments when duty intrudes on drift. Technology recedes: televisions rise only when summoned, climate panels disappear behind wooden lattice, and charging pads nestle inside drawers to keep surfaces free of wires.
Service follows the same ethos of graceful understatement. Gourmet dining, carefully chosen beverages, and small-group shore immersions are woven into the fare, so transactions fade and attention can return to the sea, the sky, and the quiet territory in between.
Geometric art-deco chandelier of three illuminated beams radiates from ornate theater ceiling, surrounded by balcony lights (concept image, not Orient Express Corinthian)..
Shared Spaces and Amenities
Aboard the Orient Express Corinthian, every public space is designed to evoke the signature refinement of the Orient Express brand. Guests are invited to dine at La Table de l’Orient-Express restaurant, where Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno crafts menus inspired by both the French tradition and the flavors of the sea. For those seeking a more relaxed atmosphere, the brasserie offers fresh, locally inspired fare, while Le Speakeasy bar channels the elegance, sophistication and intrigue of the 1930s, serving expertly crafted cocktails in an ambiance of quiet glamour.
The yacht’s marina is a gateway to adventure, offering guests the opportunity to enjoy water sports and explore the coastline from a new perspective. Wellness is woven into the fabric of the vessel, with a state-of-the-art fitness center, sauna, and a Guerlain Spa spanning over 5,380 square feet. Here, treatment rooms provide a sanctuary for relaxation and rejuvenation, with therapies designed to restore both body and mind.
From the sun-drenched decks to the intimate lounges and tastefully designed bars, every corner of the Orient Express Corinthian is a testament to the brand’s commitment to comfort and refinement. Whether savoring a meal at one of the restaurants, unwinding in the spa, or simply watching the horizon from a teak chaise, guests are enveloped in an atmosphere of timeless elegance and thoughtful service.
Michelin-level plated dish of squid-ink croquette topped with caviar, curled cucumber ribbon and saffron sauce.
Dining and Culinary Experience
Cuisine aboard the Orient Express Corinthian is approached as edible art, creating a continuum of taste that begins with sunrise and ends well after the moon has lifted over the wake. Two restaurants set the cadence: a formal dining salon where multi-course menus fuse precise French technique with the herbs, citrus, and olive-oil brightness gathered in each port, and an airy brasserie that stretches lunch into late afternoon, plating the morning’s market catch almost before the decks have dried. Complementing these rooms are two distinct bars. One, styled as an intimate speakeasy, invites guests to linger over cocktails mixed with coastal botanicals; the other crowns the upper deck so aperitifs are taken with an unbroken horizon. Wines echo the vineyards visible from rail, ingredients arrive straight from the coastline just traversed, and attentive service choreographs each course so travelers may discover a quieter kind of elegance, one measured in the way every flavor completes the journey.
Curving, sculptural wooden staircase and ramp inside a modern museum, accented by warm indirect lighting (concept image, not Orient Express Corinthian).
Well-being, Spa, and Quiet Rituals at Sea
Wellness aboard the Orient Express Corinthian is shaped around a Guerlain spa spanning roughly five hundred square meters, an expanse remarkable for any ship, let alone one that moves primarily by sail. Four treatment suites, one configured for couples, welcome guests into softly lit rooms where Guerlain therapists layer time-honored protocols with the brand’s high-science formulations. Between sessions, a dedicated relaxation lounge looks outward to the water, allowing the horizon itself to steady the breath.
A nearby sauna offers gentle, dry heat; a fully equipped fitness studio stands ready for strength or stretch; and a sheltered lap-length pool invites uninterrupted lengths no matter the weather. Elsewhere on deck, two additional pools open directly to the sky, turning casual swims into unobstructed communion with sea and sun. Spa treatments, along with all dining and curated shore experiences, are included in the passage, so guests move from massage table to teak chaise without transactional pause, letting body, mind, and vessel keep the same unhurried tempo.
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Slow Travel Itineraries and Travel Destinations
Colorful cliffside village houses stacked above deep blue sea under clear Ligurian sky.
The inaugural calendar for Orient Express Corinthian favors unique journeys rather than whistle-stop loops, turning the sailing yacht itself into a floating sanctuary that drifts patiently from cove to enchanting locales . Four regions are meticulously planned out, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, and select transatlantic passages, with embarkation points that read like a collector’s map: Monte Carlo, Cannes, Valletta, Dubrovnik, Lisbon, Copenhagen, Bridgetown, and more. Sample voyages posted for 2026 include a six-night Provence and French Riviera circuit, an eight-night Amalfi Coast–Sicily sweep, and a seven-night Adriatic arc linking Valletta to Venice. Each itinerary balances unhurried shore time with days of open-sail discovery, so every sunset nesting in panoramic sea views feels earned rather than scheduled. For guests seeking an unforgettable adventure, the promise is clear: fewer stops, deeper immersion, and the quiet confidence that their floating sanctuary will be waiting just beyond the breakwater whenever exploration draws to a close.
Sustainability and Conscious Luxury
The Orient Express Corinthian distills the heritage of the Orient Express into a floating sanctuary of refinement. It is built around a simple equation: fewer guests, more space, and a far lighter footprint per passenger than a conventionally powered cruise ship. Three SolidSail masts can supply the yacht with up to one hundred percent of its propulsion under favorable winds, all but eliminating fuel burn while sails are set. When wind alone cannot carry the hull, liquefied natural gas generators step in; LNG produces markedly fewer particulates and sulfur oxides than heavy fuel oil, and the engineering blueprint leaves room to adopt green hydrogen or e-fuels as soon as maritime regulations allow. Because propulsion noise drops to near silence under sail and remains muted even under engine power, the ship minimizes acoustic disturbance to marine life.
Environmental care extends beyond the engines. An advanced wastewater-treatment plant purifies grey and black water to near-potable standards before discharge or reuse. In ports equipped for it, the yacht connects to shore power, shutting down generators entirely while alongside. Shipboard operations pursue single-use-plastic elimination, and the culinary team sources ingredients as locally and seasonally as itineraries permit, shrinking supply-chain mileage.
Even with these measures, the company acknowledges that luxury yachting still carries an environmental cost; transparency and ongoing reduction, rather than claims of perfection, define the project’s ethos. In practice, the result is a sailing vessel that reframes what upscale travel can look like in a warming world, inviting guests to cross the water with the wind, an invitation to measure comfort by presence rather than excess.
Final Sailing Thoughts
Aerial view of lone white-sail yacht carving gentle wake across open deep-blue ocean (concept image, not Orient Express Corinthian).
Orient Express Corinthian represents more than a ship, it is a statement about the future of carefully curated maritime travel. Wind-powered propulsion, refined elegance, and curated cultural programming combine to create something genuinely different: a vessel where the journey itself becomes the destination. The world’s largest sailing yacht will only carry 120 guests who value quiet, beauty, and the particular magic of moving through the world under sail. For Terra Selene readers who believe in fewer, mindful journeys, who seek presence over distraction, depth over breadth, this extraordinary vessel offers an invitation worth considering. The sea has always called to those who wish to slow down. Now, the legendary Orient Express heritage answers that call, embarking on an adventure worthy of its name.
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