Four Seasons Yachts are best booked through Four Seasons Preferred Partner travel advisors. They can get you the best price, and also add a shipboard credit. Ford and his team are happy to help with any requests, and can be reached at [email protected].
Four Seasons recently got into the cruising business (or at least the business of licensing out its name for a cruising venture), with the launch of Four Seasons Yachts. The company’s first ship has set sail as of March 2026, with voyages in the Mediterranean in summer, and Caribbean in winter.
There’s a lot that makes Four Seasons Yachts unique, from the unparalleled amount of space dedicated to each passenger, to the plan to primarily tender guests into port (rather than using cruise terminals), to the pricing model for cruises.
In this post, I’d like to take a look at Four Seasons’ pricing model for these cruises, which is raising some eyebrows. From the time that it was announced, it was pretty clear that the goal with Four Seasons Yachts was to essentially be a cruise line for those who wouldn’t ordinarily take a cruise, and I think the pricing model reflects that. That being said, that’s not to say that I like the system.
In this post:
Four Seasons Yachts cruise pricing & inclusions
There are two unique things about Four Seasons Yachts’ pricing compared to other luxury cruise lines — pricing isn’t all-inclusive, and pricing also isn’t per guest. This is sure to be controversial among some, so let’s take a closer look.
Four Seasons Yachts doesn’t include meals & alcohol
Virtually every major cruise line includes all meals with a sailing. Furthermore, generally luxury cruise lines include alcohol, so you’ll spend very little money onboard. Four Seasons Yachts is different:
- Four Seasons Yachts pricing includes your accommodation, breakfast, non-alcoholic drinks, light snacks, and gratuities
- Four Seasons Yachts charges extra for lunch, dinner, and alcoholic beverages; the exception is that children ages five and under receive complimentary dining throughout the ship, except through room service
Do note that if you book your journey through a travel advisor affiliated with Four Seasons Preferred Partner, you can receive a shipboard credit, which can be used toward food and beverage purchases, among other things. Booking Four Seasons Yachts through an advisor won’t cost you extra, so it’s no doubt the best way to book.
Ford and his team are happy to help with Four Seasons Yachts bookings, and can be reached at [email protected]. They have experience with booking Four Seasons Yachts, and belong to the Preferred Partner program.
Four Seasons Yachts charges per suite
Perhaps this is more a technicality than something with major implications, but it’s still worth covering. Cruise line pricing is typically per person, based on double occupancy. Four Seasons Yachts takes a different approach, and you pay per suite, regardless of occupancy.
In other words, it’s very much like booking a hotel room, where the cost typically doesn’t vary, as long as you’re within the occupancy limits. This same policy applies whether you book the entry level Seaview Suite (which can accommodate two adults and one infant), or the the four story Funnel Suite (which can accommodate five adults and one child).
How much Four Seasons Yachts charges for food & drinks
Officially, Four Seasons Yachts claims that guests can expect to spend approximately $250 per person per day to cover food and beverages. It goes without saying that this is purely intended to be an estimate, and actual consumption will differ greatly, especially with alcohol (I think many people spend more money on drinks than food when traveling, so…).
Now that Four Seasons Yachts has actually launched, the company has provided some sample menus with pricing, which is appreciated. You can find all the food and beverage outlets on this page. Then click on “Explore” for the restaurant you want, and then click on the “Menu Highlights” at the top right.
Quite honestly, based on the menu highlights, the pricing seems quite reasonable. That’s not to say that it’s cheap, but it doesn’t strike me as unreasonable, or anything, given the type of experience we’re talking about. Also keep in mind there are no taxes, and no expectation of gratuity (though there is an option to add gratuity on checks).
For those curious about the tipping situation in more detail, the company notes that “shipboard employees are fairly compensated for their service,” and “there is no expectation to receive additional tips or gratuities.” However, it’s noted that an “option to add gratuity for exceptional service for F&B purchases and spa services will be made available at the time of payment for goods and services purchased outside of your voyage fare.”
Below are some sample menus that Four Seasons Yachts has provided. I’m not saying any of this is cheap, but I could certainly see them trying to charge more.
My take on Four Seasons’ cruise pricing & inclusions
I’ve seen some people react negatively to Four Seasons’ a la carte pricing model for its cruises. Of course everyone is looking for a different experience, and the market will decide whether or not this model makes sense.
I’ll admit that I was surprised when I first heard that, but that’s mainly because we’re conditioned to think of cruise ships as essentially being big floating restaurants and bars. And in fairness, that’s kind of a nice thing — I recently took my first cruise in 20+ years with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and in an era where it feels like there’s endless nickel-and-diming in hospitality, it was really nice to have virtually everything included.
So I’d like to talk about this in a bit more detail, as I think there’s some nuance to this policy. To be clear, I don’t have a strong opinion here one way or another. I just think that just because something is different doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad.
Some people seem to be framing this as “how cheap not to include meals and drinks,” rather than asking “would you rather the fare be $X amount higher and include meals and drinks?”
Four Seasons Yachts’ pricing isn’t unreasonable
The first thing to keep in mind that Four Seasons Yachts journeys are a lot more reasonably priced than most people were expecting before they were on sale. Don’t get me wrong, they’re still really expensive compared to other cruise lines, but Four Seasons is creating a really special experience here, offering a product that’s basically not otherwise available at sea.
When the concept of Four Seasons Yachts was first announced, I speculated in a blog post that journeys would start at $1,500-2,000 per person per day (I had no inside information, that was just a guess). In the comments section of that post, not a single person agreed with me — everyone thought it would be significantly more expensive than that.
In reality, pricing generally starts a little under $3,000 per suite per night, with some variance based on the voyage. Based on the current itineraries, the cheapest journey starts at ~$1,900 per suite per night (the transatlantic crossing itinerary), while the most expensive journey starts at ~$3,350 per night (some of the Greek itineraries).
Of course that’s not cheap, but Four Seasons Yachts is a unique product, as the ship just has 95 accommodations. Obviously that needs to be priced accordingly in order for it to make economic sense. This isn’t Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, with 2,800+ rooms.
Even on the high end, compare this to the first Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection ship:
- Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s smallest ship is marginally smaller than the Four Seasons Yachts’ ship, but has 57% more rooms (149 keys vs. 95 keys)
- Four Seasons Yachts’ entry level suites are 58% larger than Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s suites (473 square feet vs. 300 square feet)
When Four Seasons Yachts was first announced, many media reports claimed that pricing would start at $2,500 per person per day. I’m not sure what the initial source was for that, but suffice it to say that the reality ended up being much more palatable.
Is all-inclusive inherently better than a la carte?
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a cruising expert. I used to love cruise ships when I was a kid, but there was then around a two decade gap between cruises. I recently took my first journey since then with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and I also have a sailing booked on Four Seasons Yachts for this summer.
But it raises a question for which I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer — would you rather Four Seasons Yachts charges an extra $X amount per night and includes food and drinks, or would you rather have more of an a la carte model?
I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer, but here are a few thoughts as to why I think countering the industry trend isn’t necessarily a bad idea:
- Even luxury cruise ships are never truly all-inclusive; at a minimum, there’s always premium alcohol that you can buy, and Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection (just to keep the comparison going) also has a fine dining restaurant onboard that you have to pay extra for, to the tune of hundred of dollars per person
- Given the price of some suites on Four Seasons Yachts — in some cases $200K+ per journey — I’m sure there are some people who would regularly be buying premium food and drinks anyway
- Four Seasons Yachts has a lot of legitimately great itineraries where you’re at a destination during lunch and dinner hours, and you probably want to eat at the destination; this is different than taking a cruise where you’re docking in the port of Nassau or Cozumel on a 6,000-person ship
- Four Seasons doesn’t have any all-inclusive resorts, and I think Four Seasons Yachts is going after a similar customer base, who are used to this; admittedly if you like the existing cruise industry or all-inclusives, this might appeal to you less
So I guess to summarize:
- Would I love if Four Seasons Yachts had the current pricing and included all food and drinks? I mean, of course I would… who doesn’t want more for less?
- Would I rather Four Seasons raise prices by $1,000 per night per stateroom and include meals? For me, definitely not, because I’m not taking a cruise to have 15 drinks per day and eat three huge meals per day
- Do I understand why people who specifically enjoy cruises for the all-inclusive aspect of it are put off by this? Of course I do, and I think that’s the beauty of any competitive industry, because there are options for everyone
- Interestingly Aman at Sea is launching in 2027 at an even higher price point than Four Seasons Yachts, and will only include dining at one restaurant, and won’t include alcohol
After my recent cruise, I definitely appreciate the concept of all-inclusive experiences. It’s not just about the cost, but it’s also about how nice it is to not always have to wait for a check, and to just feel like a company is putting effort into something without nickel-and-diming.
When I take a Four Seasons Yachts journey, I’m not sure the non-included items will actually end up costing me that much. Breakfast is of course included. Then I might have a drink or two in the evening, plus one meal onboard per day. Then for booking through Four Seasons Preferred Partner you also get a credit that can help offset that amount.
Bottom line
Four Seasons has gotten into the cruising industry, with the launch of Four Seasons Yachts, and the first ship is now sailing. I don’t think anyone would deny that the ship looks amazing, so this should be a very special experience.
Four Seasons Yachts has some unique policies that people probably weren’t expecting, including that only breakfast and non-alcoholic drinks are included, while lunch, dinner, and alcoholic drinks, come at an extra cost.
It’s not all bad news, though, as Four Seasons Yachts pricing is more reasonable than most people had predicted (though still at the top of the market, given the product being offered). Furthermore, the price of food and drinks isn’t unreasonably high, at least.
What do you make of Four Seasons Yachts countering the cruising trend with inclusions?
They are licensing out the name because the hotel brands are no operating the curises although members may receive some perks and benefits. I think they need to find a new audience of customer for this. Even people that are not typical cruisers but would consider some of the other luxury hotel branded ships may not consider this one because of the difference in the total. The rooms in itself is much more than others...
They are licensing out the name because the hotel brands are no operating the curises although members may receive some perks and benefits. I think they need to find a new audience of customer for this. Even people that are not typical cruisers but would consider some of the other luxury hotel branded ships may not consider this one because of the difference in the total. The rooms in itself is much more than others too. I agree I think those typical cruise customers that go on traditional luxury cruise lines won't consider this.
Let's be frank. Booking through a Four Seasons Preferred Partner travel agent gets the consumer a $100 credit. For rounding purposes, that is essentially nothing to the consumer, but it generates a major commission of at least 10% of the total fare to the travel agent, i.e. Ford.
I think this is less of an issue but for the opposite reason: cruise lines are becoming more a-la carte. They've discovered the profit in nickel-and-diming what is basically a captive audience, just like the airlines.
I went on a few cruises with family many years ago as a kid, and now that I have kids, I've gone on a couple again. The difference I've noticed is how much of a cruise now is not...
I think this is less of an issue but for the opposite reason: cruise lines are becoming more a-la carte. They've discovered the profit in nickel-and-diming what is basically a captive audience, just like the airlines.
I went on a few cruises with family many years ago as a kid, and now that I have kids, I've gone on a couple again. The difference I've noticed is how much of a cruise now is not included in the base price. Nowadays only the main restaurant is included, and the dozen or so specialty restaurants are not. And oftentimes, even the 24-hour stuff that used to be around (like pizza stations, hotdog and burger stands) are no longer 24-hour, or else really poor quality, in order to encourage you to go to the a-la cart restaurants. This is in addition to the ever-increasing amount of floorspace dedicated to pay-for experiences like the casino and spa, leaving the rest of us on a diminishing and increasingly crowded share of the boat.
Don't get me wrong: it's still not bad for the price and has advantages that mean I'll still go on cruises occasionally, but the trend is clear, which is to get you to spend as much as possible while on the boat. If anything true all-inclusive cruise lines (like Virgin's new lines, or the Ritz Carlton you reviewed) are the true revolutions running counter to the overall trend.
One other point: I'm not sure if the long term trends favor these specialty yacht services. They're the equivalent of all-business-class airlines, none of which ever succeed (except Companie, for now). Not only are they squeezed at the top end by yacht charters. But on the lower end, big cruise lines are learning how to segment their audience. Just like big airplanes allow you to sell 4-6+ classes of tickets with vastly different experiences (all the way from first class to basic economy), now big cruise ships have their luxury clubs with not just separate rooms, but entirely separate restaurants, pools, and lounge areas. If ultra high end services like Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons proves this segment of the market exists, I wouldn't be surprised if the big liners create the same experience on their larger ships, and outcompete the specialty lines with their economies of scale.
why do you keep saying "licensing out its name for a cruising venture"? Is it wrong to just admit these hotels are launching cruise lines?
I'm not a cruise person, but I always thought the "per person" pricing with double occupancy was just a gimmick to make the apparent cost less. The move towards all in pricing for hotels is good and glad to see it carry over here.
I also like the concept of a la carte dining and you are correct to point out that many folks will want to eat meals on shore and not be locked in to a sunk cost of dining on the boat.
It's worth mentioning that the traditional luxury lines are usually half as much per person per night. Is the FS yacht really twice as good?
It's also a terrible pricing model for solo travelers. Cruise lines sometimes have promotions where you can pay as little as 25% for a solo supplement, vs 100% for FS.
I never really got the appeal of all inclusive prices on cruise ships. By all means, offer packages, but what's the point in having daily meals baked into the price if you plan to eat little on board, or stick to cheap stuff? Or imagine going to a cruise in Italy - surely most people would rather have a lunch in the city than dinner on board.
Besides most cruises will still make you...
I never really got the appeal of all inclusive prices on cruise ships. By all means, offer packages, but what's the point in having daily meals baked into the price if you plan to eat little on board, or stick to cheap stuff? Or imagine going to a cruise in Italy - surely most people would rather have a lunch in the city than dinner on board.
Besides most cruises will still make you pay for specialty dining (i.e. good stuff) so if you want great food, the money you (indirectly) paid for the main dining room is wasted anyway.
All dining on the established luxury lines (Seabourn, Silversea, Regent, etc.) is "good stuff").
If you're seriously considering a luxury cruise, like Four Seasons, I doubt the marginal differences in cost, a la carte dining/beverages, versus all-inclusive, are really the sticking point at all. It's like, are you wanting the 'brand' of FS or a Ritz-Carlton yacht, or more like the top-of-the-line players, Ponant, or a private charter, or an old-geezer boat like Viking.
They will have to draw from a new customer base (perhaps long-time Four Seasons guests) to make this work because those who cruise the other luxury lines (Seabourn, Silversea, Sea Dream, Scenic, etc.) won't even consider it. The traditional luxury cruisers (many of whom are extremely wealthy and got that way by spending and investing wisely) will consider the Four Seasons "yachts" a very poor value and little more than floating hotels. Prediction: the outside...
They will have to draw from a new customer base (perhaps long-time Four Seasons guests) to make this work because those who cruise the other luxury lines (Seabourn, Silversea, Sea Dream, Scenic, etc.) won't even consider it. The traditional luxury cruisers (many of whom are extremely wealthy and got that way by spending and investing wisely) will consider the Four Seasons "yachts" a very poor value and little more than floating hotels. Prediction: the outside investors in this project will get burned and the ships will eventually be acquired by another cruise line.
I think that the comparisons to the cruising industry aren't relevant. These new ventures aren't trying to pinch customers away from large cruise ships, they're attempting to create a new market segment and their real competitors seem to be yacht chartering services.
The all-inclusive model makes sense to me because there's a competitive advantage to the scale of these vessels permitting the companies access to professional kitchen/bar staff, and possibly also certain ingredients, which...
I think that the comparisons to the cruising industry aren't relevant. These new ventures aren't trying to pinch customers away from large cruise ships, they're attempting to create a new market segment and their real competitors seem to be yacht chartering services.
The all-inclusive model makes sense to me because there's a competitive advantage to the scale of these vessels permitting the companies access to professional kitchen/bar staff, and possibly also certain ingredients, which can't be realistically included in a private yacht. If you prefer to be visiting bars and restaurants on terra firma (and I can definitely see the reason for that), there's one less reason to choose a fixed itinerary instead of going wherever you want to go.
There’s so much choice now in the luxury yacht market - I think one of the best is Scenic- luxury all inclusive with top draw everything
As someone who doesn’t drink alcohol, I usually automatically will forego any all inclusive that I’m paying, except when I think I’m getting a good deal.
hey @ben - you say in the article that four seasons doesn't have any all-inclusives. that's not quite true. four seasons naviva in mexico is all-inclusive (and frankly i'd love to see a review from you!). that's at about a $2k-$3k/person/day price.
As someone who never drinks alcohol and rarely drinks anything other than water, I'd be reluctant to select an option with alcohol included when an alternative exists. Whether it's a high-end all-inclusive resort or an evening social event with my alumni association, when alcoholic drinks are included with my ticket price a significant percentage of the money I pay to attend will simply be wasted. That realization always makes me a lot less likely to...
As someone who never drinks alcohol and rarely drinks anything other than water, I'd be reluctant to select an option with alcohol included when an alternative exists. Whether it's a high-end all-inclusive resort or an evening social event with my alumni association, when alcoholic drinks are included with my ticket price a significant percentage of the money I pay to attend will simply be wasted. That realization always makes me a lot less likely to buy a ticket in the first place.
I do agree that 4S pricing is pretty reasonable. And the idea that you don't want to feel obligated to eat on board because you've paid $$$$ for food is so true when you're visiting destinations where you WANT to eat.
To your point of 4S not having any all inclusive though, Golden Triangle in Thailand as well as Naviva in Punta mita are all inclusive.
FWIW. Provisioning on a smaller vessel is a more complex operation than on a larger one.
Putting a price helps stop over-ordering and reduces wastage (and thereby the risk of running out).
There is also the pricing aspect - “free” isn’t something luxury brands do.
Breakfast included is generally accepted practice in hotels (either through booking through programs or part of the room rate) so it wouldn’t be seen as a negative...
FWIW. Provisioning on a smaller vessel is a more complex operation than on a larger one.
Putting a price helps stop over-ordering and reduces wastage (and thereby the risk of running out).
There is also the pricing aspect - “free” isn’t something luxury brands do.
Breakfast included is generally accepted practice in hotels (either through booking through programs or part of the room rate) so it wouldn’t be seen as a negative - but “all inclusive” instantly from a brand stand point signals “cheap”.
I’m sure they can make the maths of it work if they wanted to truly make it all inclusive, it’s the logistics and branding part that would be a stretch.
Maybe the tipping doesn’t bother those with this amount of coin, but it’s obnoxious and would steer me right to Ritz, unless four season’s product is that much better. Let’s be real about the “not expected” part….
"I think many people spend more money on drinks than food when traveling" - Not sure about the obsession with alcohol, but I think you might be underestimating how many people don’t drink these days.
I think it has to do with the amount of free time, which leads to more casual consumption in general.
While this is definitely out of my price range, as someone who has started more solo travel, I do appreciate how I wouldn't have to basically pay double to get a room for myself (which is pretty much standard for all cruise lines), if it were something I'd wanted to do at some point. I'd have no problem with a la carte dining, as it gives you more flexibility to spend more time and money...
While this is definitely out of my price range, as someone who has started more solo travel, I do appreciate how I wouldn't have to basically pay double to get a room for myself (which is pretty much standard for all cruise lines), if it were something I'd wanted to do at some point. I'd have no problem with a la carte dining, as it gives you more flexibility to spend more time and money on shore, or skipping a meal if you're not particularly hungry, without feeling the pressure to take full advantage of all-inclusive dining.
If the departure from the ports is late enough (especially in Europe where restaurants don’t even open until 7pm or later) I could see the non-included food being a very attractive proposition.
It’s one of the things I like least about cruising. Some itineraries stop at destinations with incredible food, and lunch is really the only option to explore the local cuisine when departing at normal hours