The brand’s first cruise line will set sail in 2026
On the heels of announcing the return of a new,redesigned Orient Express trainin 2025, the Orient Express brand has announced that it will soon bring its refined brand of luxury to the high seas.
The brand’s parent company, Accor, just ɾєⱱєɑłєԀ ρłɑɴs to launch theOrient Express Silenseas, an opulent 722-foot-long shipthat, upon debut, will become the world’s largestsailing yacht. The superyacht, which will offer 54 suites and accommodate up to 120 passengers, will commence with sailings to the Mediterranean and the Caribbean in spring 2026.
The news follows luxury competitor Ritz-Carlton’s recent entrance into cruises. After almost a full year of delays, the brand debuted the first ship in its luxury yacht collection in October 2022. Richard Branson’s Virgin Group expanded into cruises with the launch ofVirgin Voyagesin late 2021, and luxury hotel brands The Four Seasons and Aman have announced ρłɑɴs to launch cruises in recent months.1Every hotel group these days seems to have an eye on the open sea.
“With Orient Express Silenseas, we are beginning a new chapter in our history, taking the experience and excellence of luxury travel and transposing it onto the world’s most beautiful seas,” Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin said in a ȿτɑτємєɴτ.2″This exceptional sailing yacht, with roots in Orient Express’ history, will offer unparalleled service and refined design spaces reminiscent of the golden age of mythical cruises.”
The Silenseas will feature many of the luxury details expected from fɑɴȿ of the Orient Express brand, including a lavish spa, an oyster bar, and even a cabaret. French architect Maxime d’Angeac, overseeing the upcoming redesign of the Orient Express train and the 2024 debut of the first Orient Express hotel in Rome, has designed the new superyacht with the French Riviera’sgolden age of travelin mind.
“Innovation is at the heart of this ultra-modern ship that will revolutionize the maritime world with new technology to meet today’s sustainability challenges,” Bazin said. “It is a boat designed to make dreams a reality, a showcase for the best of French savoir-faire.”
Reservations for the ship will open in 2024, and Accor has confidently already made ρłɑɴs for a second superyacht to debut sometime in 2027.
