In 2026, hotelier Accor will take the Orient Express brand from land to sea with its first luxury superyacht Silenseas and it’s gonna be the world’s largest sailing ship.
What to expect from the world’s largest sailing ship
(Image credit: © Martin Darzacq)
On January 12, Accor announced that it will enter the cruise industry with Orient Express’s first ship Silenseas. Another typical boat? No. She is touted as the world’s largest sailing yacht and superyacht, according to Accor.
In this innovative project, Accor partners with French shipbuilders Chantiers de l’Atlantique to create the impressive 722-foot-long (220-meter) ship that includes three masts over 300 feet tall.
Orient Express Silenseas consists of 54 suites to accommodate 120 passengers. The room of prowess, however, has to be the 1,215-square-meter presidential suite that includes a cozy private terrace facing the picturesque ocean.
This Orient Express ship will also be a more intimate ship compared to the Ritz-Carlton’s 298-passenger superyacht Evrima. Therefore, fares will be more expensive, Accor chief executive Sébastien Bazin told Bloomberg.
Guests can also expect to enjoy various facilities and entertainment options, such as a dedicated oyster bar, cabaret, and speakeasy. Elsewhere, music fans can record their own songs in their private recording studio.
French architect Maxime d’Angeac, currently in charge of the upcoming Orient Express train and Accor’s Orient Express hotel in Rome, will also execute the superyacht’s interior design. This also makes it a designed creation made in France.
The world’s largest sailing ship – A sustainable sail
(Image credit: © Maxime d’Angeac and Martin Darzacq)
Cruises are not the most sustainable mode of transport, as it is almost impossible to achieve an emission-free ocean cruise.
Therefore, Accor plans to make the Silenseas a more sustainable option by using a hybrid propulsion system operated by wind power instead of diesel fuel to power the superyacht. It will also be equipped with an engine that runs on liquefied natural gas (LNG), which would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20% compared to using diesel, Accor shared.
The Orient Express Silenseas will sail the Mediterranean Riviera from summer 2026, calling at ports including Portofino, Capri and Saint Tropez, and the Caribbean in winter. Bookings are also expected to start in 2024.
“With Orient Express Silenseas, we are beginning a new chapter in our history, taking the experience and excellence of luxury travel and transposing it to the world’s most beautiful seas,” Accor President and CEO Sébastien Bazin said of this launch to Count Nast Traveler.
“This exceptional sailing yacht, with roots in the history of the Orient Express, will offer unparalleled service and refined design spaces, reminiscent of the golden age of mythical cruises. She is a ship designed to make dreams come true, a showcase for the best of French savoir-faire,” Bazin explained.
