Orient Express Sailing Yachts Celebrates Keel Laying of Second Cruise Yacht
by Dori Saltzman
Photo: Orient Express
Orient Express Sailing Yachts, part of Accor Group, and Chantiers de l’Atlantique celebrated the keel laying of the Orient Express Olympian, the brand’s second cruise yacht.
In keeping with maritime tradition, the keel laying – in which the first block of a ship is laid down – marked the official beginning of the vessel’s assembly phase. The first steep plate had been cut ten months earlier, on Jan. 30, 2025.
The block that was laid down will be one of 17 that will eventually form the yacht’s steel hull.
Orient Express Olympian is scheduled for delivery in spring 2027, one year after the brand’s first cruising yacht – Orient Express Corinthian – debuts. A blend of technology and tradition, Orient Express Olympian will measure 721 feet in length, and together with Orient Express Corinthian, will measure as the largest sailing yachts in the world.
As Orient Express Olympian enters its construction phase, Orient Express Corinthian is getting ready to begin sea trials in December. Orient Express Corinthian will set sail in May 2026 in the Mediterranean, followed by the Caribbean. Reservations are now open for the 2026 season – and soon for 2027.
