Project Info
Project Name: Orient Express Corinthian
Location: France
Architect: Maxime d'Angeac
For more than a century, the name Orient Express has evoked an almost mythical style of travel - polished brass, velvet lounges, white-glove service and journeys that felt as cinematic as the destinations themselves. Now, that legend is leaving the rails behind and heading to sea aboard the newly unveiled Orient Express Corinthian, a vessel that reimagines the golden age of ocean travel for a new generation.
At 220 metres long, Corinthian is officially the world’s largest sailing yacht, but scale is only part of the story. What truly sets the ship apart is its ambition: to merge old-world glamour with cutting-edge engineering and a more sustainable vision of luxury cruising.
A Floating Revival of Grand Travel
Designed by French architect Maxime d'Angeac, the yacht draws heavily from the visual language of the 1930s - the same era that cemented the mystique of the original Orient Express trains and iconic transatlantic liners like the SS Normandie. Yet rather than replicating the past, the interiors reinterpret it through a quieter, more contemporary lens.
Inside, Corinthian feels less like a cruise ship and more like an impossibly elegant private residence at sea. Rich marble surfaces, smoked wood veneers, lacquered finishes and sculptural lighting create a cinematic atmosphere throughout the vessel. Sweeping lounges and intimate bars are layered with Art Deco references, while curved architectural lines soften the yacht’s monumental scale.
The ship accommodates just 110 guests across 54 suites - an intentionally intimate capacity for a vessel of this size. Each suite features panoramic windows measuring 3.6 metres wide, along with elevated ceiling heights designed to maximize openness and light. Every guest also receives dedicated butler service, reinforcing the feeling of bespoke hospitality rather than conventional cruising.
The Orient Express Corinthian channels the elegance of historic ocean liners through soft curves, rich materials and carefully orchestrated detail
Framed by panoramic sea views, the suites blend Art Deco elegance with the intimacy of a private residence
Every detail is carefully composed through texture and tone - glossy lacquer, sculptural stone and ambient lighting shaping a deeply immersive interior experience
Veined marble surfaces wrap the bathroom in a sense of timeless luxury
Sailing Into a New Era of Luxury
Corinthian arrives at a moment when luxury travel is rapidly shifting away from mega-scale tourism toward smaller, design-driven experiences centered on privacy, personalization and cultural immersion. Across the industry, hospitality brands are increasingly entering the yachting world, transforming ships into floating boutique hotels.
But unlike many of its competitors, Corinthian is fundamentally defined by sail power. Its three towering carbon-fibre masts support a revolutionary “SolidSail” system - rigid sails made from fiberglass and carbon that can fold and retract mechanically. Under the right weather conditions, the yacht can operate primarily on wind propulsion, reducing fuel consumption dramatically compared to traditional cruise vessels.
The vessel also integrates hybrid LNG propulsion and advanced marine protection systems, including AI-assisted collision detection intended to reduce risks to marine life. Together, these technologies position the yacht as part of a broader effort to rethink sustainability within ultra-luxury travel - an industry not traditionally associated with environmental restraint.
A contemporary expression of maritime luxury, where deep mahogany tones, velvet textures and tailored detailing reinterpret the romance of classic ocean liners through a refined modern lens
Curved forms and layered materials soften the monumental scale of the yacht, transforming circulation spaces into immersive experiences
More Than a Cruise Ship
The onboard experience extends far beyond accommodation. Corinthian includes five restaurants overseen by multi-Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno, along with private dining rooms, a cabaret, a recording studio, a Guerlain spa and an Art Deco-inspired speakeasy bar.
Rather than emphasizing spectacle in the traditional cruise sense, the yacht focuses on atmosphere and storytelling. Itineraries across the Mediterranean and Adriatic are designed around curated cultural experiences - from private museum access to bespoke excursions in historic coastal destinations.
This philosophy echoes the essence of the original Orient Express experience itself: the idea that the journey should feel as meaningful as the arrival.
Echoing the elegance of 1930s supper clubs, the restaurant interiors balance theatrical glamour with refined restraint
The Return of Romantic Travel
In many ways, Corinthian represents a broader cultural shift. As travelers increasingly seek slower, more intentional experiences, the romance of classic travel is making a return - not as nostalgia, but as reinvention.
Where cruise ships once competed through sheer size and entertainment overload, vessels like Corinthian are redefining luxury through intimacy, design and emotional resonance. The ship becomes not just transportation, but a carefully choreographed world unto itself.
And perhaps that is the true achievement of Orient Express Corinthian: not simply building the world’s largest sailing yacht, but reviving the lost art of travel as theatre, ritual and dream.
PHOTO CREDIT: Alixe Lay
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