Four Seasons has announced that it is entering a new business industry (although it is still related to hospitality) by launching Four Seasons Yachts.
First Yacht coming in 2025
Four Seasons’ first Yacht will be 207 metres (679 feet) long and 27 metres (88.6 feet) wide with 14 decks. The first yacht is expected to arrive in 2025. The luxury hospitality company says that no expense is being spared in terms of the remarkable custom design, given that it is costing the company 4.2$ million per suite. The first Four Seasons Yacht will offer nearly 50% more living space per guest than currently available, “offering ultimate privacy, flexibility and spaciousness in an all-suite nautical residential setting”.
Larry Pimentel, a veteran luxury travel industry expert, is leading Four Seasons’ new enterprise.
In partnership with Four Seasons, we are creating a new category of luxury lifestyle travel that appeals to discerning guests. We are bringing together the very best across industries to create the pinnacle yachting offering through world-class design, curated experiences, and truly exceptional service. When we launch in 2025, there will be nothing else like it on the open seas. Our shipbuilding partnership with Fincantieri rounds out a triumvirate of industry leaders in this unprecedented luxury lifestyle project.
said Pimental.
Details of the yacht
The Four Seasons Yacht will feature 95 spacious accommodations featuring an extensive network of joining suite combinations creating adaptable, villa-like residences. Each suite will offer floor-to-ceiling windows providing unobstructed natural light and access to expansive terrace decks. Four Seasons says that the combination of generous indoor and outdoor private guest space and ceiling heights of more than 2.4 metres (7.9 feet) will achieve a new level of guest comfort.
Suite accommodations will start at an average of 54 square metres (581 square feet) of indoor/outdoor living space, designed seamlessly to be part of each room. 60% of the vessel’s inventory is in excess of 76 square metres (818 square feet) of indoor/outdoor space.
The “Funnel Suite” will be the most expansive residence in the yacht, with the suite stretching on 4 levels, offering more than 892 square metres (9,601 square feet) of combined indoor/outdoor living space, including a private wading pool and dedicated private spa area, creating a sea view home away from home.
Globally renowned design partners have been engaged including Tillberg Design of Sweden as lead architect responsible for the design of exterior and guest suites, and London-based Martin Brudnizki Design Studio for the design of many of the yacht’s spectacular guest areas. These design partners will be paired with the creative direction of Prosper Assouline.
Four Seasons Yachts represents the next chapter of our long history of industry leading innovation, and a milestone moment for our company as we continue to capitalize on new opportunities to extend the world of Four Seasons. True vision rests in the ability to imagine the possibilities while always remaining loyal to one’s values. Our vision for this new venture does exactly that. Together with our partners at Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings LTD, we are creating something extraordinary that combines their expertise with what Four Seasons does best – delivering unmatched quality and excellence, surrounded by beautiful acts of service and love for our guests.
said Christian Clerc, President, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
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Guest experience
The company says that the vessel’s restaurants, lounges and bar concepts will celebrate the excellence and creativity that has been the hallmark of Four Seasons history of culinary innovation and attention to guest preferences. A perfect cappuccino in the lobby, a Mediterranean-inspired lunch, a dinner tasting at the sushi bar or a glass of champagne on the breathtaking terrace – guests will never be far from a perfect bite always paired with remarkable sea views.
The Four Seasons Yacht will also offer guests a full-service spa, salon, and wellness programming – from fitness to health, and nutrition. The classic canoe-shaped aft will be home to an expansive pool deck, allowing for moments of leisure and relaxation. This area will also transform into an outdoor movie theatre or space for an array of private events. The elegant and industry-first transverse marina is also an ideal spot for guests to enjoy the inviting water, sunbathe or explore the specially-designed aqua leisure toys and accessories.
Four Seasons says that “many more of the vessel’s unique features and programming will be revealed in the coming months and up to the vessel’s delivery in late 2025”.
The onboard yacht experience will be led and staffed by a dedicated Four Seasons Yacht team to bring each voyage’s itinerary and destinations to life. The company adds that “the vessel will have an industry-leading staff-to-guest ratio to deliver an unmatched standard of highly personalized service”.
Here’s a look at the new Four Seasons Yacht:
First yacht of many
Planned as the first of a fleet of Four Seasons Yachts over the next five years, the first vessel is currently being designed in Trieste, Italy by leading shipbuilders Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups.
We are excited to embrace this new opportunity with Four Seasons that will allow us to strengthen our global leadership position. With a reputation built on innovation and reliability, Fincantieri combines groundbreaking engineering and technology to create the finest vessels in the world, ensuring sustainability practices are integrated throughout the design and guest experience.
said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director, Fincantieri.
This seems promising!
Four Seasons is a luxury hospitality company synonymous with personalised and intuitive service. And the yacht business seems the perfect fit for a reputed company like Four Seasons, given that it already has many loyal customers already.
Given that Four Seasons is a highly reputed luxury hospitality company, customer service will be a field that the brand will not be willing to compromise on and that’s where the concept of a Four Seasons Yacht becomes interesting. If Four Seasons is entering the yacht industry, then it may have thought of something “out-of-the-box”. I mean that the experience will actually be good.
Four Seasons is not the first hospitality company that is entering the yacht business. Marriott’s Ritz-Carlton Hotels and Resorts has launched “Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection”, although the first yacht of them has not yet started sailing, having been delayed for several years now. Four Seasons says that its first yacht will start sailing in 2025. And I trust Four Seasons with that, given that Four Seasons is a more faithful brand in my opinion.
Lastly, another interesting thing is that Four Seasons’ yacht will have so few rooms in such a big yacht. Four Seasons’ yacht will be 207 meters long with 95 rooms. On the other hand, Ritz Carlton’s yacht will be 190 meters long with 149 rooms. That’s a very big difference! This will directly mean that Four Seasons will have a large “floor space-to-guest” ratio as compared to the Ritz-Carlton yacht.
Featured image by Four Seasons
All the other images by Four Seasons
What do you think of Four Seasons entering the yacht business? Let me know in the comments section below.
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