Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Orient Express Unveils World’s Largest Sailing Cruise Ship Ahead of Saturday Departure

Accor aims to turn hotel loyalists into big-spending cruise guests.

Overview

  • The Orient Express Corinthian, baptized Wednesday, April 29 in Saint-Nazaire, is slated to leave Saturday, May 2 for its first season in the Mediterranean.
  • Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, the 220‑meter, 15,000‑ton three‑master uses rigid composite sails of about 1,500 m² each and a hybrid LNG engine to cut fuel use.
  • The 54‑suite palace at sea serves roughly 110 to 130 guests with a butler per cabin, five restaurants, a theater and a spa, with rates from about €6,000 a night to €200,000 a week and full‑ship charters near $1 million per day.
  • The itinerary targets high‑profile stops such as Cannes before cruising the Mediterranean and Adriatic, then an Atlantic crossing in autumn and a winter season in the Caribbean.
  • Backed by Accor with partners LVMH and Millennium Invest, the multihundred‑million‑euro bet follows rapid growth in luxury cruises, with a sister ship, the Orient Express Olympian, planned for 2027.