Which Luxury Yacht Is Right for You?
Ritz-Carlton vs. Four Seasons vs. Orient Express vs. Aman
For years, travelers who loved the world's best hotels and resorts but didn't consider themselves "cruise people" had relatively few options for exploring the world by sea. That is changing quickly.
Some of hospitality's most celebrated names are taking their approach to service, design and dining to the water, creating a new category that feels less like traditional cruising and more like checking into an ultra-luxury hotel that happens to move from one extraordinary destination to the next.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection now has three yachts sailing around the world. Four Seasons launched its first yacht in 2026 and has already announced a second. Orient Express has debuted the world's largest luxury sailing yacht, with a sister yacht arriving in 2027. And in 2027, Aman will enter the category with Amangati, an extraordinarily intimate yacht accommodating just 94 guests.
So, which is right for you?
The answer depends on how you like to travel. While all four occupy the ultra-luxury end of the market, their personalities, sizes, inclusions and onboard experiences are remarkably different.
At a Glance: The World's Most Exciting Hotel-Branded Yachts
Fleet specifications and amenities can change. Live Luxe Travel will confirm current inclusions and preferred-partner benefits for your specific voyage at the time of booking.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Best for: Travelers who want the easiest transition from luxury cruising to the hotel-branded yacht experience
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection was the first of these major hospitality brands to establish itself at sea, and today it offers the largest fleet of the four with three distinctly different yachts: Evrima, Ilma and Luminara.
The experience combines many of the elements Ritz-Carlton loyalists already know on land with a relaxed yachting atmosphere. All accommodations are suites with private terraces, while multiple restaurants, bars, pools, spa experiences and a marina create an environment that feels more like a floating resort than a conventional cruise ship.
Another significant differentiator is its inclusive approach. Multiple dining venues, premium beverages, onboard gratuities, Wi-Fi, 24-hour in-suite dining and other amenities are included in the voyage fare, making the onboard experience particularly effortless.
Evrima
149 suites | Up to 298 guests | 624 feet
Evrima is the original and smallest yacht in The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
Its more intimate scale is part of its appeal. With fewer than 300 guests, Evrima feels distinctly yacht-like and can access ports and destinations that larger vessels cannot. For travelers who prioritize intimacy over the breadth of amenities found aboard the newer yachts, Evrima remains an excellent choice.
Evrima also offers five dining experiences, including S.E.A., created by Chef Sven Elverfeld of the three-Michelin-starred Aqua at The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg.
Ilma
224 suites | Up to 448 guests | 790 feet
Ilma represents a significant evolution of the original concept. The yacht is larger than Evrima, but that additional scale translates into more space, dining choices and amenities rather than a conventional large-ship atmosphere.
Ilma features an expanded marina, spacious outdoor areas, five restaurants and some of the highest space-per-guest ratios at sea. Its accommodations include larger upper-suite categories exceeding 1,000 square feet.
For many travelers, Ilma may be the sweet spot within the Ritz-Carlton fleet: more amenities and dining than Evrima while retaining the relaxed atmosphere that defines the Yacht Collection.
Luminara
226 suites | Up to 452 guests | 790 feet
Luminara is the newest member of the fleet and closely follows the design philosophy introduced aboard Ilma.
With 226 suites, light-filled interiors, expansive outdoor areas and enhanced pool decks, Luminara feels decidedly contemporary. It also expands The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's geographic reach, including voyages through Asia-Pacific and Alaska in addition to more traditional Mediterranean and Caribbean itineraries.
Why Book The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection with Live Luxe Travel?
Live Luxe Travel is a Marriott STARS agency, giving our clients access to additional recognition and benefits when booking eligible Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection voyages.
Current STARS benefits can include:
A personalized welcome confection and upgraded bottle of Champagne or wine
$150 onboard credit per guest on eligible bookings, which can be used toward experiences such as The Ritz-Carlton Spa, shore excursions, select dining and other qualifying onboard purchases
Personalized recognition from the onboard team
A personalized welcome card from Live Luxe Travel
A bridge tour at the Captain's discretion
Beyond the amenities themselves, our team can help determine which of the three yachts, itineraries and suite locations best fit how you travel.
Four Seasons Yachts
Best for: Travelers who already love Four Seasons and want the most residential interpretation of luxury at sea
Four Seasons Yachts has approached the category somewhat differently.
Rather than recreating a luxury cruise experience under the Four Seasons name, the company has created something much closer to a Four Seasons resort at sea.
The accommodations are exceptionally spacious, the service ratio is approximately one-to-one, and the experience intentionally borrows from the brand's hotels and resorts.
There is also one major distinction travelers should understand: Four Seasons Yachts is not traditionally all-inclusive.
Breakfast, select snacks, certain non-alcoholic beverages, Wi-Fi and many onboard amenities are included, but lunch, dinner, alcoholic beverages, spa treatments and shore experiences are generally additional. The concept is closer to staying at a Four Seasons hotel, where you pay for the experiences and dining you actually enjoy.
For travelers who spend significant time ashore or prefer ordering exactly what they want without effectively prepaying for an all-inclusive experience, this model may actually be appealing.
Four Seasons I
95 suites | Up to 222 guests | 679 feet
Four Seasons I entered service in March 2026 and immediately pushed the limits of what "suite" means at sea.
All 95 accommodations feature expansive indoor-outdoor living and private terraces, with numerous connecting configurations that make the yacht particularly compelling for families and multigenerational travel.
At the top of the range is the spectacular Funnel Suite, which spans multiple levels and nearly 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space.
Elsewhere, guests will find 11 restaurants and bars, L'Oceana Spa, expansive pool areas and one of the yacht's signature features: a transverse marina that opens across both sides of the vessel, transforming into a sea-level destination while the yacht is at anchor.
Four Seasons II
79 suites | Up to 202 guests | Debuting 2028
Interestingly, Four Seasons is making its second yacht more exclusive rather than larger.
Four Seasons II will feature just 79 suites and introduce 12 Yacht Residential Suites designed to feel more like private homes than cruise accommodations.
Ranging from two to four bedrooms, these residences can include lifestyle kitchens, dining spaces, expansive terraces and, in select categories, private splash pools, outdoor showers and dedicated wellness spaces.
Four Seasons II will retain signature elements of the first yacht, including 11 restaurants and bars and the approximately one-to-one guest-to-staff ratio.
For extended families or groups of friends who might otherwise consider chartering a private yacht or renting a large villa, the residential accommodations aboard Four Seasons II could be particularly compelling.
Why Book Four Seasons Yachts with Live Luxe Travel?
Live Luxe Travel is a Four Seasons Preferred Partner, the brand's invitation-only program for its top luxury travel agency partners.
When booking Four Seasons Yachts through Live Luxe Travel, eligible suites receive a complimentary Food & Beverage Experience Credit
Preferred Partner benefits are particularly valuable aboard Four Seasons because dining and beverages are not bundled into the base voyage fare.
More importantly, our relationship with Four Seasons allows us to connect the entire journey. We can coordinate your yacht experience with Four Seasons hotels before and after your sailing while communicating preferences, celebrations and important details across the trip.
For clients who already rely on Live Luxe Travel for their Four Seasons stays around the world, the goal is for your experience at sea to feel like a natural extension of that relationship.
Orient Express Sailing Yachts
Best for: Travelers drawn to French glamour, exceptional gastronomy, design and the romance of actually traveling under sail
Orient Express may offer the most distinctive experience of the four.
While the others are motor yachts, Orient Express Corinthian is a true sailing yacht, using three enormous rigid SolidSails alongside a hybrid propulsion system.
At approximately 721 feet long, Corinthian is currently the world's largest luxury sailing yacht. Yet despite that scale, it carries only 54 suites and a maximum of approximately 110 guests.
The result is extraordinary space paired with an atmosphere that draws as much from the golden age of Orient Express as it does from contemporary superyacht design.
Orient Express Corinthian
54 suites | Up to 110 guests | 721 feet
Corinthian began sailing in May 2026.
Its interiors were conceived by Orient Express Artistic Director Maxime d'Angeac and celebrate French craftsmanship through rich woods, marble, glasswork, bespoke furnishings and subtle references to the legendary Orient Express trains.
Dining is another major differentiator.
Five restaurants and private dining spaces are under the culinary direction of multi-Michelin-starred Chef Yannick Alléno. The yacht also features eight bars, an Art Deco-inspired speakeasy, a 115-seat cabaret, recording studio, cinema, marina and Guerlain Spa.
With approximately 170 crew caring for no more than 110 guests, service is exceptionally personalized.
Corinthian currently sails the Mediterranean, Caribbean and transatlantic voyages.
Orient Express Olympian
54 suites | Up to approximately 110 guests | Debuting Summer 2027
Corinthian will be joined by sister yacht Orient Express Olympian in summer 2027.
The two yachts share the same fundamental design, facilities and philosophy, but Olympian will allow Orient Express to expand its geographic reach considerably.
In addition to Mediterranean itineraries, Olympian is expected to introduce voyages into Northern Europe, including Scandinavia, Brittany and the Thames.
There will also be subtle differences between the vessels. For example, Olympian is planned with a family pool on Deck 7 in place of Corinthian's swimming corridor.
Together, the two vessels will create an intriguing proposition: the romance and environmental benefits of sailing combined with the service, dining and design standards of one of travel's most storied luxury names.
Why Book Orient Express Sailing Yachts with Live Luxe Travel?
Live Luxe Travel participates in Accor Preferred by HERA, Accor's invitation-only luxury travel advisor program, giving us preferred access and additional opportunities to enhance qualifying Orient Express reservations.
Orient Express Sailing Yachts participates within the broader Accor ecosystem and ALL – Accor Live Limitless. Preferred agency amenities for yacht bookings can differ from the standard benefits offered at Accor hotels, so our team will confirm the specific benefits attached to your voyage before booking.
Current preferred-advisor yacht offers include additional onboard credit on eligible reservations, adding further value without changing the underlying voyage experience.
Just as importantly, Live Luxe Travel can combine an Orient Express sailing with the brand's growing collection of hotels and rail journeys, opening the door to experiences such as combining a Mediterranean sailing with Orient Express hotels in Rome or Venice and a journey aboard La Dolce Vita Orient Express.
Aman at Sea: Amangati
Best for: Aman loyalists and travelers who prioritize privacy, space, tranquility and wellness above almost everything else
If Ritz-Carlton feels like a luxury resort at sea, Four Seasons feels like a private residence at sea and Orient Express feels like a grand voyage at sea, Aman is pursuing something different: a sanctuary at sea.
Amangati will be by far the most intimate of the four brands when it begins sailing in spring 2027.
Amangati
47 suites | 94 guests | 137 crew
Just 94 guests will travel aboard Amangati, cared for by a crew of approximately 137.
That ratio immediately illustrates what Aman is trying to accomplish.
Every one of Amangati's 47 suites has a private terrace, floor-to-ceiling windows and residential proportions. Even the entry-level Deluxe Suites offer approximately 653 to 703 square feet of combined indoor and outdoor space.
At the other end of the spectrum is the Aman Suite, an extraordinary 3,810-square-foot retreat with an in-suite massage room and expansive private terrace with a whirlpool.
Wellness will naturally play a defining role.
The two-story Aman Spa is designed as one of the most extensive wellness environments in luxury yachting, incorporating eight ocean-facing treatment rooms with private terraces and whirlpools, a hammam, banya, fitness facilities, yoga and meditation areas and a Japanese serenity garden.
The yacht will also feature four principal restaurants, multiple bars, an infinity pool, two sea pools, a cinema, jazz club, cigar lounge and marina with direct access to the water.
Unlike Four Seasons, Amangati's voyage fare includes much of the onboard experience, including selected dining, beverages, Suite Host service, daily laundry and pressing, Wi-Fi, marina access, onboard programming and gratuities.
Amangati's inaugural 2027 season includes the Caribbean, an Atlantic crossing and Mediterranean voyages.
Why Book Aman at Sea with Live Luxe Travel?
Aman at Sea is a Virtuoso partner, allowing Live Luxe Travel to provide clients with access to eligible Virtuoso benefits and preferred recognition when booking qualifying Amangati voyages.
Virtuoso currently lists Amangati within its ultra-luxury cruise portfolio and notes that preferred amenities are available when reserving through a Virtuoso travel advisor.
Because benefits can vary by sailing, suite and offer, our team will confirm the exact Virtuoso amenities available for your Amangati voyage before booking rather than promising a one-size-fits-all benefit.
For a product as exclusive as Amangati, however, we believe the greater value of working with an experienced luxury travel advisor goes beyond an onboard credit or amenity. Suite selection, itinerary choice, pre- and post-voyage arrangements, private transfers, hotel stays, shore experiences and communication of personal preferences all become part of one seamlessly managed journey.
So, Which Luxury Yacht Should You Choose?
There isn't one "best" yacht among these four. There is a best yacht for you.
Choose The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection if... you want the broadest choice of ships and destinations, an inclusive onboard experience and a balance between the intimacy of a yacht and the amenities of a luxury resort. It is also an excellent introduction for someone trying this new category for the first time.
Choose Four Seasons Yachts if... you already love Four Seasons hotels and want exceptional service, enormous suites, residential-style accommodations and a hotel-like approach to dining and spending onboard. Families and multigenerational groups should pay particular attention to the connecting accommodations on Four Seasons I and upcoming residential suites on Four Seasons II.
Choose Orient Express Sailing Yachts if... the journey itself matters as much as the destination. Corinthian and Olympian are unlike anything else in this category, combining true sailing, French design, extraordinary gastronomy and the romance associated with the Orient Express name.
Choose Aman at Sea if... privacy, tranquility, wellness and highly personalized service are your priorities. With just 47 suites and 94 guests, Amangati will offer an intimacy none of the other brands can currently match.
The Live Luxe Take
Perhaps the most exciting thing about this new generation of luxury yachts is who they were designed for.
You don't have to consider yourself a "cruise person."
These vessels are increasingly designed for the traveler who spends their vacations at Four Seasons, Aman, Ritz-Carlton, Rosewood and other exceptional hotels; someone who values beautiful design, highly personalized service, spacious accommodations and access to extraordinary destinations.
Instead of unpacking and repacking as you travel along the Mediterranean coast or through the Caribbean, your hotel travels with you.
And that is ultimately what makes this new category so compelling.
Why Book Your Luxury Yacht Voyage with Live Luxe Travel?
Choosing the yacht is only the beginning. Our team is knowledgeable about all four brands and on top of that, our team has and is actively sailing on each one to experience them firsthand!
As a Virtuoso Member agency, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Marriott STARS agency and Accor Preferred partner, Live Luxe Travel has relationships across all four of these luxury hospitality ecosystems.
Our role is to understand how you like to travel and help determine whether that means the intimacy of Amangati, the residential luxury of Four Seasons, the romance of Orient Express or the broader resort experience of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
We can then manage the journey from beginning to end, including:
Selecting the right yacht, itinerary, suite category and suite location
Accessing eligible preferred-partner amenities and VIP recognition
Coordinating pre- and post-voyage hotels
Arranging private transfers and transportation
Planning private touring and experiences ashore
Communicating celebrations, preferences and special requests to our partners
Providing a single point of contact before, during and after your journey
Most importantly, there is generally no advantage to booking these voyages directly when your reservation can qualify for additional benefits and personalized support through Live Luxe Travel.
The yacht may be extraordinary on its own. Our job is to make the entire journey extraordinary.
Ready to set sail?
Contact Live Luxe Travel to explore upcoming voyages aboard The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Four Seasons Yachts, Orient Express Sailing Yachts and Aman at Sea, and let our team help you determine which of these extraordinary new ways to travel is right for you.
Travel Luxuriously.