Inside the invite-only superyacht ‘sea hotel’ with four-story penthouse – & another £340m ‘twin’ ship is on the way
THE luxury Four Seasons hotel franchise is taking on the high seas with a superyacht so glamorous you need an exclusive invitation just to board.
The superyacht cruise ship, dubbed the Four Seasons I, is being kitted out with “sea limousines“, luxury restaurants, a cigar room and even a four-story private penthouse suite.
Due to debut in January 2026, the ‘sea hotel’ will go on more than 30 voyages in its inaugural year, from across the Bahamas, Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
Passengers can book stays between five, seven and 14 nights – for a pretty lofty price.
Seven nights along the rivieras of Cassis, France and Portofino, Italy, for example, will cost you north of $25,000 (£18,500).
While reservations for the first voyages opened in January 2024, they are on an invitation-only basis for loyal Four Seasons guests.
The exclusivity is “driven by the need to manage extraordinary demand”, according to the luxury hotel chain.
Earlier this week, Four Seasons Yachts announced it had secured more than €400million (£337million) to fund a second luxury vessel slated to debut in 2028.
“With financing secured for the creation of a second Four Seasons Yacht… we are thrilled to be expanding our fleet to include Four Seasons II,” Donald Mason, chief financial officer of Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings LTD, the joint owner and operator of Four Seasons Yachts, said in a statement.
“This milestone reflects our continued growth and commitment to delivering Four Seasons legendary service at sea.”
Four Seasons I, the franchise’s first sea hotel, is currently under construction at Italian shipyard Fincantieri – which will also be tasked with building the line’s second ship.
The vessel is expected to be fully built and seaworthy in November 2025.
While details about Four Seasons II have not yet been released, it is expected to be just as luxurious – if not more – than its predecessor.
The 190-passenger Four Seasons I is set to feature 14 decks and 95 residential-style cabins with ocean views.
The dazzling superyacht will offer nearly 50 per cent more living space per passenger than other cruise lines’ ships, according to the company, with the majority of cabins measuring over 800 square feet each.
Four-story penthouse suite
But the jewel in this superyacht’s crown is the Funnel Suite – a four-story penthouse with three bedrooms, a private area dedicated to in-suite spa treatments, and a terrace with a splash pool.
The penthouse, which spans almost 10,000 square feet, is the largest suite on board.
It’s located across the ship’s highest decks – where a traditional “funnel” or smokestack would be on a steamship.
The private suite’s showstopping design feature is its wraparound, floor-to-ceiling windows that offer 280-degree views of the sea.
The curved glass is a “one-of-a-kind engineering innovation [that] is nothing short of remarkable, from its steel web frame support structure to its double glass thermal performance,” Four Seasons said in a statement.
The company also claims it is the largest piece of contiguous glass at sea – and cost an eyewatering $4.5million (£3.4million) to build and install.
Luxury dining
There will be 11 luxury restaurants and bars onboard, as well as a cigar room.
Passengers will be able to dine in the “Michelin-calibre” onboard restaurant – although only breakfast will be included in the pricing.
All other meals will come with a la carte fees – as well as alcohol, which should be fine for the average Four Seasons guest.
The Four Seasons tells guests they should budget for roughly an extra $250 (£185) per person, per day, to cover food and drinks.
And if the main on-deck pool – or the private one in the Funnel Suite – isn’t doing it for you, passengers can also swim in the ocean with private sailing, snorkeling, and windsurfing also being offered.
Passengers will be able to rent “custom crafted sea limousines designed for transfers and coastal grand touring,” according to Four Seasons.
There will be dedicated marina crew to tend to guests’ every need, and beach ladders for dips in the ocean when the ship is anchored.
