ORIENT Express Sailing Yachts has celebrated a key construction milestone of its maiden vessel, the largest sailing yacht in the world, Orient Express Corinthian (CW 13 Mar).
The newbuild (pictured) floated out from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France this week, marking her official debut on the water.
The event followed four-and-a-half months of assembly, with the yacht then relocating from the construction dock to the outfitting yard.
Following the successful float-out, the vessel is now moored at the quay to begin her final outfitting and finishing phases ahead of her maiden voyage in Jun 2026.
Orient Express Corinthian is poised to “redefine standards in luxury cruising”, according to the cruise line.
Measuring 220m in length and featuring three masts, the yacht comprises of 54 suites ranging from 45m2 to 230m2, each one framed by expansive picture windows or terraces.
The vessel will also offer next-level sustainability as the first sailing yacht equipped with the SolidSail propulsion system, complemented by a hybrid system powered by liquefied natural gas.
Orient Express said the newbuild aims to achieve near-zero-emission cruising.
The vessel also features an AI-driven floating object detection system, designed to minimise the risk of marine mammal collisions, while dynamic positioning technology eliminates the need for anchoring, helping to preserve delicate seabeds.
“Every aspect of the yacht’s design is calibrated to protect the ocean it traverses,” the line said.
Guests can dine at five restaurants on board, under the direction of multi-Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alleno, who is also the executive chef of the Orient Express train.
Designed by the Artistic Director of Orient Express, architect Maxime d’Angeac, the interior of the ship “reinterprets the golden age of rail travel with a contemporary and elevated sensibility, echoing the grandeur of legendary ocean liners”.
Corinthian will first cruise in the Mediterranean and Adriatic from Jun-Oct 2026, offering 27 itineraries ranging from three to 14 days.
She will then embark on a transatlantic to the Caribbean, where she will be joined by her sister ship, Orient Express Olympian, in the summer of 2027 – bookings now open here. JM
