Robb Report
The Corinthian, the first of Accor’s two Orient Express sailing yachts, set sail on her maiden voyage in Lay 2026. At 721.8 feet, she’s pitched as the world’s largest sailing yacht (sail-assisted with electric propulsion) with a stylized interior that pays homage to Orient Express’s Art Deco heritage. That includes poetic design signatures that anchor the decor in authenticity, such as luggage racks and vintage lights in a few guests cabins sourced from the original train, as well as a 20-seater cinema with a carpet inspired by Suzanne Lalique’s iconic flower bouquet glass panels.
« We began sketching the first design ideas for this vessel more than three years ago », architect Maxime d’Angeac tells me during a tour of the boat in Saint-Nazaire, France. His French design studio specializes in reinterpreting historical private homes, estates, and villas through a contemporary lens, though Corinthian is his fiest yacht. « The central reception area is where guests embark, so we incorporated a lot of wood and detail to keep the vibe faithful to what people expect from the Orient Express train. »
Materials for the largely masculine and moody interior are sourced from or created by European artisans, from Jean Brieuc’s wood embroidery (also dound on the headboards of Accor’s upcoming 2027 Istanbul train), to Franck Benito’s engraved crystal lights used to illuminate the yacht’s marble-clad wellness center – Guerlain’s first spat at sea.