Orient Express superyacht with an oyster bar and cabaret is setting sail in 2026
Dust off your Agatha Christie novels: The Orient Express brand is slated to hit the high seas in three years.
Paris-based hotel conglomerate Accor plans to launch a superyacht division of the Orient Express brand in spring 2026 with the 722-foot Orient Express Silenseas. While the Orient Express brand is often associated with ultra-luxurious mystery thanks to Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express,” its grip on luxury travel beyond the rails is on the rise.
Accor is already at work on Orient Express hotels in Rome and Venice and rolling out a train offering (not to be confused with Belmond’s existing Venice Simplon-Orient Express) in 2024. Both Orient Express hotels are also slated to open in Italy next year.
"With Orient Express Silenseas, we are beginning a new chapter in our history, taking the experience and excellence of luxury travel and transposing it onto the world’s most beautiful seas," Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin said in a statement. "This exceptional sailing yacht, with roots in Orient Express’ history, will offer unparalleled service and refined design spaces, reminiscent of the golden age of mythical cruises."
Expanding the brand into cruises would put Accor head to head with Marriott’s Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, which finally set sail in October after years of delays.
Bloomberg first reported Accor’s plan to launch an Orient Express superyacht division.
The three-masted Orient Express Silenseas would be the world’s largest sailing superyacht, Accor claims, and is expected to launch with routes traversing the Mediterranean and Caribbean. Reservations are expected to go live next year.
It's not entirely out of left field for Orient Express to get into the business of cruises. After all, Georges Nagelmackers, the founder of the company behind the original Orient Express train, was inspired by luxurious ocean liners in the 1800s to create an ultra-luxurious train experience with the 1883 launch of the Orient Express rail service.
With 54 suites able to accommodate a total of 120 passengers, the Silenseas superyacht would be a more intimate vessel than Ritz-Carlton’s 298-passenger Evrima superyacht. Because of the smaller passenger count, expect rates to be more expensive on Silenseas, Bazin told Bloomberg.
Rates on Evrima during its first season average between $700 to $900 per person per night on Caribbean sailings and start at $1,100 per person per night in the Mediterranean, TPG reported back in October.
Suites aboard the Silenseas will average 750 square feet, and six suites on the top deck can combine to form a 15,230-square-foot presidential suite with a private terrace.
Public areas will feature two swimming pools, two restaurants, a recording studio, an oyster bar and speakeasy, a cabaret and a spa. Given its namesake brand, the Silenseas is expected to feature extremely detailed buildouts and service. French architect Maxime d’Angeac, who already works on Accor’s upcoming Orient Express train and Orient Express hotel in Rome, is also overseeing the interior design of the superyacht.
Accor promises to make the Orient Express superyacht a more sustainable option. The Silenseas will not use diesel fuel, but instead rely on a hybrid propulsion system primarily utilizing wind energy. An engine will also run on liquefied natural gas.
"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," Bazin added in a release Wednesday. "It is a boat designed to make dreams a reality, a showcase for the best of French savoir-faire."
Already, Accor has plans for a second superyacht to debut sometime in 2027.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.