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Four Seasons Yachts entered service in March, and as the company moves forward with its expansion, it has announced changes that will be incorporated into its second yacht. The launch of the ultra-luxury hotel brands, Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Orient Express, and soon Aman, is being closely followed by the industry as it holds the potential to reshape the ultra-luxury segment of cruising.
Four Seasons I (35,000 gross tons) entered service on March 20 in the Mediterranean with the company promising that it would be "reimagining modern yachting." The ship's introduction came as the famed hotel brand is marking the 65th anniversary of the opening of its first hotel in 1961. An extension into cruising had been explored, and even announced, but never proceeded until 2022 when an order was placed with Fincantieri. Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings is the Joint Owner/Operator of Four Seasons Yachts, working with the iconic brand to extend it to the sea for the first time.
The brand has said it was translating Four Seasons hospitality into a new frontier and merging the styles of the hotels with yachting. The ship measures 207 meters (679 feet) and offers features including 11 dining options, an extensive spa, and a marina.
The design team consisted of Tillberg Design of Sweden, which is well-known to the cruising world, as well as social spaces designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, and creative direction from Prosper Assouline. Four Seasons Yachts said the design prioritizes light-filled, open spaces using, for example, extensive amounts of floor-to-ceiling windows. It features a one passenger to one crewmember ratio and personalized services, including shore and sea experiences tailored to the individual passenger. The ship also offers dedicated "marina days" where the ship stops in peaceful and remote waters. The marina, which opens from both sides of the ship, is a platform for water and recreational programming.
"Following an exceptional launch for this new venture, we are thoughtfully expanding our fleet in a way that continues to elevate the experience," said Ben Trodd, CEO, Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings Ltd., Joint Owner/Operator of Four Seasons Yachts, announcing earlier this month plans for the second vessel. " Four Seasons II builds on this foundation, introducing new offerings on the water while deepening personalization and expanding access through the introduction of residential-scale suites. Every detail has been considered to ensure guests feel an effortless sense of home, wherever they are sailing."
Chief among the changes is a decision to reduce the number of suites aboard the vessel from the current 95 to 79, while introducing a new level of accommodation. They are calling this new offering Yacht Residential Suites, saying they will feature a residential scale and have a more residential-inspired feel. They will range from two to four bedrooms, and the company says they will be ideal for extended stays, group travel, and multi-generational journeys.
The new suites will be similar in their amenities while also featuring an "integrated lifestyle kitchen." Like the current suites, some will have dining areas, dedicated entertainment areas, and private splash pools. It will not be the first to offer residential-style accommodations, as MSC's ultra-luxury Explora Journeys also has a class of suites it calls Ocean Residences.
Four Seasons II's new suites expand on a concept that already has ultra-luxury accommodations. The basic suite on Four Seasons I is a one-bedroom, 473-square-foot cabin, which, according to the website, starts at $12,200 for the suite. Moving up the scale, the two-bedroom 1,582 square foot Saint Barths Suite starts at $49,400. The top of the line is the Funnel Suite, which has three bedrooms and is over 5,000 square feet plus another 4,900 square feet of terraces, and features a gym, sauna, and kitchen. It starts at $141,400 for the suite. The Loft Suite overlooking the stern is 3,562 square feet with three bedrooms and starts at $158,200 for the suite.
Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings ordered the second Four Seasons yacht from Fincantieri in June 2023, with the original reports indicated a 2026 delivery. The keel for the first ship was laid in July 2024, and its delivery was delayed from late 2025 until this spring. The second yacht was announced for 2027, but with the changes planned to the ship, they have now said it will debut in 2028.
The introduction of all the ultra-luxury ships from the hotel brands will continue to be closely followed as they work to create a new element in the cruise industry that leverages the brand's extremely loyal customer base. Aman, for example, says it expects its guests to say "My next trip is to Amangati, (the name of the yacht) referring to it as the destination.
The sector, however, has still been working to realize the opportunities. In May, the Financial Times reported that The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has sailed at times with low occupancy rates as it worked to attract the brand's loyal clientele to become first-time cruisers. The reports cited intensive investments in advertising and marketing for the three yacht cruise ships. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection was started by an investment group with Oaktree Capital owning 55 percent and minority investments from two Singapore-based wealth funds. It entered service in 2020. The Financial Times reported that the group had to seek delays in its repayment schedule to lenders and waivers at the end of 2025 of covenants, which limited its borrowing levels. A refinancing package was recently completed for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, with the newspaper reporting that the operation expects to reach profitability in 2027.
Accor Group's Orient Express placed its first yacht sailing cruise ship, Orient Express Corinthian, in service in June. The second yacht, Orient Express Olympian, was due to be launched on April 17 and introduced in 2027. Aman launches its yacht Amangati in 2027, and Japan's Ryobi Holdings, a diversified business with operations in tourism and transport, is also introducing in the summer of 2027 the first ultra-luxury yacht cruise ship for the Japanese market.
Executives at Four Seasons Yachts express strong confidence in the market and the uniqueness of their product. While not yet officially confirmed, they said the brand is committed to a third yacht tentatively planned for 2030.
Fuente: MARITIME_EXECUTIVE
