Orient Express Sailing Yachts’ Corinthian Floats Out

Orient Express Corinthian, the first vessel in the Orient Express Sailing Yachts fleet, reached a milestone this week when it left the construction dock at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard. The milestone, which sees the ship touch water for the first time as it moves to the outfitting dock, marks the start of the ship’s final construction phase.

The ship, which will be the largest sailing yacht in the world when it debuts in June 2026, is composed of 14 structural blocks. When it’s finished, it will be 722 feet in length and feature 16,146 square-feet of rigid sails across three masts. (The first vessel to feature Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s SolidSail propulsion system.)

Passengers can choose from among 54 suites, ranging from 485 square feet to 2,476 square feet, and opt to dine in one or more of the vessel’s five restaurants (all under the direction of multi-Michelin starred chef Yannick Alleno, executive chef of both The Orient Express train and the sailing yacht).

The interior reflects the brand’s rail travel heritage combined with a contemporary sensibility that echoes the grandeur of legendary ocean liners such as the Normandie.

High-tech onboard systems include an AI-driven floating object detection system that will minimize the risk of marine mammal collisions and dynamic positioning technology eliminates the need for anchoring, preserving delicate seabeds.

Orient Express Corinthian will debut first in the Mediterranean and Adriatic in summer 2026, before crossing the Atlantic to sail a season in the Caribbean. Sister-ship Orient Express Olympian joins the fleet in the summer of 2027. Sailings will range from two-day escapes to 14-day voyages, each route combinable for tailor-made journeys.