Four Seasons Confirms Order for Third Yacht Cruise Ship
The joint owner/operator of Four Seasons Yacht, the new luxury cruise line, has placed an order for a third ship to be built by Fincantieri at its Ancona shipyard in Italy. The company’s first yacht cruise ship was delivered in February, and the second continues under construction, due in 2028.
After years of studying the cruise industry as an extension to its luxury hotels, and an aborted previous attempt to launch the cruise line, Four Seasons partnered with Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings and ordered the first ship in July 2022 with options for two additional vessels. At the time, Fincantieri valued the order at approximately €1.2 billion.
The third ship will be a sister as it will also be approximately 34,000 gross tons and 207 meters (679 feet) in length. They report the ship is scheduled for delivery in 2031, with Fincantieri today placing the value of the order between €500 million and €1 billion. In 2024, when the second cruise ship was ordered, Fincantieri said the second vessel’s order was worth more than €400 million.
Four Seasons entry into the cruise sector has drawn attention for its aspiration to raise the level of luxury cruising and merge it with the private yacht charter experience. The company bills itself as “reimagining modern yachting.” They said the design of the ship prioritized space and light and presented a residential style. The ship has 11 dining options, an extensive spa and wellness focus, and a marina.
The first ship is showing the unique styling of the combination yacht cruise ship (Mali Lošinj Tourist Board)
The ship is also pioneering as the world’s first intelligent ultra-luxury vessel, which Fincantieri said represents an important step forward in the digital evaluation of shipbuilding. Fincantieri calls its approach Navis Sapien, saying that it is built on an integrated and evolutive digital architecture that leverages artificial intelligence and real?time data to support safer, more efficient, and future?proof operations. Its open, scalable design also allows the vessel to integrate new functionalities and technologies as they emerge — all without weighing down the guest?facing experience.
“Four Seasons I is the first Navis Sapiens: a vessel with a digital intellect, capable of learning, adapting, and growing alongside its owner and guests,” explained Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri.
The company recently announced that it would be evolving the design of its yacht cruise ships with the launch of the second ship, Four Seasons II, which was delayed until 2028. They reported the ship was being designed for an even more residential-inspired feel. Among the changes, they are reducing the number of suites to 79 from 95 on the first ship and introducing a new style of accommodations, which they are calling Yacht Residential Suites. They will range from two to four bedrooms, have an integrated lifestyle kitchen, dining and entertainment spaces, and some will feature a private splash pool. It says the new suites will be suited to extended stays, group and multi-generational travel.
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This is in addition to suites that start at 473 square feet and extend to a 3,500 square foot Loft Suite with three bedrooms and a unique Funnel Suite, which is over 5,000 square feet plus 4,900 square feet of terraces.
Other hotel brands are also entering the cruise sector, with Ritz-Carlton having launched in 2020, and Accor’s Orient Express in June 2026. Aman launches its luxury yacht in 2027, as does Japan’s Ryobi Holdings.
