4 min read
09.06.2026
by Merle Wilkening

Four ultra-luxury yachts on the high seas

A white luxury yacht on the calm blue sea, with the green, mountainous coastline in the background. — Photography by: Four Seasons

Issue
03/26
Photography
Four Seasons, Sinot, Ritz Carlton, Orient Express

The world’s most prestigious hotel groups are taking to the oceans and completely redefining the ultra-luxury yachting segment – offering more space and even more personalized service.

Table of Content

Four Seasons
Aman
Ritz-Carlton
Orient Express

A luxurious yacht deck featuring four white sun loungers with cushions, round side tables and a central staircase leading down to a bright, two-storey, wood-panelled interior. — Foto: Four Seasons

Four Seasons

With this year’s debut of the Four Seasons I – coinciding with the hotel group’s 65th anniversary – the hotel group is launching its first-ever luxury yacht experience and bringing the brand’s legendary hospitality to the water.

Conceived as a “floating resort,” the ship features just 95 suites, each designed as a spacious private residence. Floor-to-ceiling windows and expansive terraces blur the boundary between the interior and the sea. The undisputed highlight is the approximately 927-square-meter Funnel Suite. The accommodation spans four decks within the ship’s signature glass funnel and offers a spectacular 280-degree panoramic view through the largest contiguous glass module on the ocean.

Culinary excellence is assured through an exclusive Chef-in-Residence Program, where Michelin-starred chefs from the global Four Seasons portfolio rotate on board. The newly unveiled itineraries for 2027 are now open for booking and include historic destinations in Egypt, where a curated overnight stay grants guests exclusive access to the Pyramids of Giza.

A traditional Japanese room with wooden beams and shoji screens; a Japanese black pine overlooking a Zen garden with raked gravel, offering a view of a lake bathed in the evening glow and the mountains.

A Japanese-style dining room with a long wooden counter and stools, warm lantern lighting, shoji screens and a sea view of the distant hills and bonsai trees.

A luxurious spa deck on a wooden yacht, complete with a bubbling hot tub, lounge seating and towels, from which you can enjoy the view across the calm sea towards a green island at sunset.

Aman

“Peaceful Movement” – the translation of the Sanskrit name Amangati – defines the essence of the Aman Group’s first maritime project. Starting in the spring of 2027, the 180-meter-long yacht will serve as a floating retreat dedicated to bringing the philosophy of tranquility to the water.

The Amangati offers an intentionally intimate experience for just 94 guests accommodated in 47 suites. The design aesthetic by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design echoes the purist design language of Aman’s land-based properties and draws inspiration from the understated elegance of a Japanese ryokan. A central element is the spa, which, at 1,190 square meters, is one of the most extensive wellness areas in the luxury yacht segment.

Now open for reservations, the inaugural Mediterranean season offers a leisurely experience, with late departures and overnight stays in smaller ports like Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera, granting guests the time needed to discover exclusive destinations well off the beaten path.

Aerial view of a cruise ship’s sun deck, featuring swimming pools and white sun loungers on a light brown deck, surrounded by the deep blue sea.

Elegant plate with crispy orange tuile, shredded vegetables, and herbs; burgundy-rimmed plate, wine glass, and cutlery on a blue placemat.

The balcony of a cruise ship, featuring upholstered wicker chairs, a sun lounger, a small table with a plant, a glass railing and the vast blue sea.

Ritz-Carlton

A true industry pioneer, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection proved the immense appetite for a boutique maritime experience when it debuted the Evrima.

The Ilma now complements the growing fleet and, in February, became the first ship in the world to receive the prestigious Five-Star rating from the Forbes Travel Guide. With a staff-to-guest ratio of nearly 1:1, the Yacht Collection achieves a level of personalized service previously reserved for private superyachts. The fleet offers world-class dining, featuring concepts by three-star chef Sven Elverfeld alongside fresh South and Central American flavors by Michael Mina at the Beach House.

New routes to Alaska – already bookable for 2026 on the third superyacht, the Luminara – offer guests the chance to explore even the most remote fjords.

A large three-masted luxury yacht sails along calm sea near a cliff coastline at sunset, bathed in warm golden light.

A luxuriously furnished bedroom with a large double bed, warm wooden features and an elegant, symmetrical design.

A luxurious outdoor area on a yacht, featuring a central pool, elegant seating and stunning views of the sea and the surrounding mountains.

Orient Express

Orient Express One hundred and forty years after the maiden voyage of its first luxury train, the Orient Express brings its legacy to the high seas in June with the Orient Express Corinthian.

The 220-meter-long sailing yacht is considered a technical masterpiece: Three 100-meter-tall masts support 4,500 square meters of rigid sails, enabling purely wind-powered propulsion under optimal conditions. Architect Maxime d’Angeac’s interior design pays tribute to legendary ocean liners like the Normandie, while introducing modern extravagances such as a recording studio and a cabaret theater. In addition to the world’s first ocean-going Guerlain Spa, the ship is home to a library containing 1,500 rare titles. Bookings for the debut Mediterranean season are now open. In the fall, the Corinthian will undertake its first voyage to the Caribbean.