Four Seasons Vs. Orient Express Vs. Ritz-Carlton: Luxury “Yachts” Compared

Cruising is a very popular way to travel, thanks to a combination of the value it represents (factoring in inclusions), the ability to see multiple destinations while only packing once, and just the general joy of being out at sea. There’s no denying that on the ultra-luxury side, cruising has evolved in a fascinating way in recent times.

We saw Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection launch in 2022, Four Seasons Yachts launch in 2025, and Orient Express Sailing Yachts launch in 2026, with Aman at Sea launching in 2027. These are cruise lines at the very top end of the market, and they’re very much designed for people who haven’t historically been cruisers.

As a matter of fact, when you sail with these cruise lines, you’ll constantly hear guests get into conversations, and almost immediately throw in how “we’re not usually cruisers.” Again, no judgment, but it does seem to be a very common thing — these are very much cruise lines for people who haven’t historically cruised.

This year alone, I’ve now cruised with all three lines, so I thought it would be fun to do a bit of a comparison of the three. Of course everyone is looking for different things, but the intent is to take a big picture look at how the cruise lines compare, and who should consider which option.

Let me of course acknowledge that there are plenty of other very high quality cruise lines, but these are just the ones I have firsthand experience with in recent times. They’re also the cruise lines getting the most buzz, which is why I think the comparison is interesting.

Below I’ll first cover my very basic takeaway, and then I’ll go into more detail below (and the cruise lines are sorted based on when they launch, so don’t read too much into the order).

Which ultra-luxury cruise line is best? My take…

Before I go into more detail on each of these three ultra-luxury cruise lines, let me just share a quick synopsis of my take on the three experiences (this is when comparing them to one another, based on my firsthand experience):

• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is the best overall value, has the most interesting itineraries, and offers great inclusions, food, and drinks
• Four Seasons Yachts has the most impressive pool and spa, and is the most family friendly option
• Orient Express Sailing Yachts takes luxury to the next level, with amazing food, service, design, though it comes at a cost

With that in mind, here’s my general take:

• Looking for the best value option, and want to go beyond just the Caribbean or Europe? You can’t go wrong with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
• Are you traveling as a family, or value having an amazing pool as a focal point of the ship? Go with Four Seasons Yachts
• Do you want the absolute best, and something that will truly feel more like a yacht than a cruise ship? Then Orient Express Sailing Yachts is for you

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection pros & cons

Let’s cover the very basics of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection:

• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection currently has three ships — Evrima, Ilma, and Luminara
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection ships have a capacity of 298-452 passengers, with a crew of 246-374
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection standard suites start at 294 square feet (27 square meters) of interior space, and go up from there
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is mostly all-inclusive, so food, alcohol, gratuity, and Wi-Fi, are all included; what’s not included is a very premium wine and liquor list, dining at one specialty restaurant, spa treatments, shore excursions, etc. (book through Marriott STARS to get a shipboard credit and other perks)
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection sailing costs vary, though you’ll generally find average costs of $1,000-1,500 per passenger per day, based on double occupancy

As I see it, here are the main pros of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, compared to the competition:

• Thanks to Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection having more ships, it actually has some cool itineraries, including in Asia, the South Pacific, and even Iceland; to me this is more interesting than just having Caribbean and European itineraries, like on the other cruise lines
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is the overall best value, when factoring in luxury, inclusions, etc.; the food is legitimately good, and even very high quality alcohol is included
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has a loyalty program angle, since the cruise line participates in Marriott Bonvoy, and you can even stack that with Marriott STARS benefits, which can get you an onboard credit, and more

As I see it, here are the main cons of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, compared to the competition:

• While Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection absolutely feels luxurious, it’s definitely not to the level of Four Seasons Yachts and Orient Express Sailing Yachts
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection standard accommodations are smaller than on the competition, so while they’re all marketed as “suites,” these are definitely the least spacious
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s two larger ships (Ilma and Luminara) are way bigger than what’s offered by Four Seasons Yachts and Orient Express Sailing Yachts, so they may have more of a “cruise ship” vibe than a “yacht” vibe (though admittedly that’s all marketing anyway)

Read my impressions of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, read my Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Evrima review.

Four Seasons Yachts pros & cons

Let’s cover the very basics of Four Seasons Yachts:

• Four Seasons Yachts currently has one ship — Four Seasons I — with a second ship launching in 2028, and a third ship launching in 2031
• The Four Seasons Yachts ship has a capacity of up to 222 guests, with a crew of 220
• The Four Seasons Yachts ship standard suites start at 473 square feet (44 square meters) of interior space, and go up from there
• Four Seasons Yachts is the least all-inclusive of the cruise lines, as sailings include breakfast, gratuity, Wi-Fi, and non-alcoholic minibar drinks; lunch, dinner, and beverages throughout the day (including at meals) cost extra, as do spa treatments, shore excursions, etc. (book through Four Seasons Preferred Partner to get a shipboard credit)
• Four Seasons Yachts sailing costs vary, though you’ll generally find average costs of $3,000-5,000 per cabin per day, based on double occupancy (so that’s pricing per suite, not per person)

As I see it, here are the main pros of Four Seasons Yachts, compared to the competition:

• Four Seasons Yachts definitely has the nicest pool of the three cruise lines, as it’s massive, and is very much a central social hub of the ship
• Four Seasons Yachts is the most kids friendly, as all sailings allow kids, the ship has both a kids club and a teens club, and there are special activities for kids (though if you’re just traveling as adults, don’t worry, the ships are unlikely to be overrun by kids)
• If you’re into modern luxury, the design of the Four Seasons Yachts ship will be the most up your alley, as it really is a gorgeous, bright, and modern ship
• Four Seasons Yachts has the most impressive spa of any of these ships; it’s huge, and has endless amenities, from a cold plunge, to cryotherapy

As I see it, here are the main cons of Four Seasons Yachts, compared to the competition:

• Four Seasons Yachts isn’t all-inclusive, in sharp contrast to both Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Orient Express Sailing Yachts; even if you’re not that price sensitive, there is something really nice about not having to always ask for a check, as it makes the experience feel less transactional
• Despite not being all-inclusive and charging for food, I found that Four Seasons Yachts had the least impressive selection of restaurants, and I prefer what’s offered on both Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Orient Express Sailing Yachts; if you’re going to charge, you have to deliver when it comes to quality
• While all the staff were very well intentioned, I found service to be really hit-or-miss in terms of execution; Four Seasons is a brand I historically respect for its amazingly consistent service, but that was missing here (though I trust that will be improved over time)
• Four Seasons Yachts is sort of in an awkward middle ground of not having the inclusions of the competition, while also not being to the level of Orient Express Sailing Yachts

Read my impressions of Four Seasons Yachts, read my Four Seasons Yachts I review.

Orient Express Sailing Yachts pros & cons

Let’s cover the very basics of Orient Express Sailing Yachts:

• Orient Express Sailing Yachts has one ship — the Corinthian — with a second ship launching in 2027
• The Orient Express Sailing Yachts ship has a capacity of up to 110 guests, with a crew of 170
• The Orient Express Sailing Yachts ship standard suites start at 506 square feet (45 square meters) of interior space, and go up from there
• Orient Express Sailing Yachts is the most all-inclusive of the cruise lines, as food, alcohol, gratuity, Wi-Fi, transfers before and after the cruise, and select shore excursions, are all included; what’s not included is a very premium wine and liquor list, dining at one specialty restaurant, spa treatments, and additional shore excursions (book through Accor Preferred to get a shipboard credit and other perks)
• Orient Express Sailing Yachts sailing costs vary, though you’ll generally find average costs of $4,000-6,000 per cabin per day, based on double occupancy (so that’s pricing per suite, not per person)

As I see it, here are the main pros of Orient Express Sailing Yachts, compared to the competition:

• Orient Express Sailing Yachts is truly all-inclusive, in a way the other cruise lines aren’t; whether it’s a caviar martini or caviar spaghetti, or the house champagne of Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, the inclusions really are amazing
• Orient Express Sailing Yachts is on another level when it comes to luxury, and this really feels like the cruise ship version of Orient Express’ famous trains; I can’t even begin to fathom how much was spent on the interior — as an example, the deck furniture is from Loro Piana
• Orient Express Sailing Yachts has incredible service, with the best staff to guest ratio, butler service, and more
• Orient Express Sailing Yachts operates the world’s largest sailing yacht, so it’s very cool to see the sails in action on a ship of this size

As I see it, here are the main cons of Orient Express Sailing Yachts, compared to the competition:

• Orient Express Sailing Yachts is obviously the most expensive, so you are paying for the privilege of this amazing experience
• Orient Express Sailing Yachts doesn’t allow children on many voyages (a pro for some, and a con for others), so I tend to think this is the cruise line most targeted at adults (though on family voyages there are still activities for kids, a play room for kids, etc.)

Read my impressions of Orient Express Sailing Yachts, read an Orient Express Sailing Yachts Corinthian review.

Bottom line

It’s a fascinating time for the ultra-luxury cruising industry, especially with the branding crossover we’re seeing with luxury hotel groups. This year I’ve sailed with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Four Seasons Yachts, and Orient Express Sailing Yachts, and it’s fascinating to see how the experiences compare.

Each cruise line has their pros and cons, so hopefully the above is a useful rundown for anyone trying to decide between them. Let me of course emphasize that there are lots of other great cruise lines, and many others probably represent a better value. However, I’m trying to go on firsthand experience here, which is why I’m sticking to these.