Orient Express will launch an impressive 721-foot cruise ship in 2026, with two swimming pools and a recording studio

It looks like it’s on its way to being an amazing experience.

One hundred and forty years after the debut of its first luxury trains, Orient Express launches its first cruise, inspired by the golden age of the French Riviera.

Called the Orient Express Silenseas, the ship, which will make its maiden voyage in 2026, is said to be the “world’s largest sailing ship” at 220 m (721 ft) long and a gross tonnage of 22,300.

Promising to be an ‘extraordinary sailing yacht of the future’ with ‘spectacular’ interiors, brilliant features on board include two swimming pools, a speakeasy and a private recording studio.

The luxury train brand has its roots in the seas, a statement reveals. He says that in 1867, the founder of the Orient Express, Georges Nagelmackers, sailed to the US on transatlantic ships and was “fascinated by the grandeur” of these huge ships.

After exploring the luxurious travel suites and experiencing the social scene in restaurants and the atmosphere of saloons, libraries and entertainment venues, he was inspired to launch the Orient Express train in 1883.

This new chapter in the Orient Express story sees the ‘legendary train depart for the sea’ in a partnership between French hospitality brand Accor and French shipbuilding company Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

A statement reveals: ‘Orient Express Silenseas will echo the glorious times when writers, artists, painters, princesses and movie stars spent time between Monte-Carlo, the beaches of Saint-Tropez, Cap d’Antibes, Cannes and its famous Croisette and discovered a refinement tinged with exquisite carefree and joy. de vivre, inviting them to extreme adventures.

Brilliant features aboard the ship, which launches in 2026, include two pools, a speakeasy, and a private recording studio.

In total, there will be 54 suites on the cruise, measuring an average of 70 square meters (753 square feet). This includes a ‘monumental’ Presidential Suite, which stretches over 1,415 square meters (15,230 square feet) and features a private terrace of 530 square meters (5,704 square feet).

The two onboard pools include an Olympic-size pool, and after a swim, guests can retire to the ship’s two restaurants for elegant dining.

‘Incredible’ evening entertainment will take place at the Amphitheatre-Cabaret, while the recording studio is said to ‘give voice to the most beautiful melodies’.

Days can be spent enjoying spa treatments, meditation sessions and excursions that invite ‘uncovering cultural treasures that allow guests to completely disconnect from reality’.

The statement adds: “The singular cruise will celebrate the art of travel à la Orient Express: the quintessence of luxury, absolute comfort and dreams.”

Described as a “true sailing yacht of the future”, the ship’s interior will be designed by architect Maxime d’Angeac, while French design firm Stirling Design International will handle the exterior architecture.

In all, there will be 54 suites on the cruise, including a ‘monumental’ Presidential Suite that stretches over 1,415 square meters (15,230 square feet).

The ship will sail with a technological design known as ‘SolidSail’. Three rigid sails with a surface area of ​​1,500 meters (4,921 feet) each will be hoisted on one rig, with three tilting masts reaching more than 100 meters (328 feet) high, ensuring up to 100 percent propulsion in weather conditions. suitable.

This hybrid propulsion formula will combine wind power with an engine that runs on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and plans to use green hydrogen once the technology is approved for ocean-going passenger ships, a statement said.

Sebastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor, said: ‘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. This exceptional sailboat, 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. Innovation is at the heart of this ultra-modern ship that will revolutionize the maritime world with new technology to meet today’s sustainability challenges. She is a ship designed to make dreams come true, a showcase for the best of French savoir-faire.’

French firm Accor is restoring 17 original Orient Express cars, formerly known as ‘Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express’. Above is a rendering of the newly inaugurated Presidential Suite that will occupy one of the carriages.

‘Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express’ carriages date back to the 1920s and 1930s, with a new service set to launch in Paris in 2024.

Laurent Castaing, Managing Director of Chantiers de l’Atlantique, said: “With a signed letter of intent to order two ships, Chantiers de l’Atlantique is proud to herald a new era in the shipbuilding industry with Silenseas. This concept Born in our design offices in 2018, it is the quintessence of our know-how in the fields of naval architecture, the construction of sophisticated hulls, as well as the design of luxurious spaces”.

The announcement comes after beautiful designs were revealed for the reimagined interiors of an Orient Express train that Accor is restoring to its former glory, with a new service launching in Paris in 2024. The original 17 Orient Express carriages, formerly Known as ‘Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express’: Date from the 1920s to 1930s.

When it launches, it won’t be the only Orient Express train to carry passengers across Europe: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express has been operating various routes since 1982, and the Orient Express La Dolce Vita will launch in early 2024, traveling across Italy and beyond to Paris and Istanbul.