Big-name hotel brands have discovered the sea. Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection started sailing in 2022, Four Seasons Yachts launched in 2025, Orient Express Sailing Yachts follows in 2026, and Aman at Sea arrives in 2027. These aren't cruises in the buffet-and-bingo sense — they're small ships aimed squarely at people who have never considered a cruise, and one travel writer who sailed all three this year has compared them head to head.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection comes out as the value pick. With three ships (Evrima, Ilma and Luminara) carrying 298-452 guests each, it has the widest reach, including itineraries in Asia, the South Pacific and Iceland rather than just the usual Caribbean and Europe loops. Food, alcohol, gratuities and Wi-Fi are included, and standard suites start at a comparatively compact 294 square feet. Expect roughly $1,000-1,500 per person per day, and Marriott Bonvoy members can stack extra perks by booking through Marriott STARS.
Four Seasons Yachts is the family-friendly option — every sailing welcomes kids, with dedicated kids' and teens' clubs. Its single ship, Four Seasons I, carries up to 222 guests with 220 crew, and the writer calls its pool and spa the best of the three, complete with cold plunge and cryotherapy. But it's the least all-inclusive: only breakfast, Wi-Fi and soft minibar drinks are covered, so lunch, dinner and drinks all cost extra — which stings given the restaurant lineup isn't the strongest. Suites start at 473 square feet, and pricing runs around $3,000-5,000 per suite per day. A second ship arrives in 2028.
Orient Express Sailing Yachts is the splurge, and the most genuinely yacht-like of the lot. The Corinthian carries just 110 guests served by 170 crew, making it the world's largest sailing yacht — you can actually watch the sails work. Suites start at 506 square feet, butler service is standard, deck furniture is Loro Piana, and the inclusions are lavish: caviar martinis, Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, transfers and select shore excursions all covered. It costs the most at roughly $4,000-6,000 per suite per day, and most voyages are adults-only. A second ship follows in 2027.
The short version: pick Ritz-Carlton for value and interesting routes, Four Seasons if you're travelling with children or want that pool-and-spa life, and Orient Express if money is no object and you want the most refined experience on the water. For travellers who always assumed cruising wasn't their style, this new wave of hotel-brand yachts is worth a fresh look — just note that these are premium products, and other luxury lines may deliver better value if the price tags above give you pause.
