The Orient-Express Corinthian: The World’s Largest Luxury Sailing Cruise Ship, Soon to Set Sail

The Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire is buzzing with excitement. Workers, engineers, executives, politicians, and partners have gathered on this sunny January day for the traditional steel-cutting ceremony of the new ship commissioned by Orient-Express Corinthian. "It is pure joy to be working again on something as sublime as this project," says Sébastien Bazin, CEO of Accor, visibly moved. Smiling, dressed in jeans and a leather jacket, with a sun-kissed complexion, he appears equally at ease with both workers and engineers. "The real challenge," he continues, "and I want everyone to understand this, is whether we will have customers willing to step aboard and pay for their cabins! Certainly, we will have built a ship, and even two, since Chantiers de l’Atlantique is pressing me to order more. But this project must ultimately be highly profitable."

This is an unusual aspect of the story—dictated by the project’s timeline—because even before knowing whether customers will be drawn to Orient-Express Corinthian’s new sailing cruise concept, Sébastien Bazin had to order a second unit. "Usually," he jokes, "you wait to see how the first one performs before launching the second. But here, Chantiers de l’Atlantique is already asking me to sign for the third or fourth ship while I still don’t have a single booking for the first! But when the adventure is this grand, you have to seek out the best. We are incredibly fortunate that LVMH—probably the finest French luxury group in the world—has decided to share this dream with us. So, there’s no reason to worry. And it feels wonderful to realize such a project right here in France!"

In 2022, the world's number one luxury group signed a partnership agreement with Accor to develop the Orient-Express brand in the upmarket tourism sector. LVMH has thus acquired a significant stake in Orient-Express from the hotel group, although neither the threshold nor the amount has been disclosed. Together, Accor and LVMH will deploy a luxury train, hotels and cruise ships under the Orient-Express brand.

This is indeed a historic moment. The commercial director of Orient-Express highlights the rarity of such events: "In this industry, such launches are extremely rare, making this a unique occasion." The Corinthian is already taking shape, with the first section of its hull in place. This giant of the seas will be 230 meters long, featuring three massive rigid sails covering 4,500 square meters. It will be capable of sailing year-round, even in strong winds. Unlike current standards, this vessel represents a radical technological leap in the world of cruising.