During the 79th Cannes Film Festival, another masterpiece dropped anchor off the Croisette: the Orient Express Corinthian, presented by its creators as the largest sailing yacht in the world. Holding station off the Lerins Islands, this 220-metre vessel turned Cannes bay into a floating stage of rare elegance.
Figures that match the ambition
Built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire for the Accor hospitality group, the Orient Express Corinthian measures 220 metres for 15,000 tonnes. Three soaring masts give her an instantly recognisable profile, distinct from any motor superyacht. On board, 54 cabins on four decks accommodate up to 110 passengers, an intimate format, closer to a floating palace than a cruise liner.
Art Deco from the 1930s, revisited
Rare woods, marble, deep carpets, noble materials: the interior pays homage to the golden age of the brand, when the Orient Express took European elites from Paris to Istanbul. The 1930s art deco aesthetic permeates every public space, from restaurants and bars to suites. The same attention to detail that defined the legendary dining cars finds a new, maritime, stage.
One million dollars per 24 hours
The experience comes in two formats: individual cabins for classic cruises, or full privatisation of the vessel for around one million dollars per 24 hours, a price tag that places the Corinthian shoulder to shoulder with the largest charter superyachts. The entire crew, hotel service, on-board gastronomy and bespoke port calls are then exclusively at the renter's disposal.
Cannes, Antibes, Saint-Tropez: three days, three cities
The Corinthian's summer programme caters to a clientele which, in the operators' words, "hates constraints": Cannes, Antibes and Saint-Tropez chained back to back without changing hotels, by staying on board. Stops last between two and four days, the yacht serving simultaneously as transport, lifestyle setting, and prime vantage point on the Riviera.
Following the calendar of luxury
"The vessel is geographically positioned where people will want to charter it," explains Philippe Heltland-Brault, who oversees Orient Express cruising. Cannes in May, Monaco for the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Venice during the Mostra Film Festival. The same logic as the largest charter brokers: be where the international luxury clientele converges.
What's next? Caribbean in winter, Olympian in 2027
After her Mediterranean-Adriatic itinerary, the Corinthian will cross the Atlantic in autumn to reach the Caribbean, the classic winter route of prestige charters. A second sailing yacht, the Orient Express Olympian, will leave the same shipyards in 2027, completing a fleet for a brand that has clearly decided to reinvent luxury cruising by drawing on its own railway heritage.
Cannes, floating stage
Throughout the eleven days of the Festival, the Orient Express Corinthian anchored off the Lerins Islands during westerly winds, or closer to the Old Port on calmer days. Fresh evidence that Cannes remains a maritime stage of the first rank: the world cinema rendezvous draws the Mediterranean's finest vessels every May, from privatised superyachts to charter units that turn the Old Port and Cannes bay into a floating showcase of the luxury yachting industry.
Want to experience your own charter from Cannes during the Festival or other major Riviera events? Our exclusive fleet of 107 yachts covers every format, from family day charters to prestige megayachts. Contact our concierge team for a tailored quote.