You may be curious about why I’m discussing the news surrounding the construction of the Orient Express Olympian and its connection to the luxury golf club business.
Allow me to briefly highlight the inspiring similarities for you.
Luxury golf resorts and luxury cruises cater to similar types of travelers and share several key characteristics, even though the settings differ (land vs. sea).
Here are their main similarities:
- Both offer comprehensive packages that bundle accommodations, dining, recreation, and personalized services, creating a seamless, worry-free vacation.
- From concierge services to attentive staff, guests receive highly personalized care—whether it’s a caddie at a golf resort or a butler in a cruise suite.
- Luxury golf resorts showcase beautiful landscapes; luxury cruises showcase ocean views and scenic ports. Both emphasize being immersed in gorgeous surroundings.
- Expect multiple restaurants, gourmet cuisine, chef-led experiences, and high-quality wine selections in both environments.
- Both feature spa facilities, fitness centers, pools, and wellness programming (yoga, massage, meditation), catering to travelers who prioritize self-care and rejuvenation.
- While golf resorts are centered on golf, they still offer tennis, hiking, culinary classes, etc. Luxury cruises offer shows, excursions, spas, and more. Both aim for variety beyond their core theme.
- …and many more.
Since 2022, Orient Express has been a part of Accor Group’s esteemed collection of luxury brands, drawing on a remarkable century-long heritage in hospitality and fine dining.
In 2024, Orient Express established a strategic partnership with LVMH to accelerate its growth. This collaboration represents an innovative alliance between Accor, a global hospitality leader, and Chantiers de l’Atlantique, renowned for its expertise in cruise ship construction.
As a result, the Orient Express Corinthian and Orient Express Olympian have emerged—two groundbreaking sailing yachts that feature cutting-edge design and stunning interiors.
The first block of Orient Express Olympian, the second sailing yacht of Orient Express Sailing Yachts, part of Accor Group, was laid down yesterday at Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
Orient Express Olympian – Construction
In keeping with proud maritime tradition, the keel laying marks the true beginning of a vessel’s life — the moment its structure starts to rise from the shipyard floor.
Although the first steel plate had already been cut ten months earlier, on January 30th, 2025, it is this ceremony that signals the start of the yacht’s physical assembly.
The honour of the manoeuvre falls to one of the shipyard’s two iconic gantry cranes.
With slow, deliberate precision, it positions onto its keel blocks the very first of the 17 steel sections that will ultimately form the yacht’s hull.
It is a pivotal step: from here, the outline of the future vessel will steadily take shape.
Once the keel is set, construction will evolve into the outfitting phase, where the yacht’s refined interior features are installed along a dedicated quay.
This meticulous work will continue until the vessel’s delivery, scheduled for spring 2027 — exactly a year after the launch of the Orient Express Corinthian.
Interesting facts
- Orient Express Olympian will measure 220 meters (721ft) in length and, together with Orient Express Corinthian, will be the largest sailing yacht in the world.
- 3 self-supporting and tilting masts equipped with a total sail surface of 4,500m2 -1,500 m² per sail — will allow, depending on wind conditions, full wind-powered propulsion, or a hybrid mode combining sails with engines running on liquefied natural gas (LNG). The rigging is fully automated and controlled from the wheelhouse.
Leveraging Integrated Experiences to Elevate Premium Golf Resort Value
Here are the most strategic synergies between a luxury golf resort and the Orient Express Sailing Yachts—from brand positioning to guest experience, operations, and revenue:
- Create a shared customer ecosystem: private invitations, loyalty linking, joint membership tiers.
- Pre and post-sailing experience: A sailing yacht’s guests often look for destination extensions, making golf resorts a natural partner.
- Golf-themed voyages: Curate itineraries where yacht passengers:
- Stop at coastal destinations featuring iconic golf courses
- Play curated rounds arranged by the luxury resort brand
- Enjoy onboard golf-focused programming (celebrity pros, masterclasses, club fittings).
- Design a co-branded suite, lounge, or “Orient Express Terrace” at the resort. Or host a pop-up La Table Orient Express dining experience in the golf resort.
- Loyalty & Concierge Ecosystem: Create cross-property VIP benefits!
- Elevated Storytelling: A resort + yacht combination allows marketing teams to create:
- Destination-driven narratives
- Travel arcs (“From Sea to Greens”)
- Cinematic brand content
- Joint PR initiatives
- Operational Synergies if both of them are under the same parent company (e.g., Accor)
Strongest opportunity
A luxury golf resort and Orient Express Sailing Yachts can together create a seamless ultra-luxury travel circuit—combining world-class hospitality, heritage, gastronomy, wellness, and lifestyle experiences across land and sea.