Four Seasons Yachts

Four Seasons Yachts is a new cruise line and travel brand owned by Four Seasons Hotels Ltd via its subsidiary Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings Ltd (Malta-incorporated, Miami-based).

Debuting in 2026-Q1 (postponed from 2025-Q4), the ultra-luxury travel brand Four Seasons Yachts (official website) brings the Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts' legendary attentive and personalized service to the high seas. Currently, the brand plans to commence cruise revenue operations in November 2025.

Four Seasons cruise fleet consists of three identical-design newbuild superyachts (1x under construction, 1x ordered, 1x optional) representing a total investment of EUR 1,2 billion (400M per unit).

The first ship (TBN1) was initially scheduled for completion/delivery and inauguration in November 2025, but postponed for January 2026. The second ship (TBN2) was ordered in June 2023 and is planned for inauguration in December 2026. The third unit currently remains optional (by the shipbuilding contract).

Four Seasons' shipbuilder is Fincantieri (Trieste yard for prefabrication, Ancona yard for assembly) and all vessels are Malta-flagged and registered in Valletta. The shipbuilding contract with Fincantieri was signed on July 11, 2022.

Curiously, Four Seasons' cruise shipping business started in 2003 with their ever-first vessel Four Seasons Explorer (2002-built as ISLAND EXPLORER). This catamaran-type superyacht has volume 592 GT-tons, LOA length 39 m, max passenger capacity 25.

FS Explorer (advertised as "Cruising Resort" and "Floating Resort") is currently Maldives-flagged (MMSI 511000820) and registered in the Male/Kaafu Atoll. The catamaran is now deployed in Palau (Oceania/Micronesia) and offers year-round voyages leaving roundtrip from homeport Koror. Until 2023, FS Explorer was deployed in the Maldives and operated year-round sailings in the Baa Atoll.

Company history and changes

Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings Ltd is the shipowner and the ship management company. Its parent company is the international hospitality company Four Seasons Hotels Ltd (1961-founded, Toronto Canada-headquartered).

In 2007, Four Seasons Hotels Ltd's majority owners became Bill Gates (71,25% via Cascade Investment LLC/Kirkland WA USA-based) and Al-Waleed bin Talal Saud (23,75% via Kingdom Holding Company/Riyadh Saudi Arabia-based).

As of 2023, Four Seasons operates 124 hotels and resorts (plus 50 residential properties) in 47 countries in addition to 50+ projects (under planning or development) worldwide.

Four Seasons yacht design was developed by TDoS (Tillberg Design of Sweden/1964-founded as Tillberg Design AB, part of Viken Group AB; Hoganas Sweden-based) and MBDS (Martin Brudnizki Design Studio/2000-founded; London England-based). The deal with TDoS was signed on September 29, 2022. Tillberg was contracted to design the ship's exterior and staterooms, while MBDS designed the passenger areas.

The project also joined Prosper & Martine Assouline (1994-founded in Paris France lifestyle brand).

Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings Ltd (2020-incorporated in Valletta Malta) is based in Miami Florida USA (headquarters) and is Four Seasons Yachts' Joint Owner and Operator. The company was established by Nadim Ashi (Founder, Owner and CEO of Fort Partners LLC/Miami-based real estate ownership, development and management company in Fort Lauderdale Florida) and Philip Levine (Co-Owner of Starboard Cruise Services). Starboard Cruise Services (1958-founded) specializes in cruise ship retail shopping and as of 2023 manages the onboard shopping (venues, products, staff) on 92 vessels.

Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings LTD is responsible for the Four Seasons Yachts' sales and marketing, as well as for the fleet's marine and technical operations, vessel crewing, deployment strategy/itinerary planning.

Larry Pimentel is Four Seasons Yachts' President and CEO, while Nadim Ashi and Philip Levine are Co-Executive Chairmen. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts' current President and CEO (since 2022 October) is Alejandro Reynal (1973-born, previously employed by Apple Leisure Group as President and CEO).

Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings' team of executives also includes Thatcher Brown (CCO/Chief Commercial Officer & Head of Joint Operations, as well as Owner/Joint Operator of Four Seasons Yachts), Damien O’Connor (Senior VP of Yacht Operations), Christian Urbat (Senior VP of Design Services), Jan Sorensen (VP of New Builds), John Polimenakos (CIO/Chief Information Officer) William Wright (Senior Marine Advisor), James Cabello (Head of Port Operations & Logistics).

The Fincantieri-built Four Seasons ships are with 14 decks/floors, 95 staterooms (all outside, with private step-out balconies and in Suite categories), max passenger capacity 180, LOA length 207 m, width 27 m.

The largest stateroom is the Funnel Suite (spaning on 4 floors/decks) and positioned around the smokestacks. Its total size is 892 m2/9600 ft2, including 431 m2/4640 ft2 indoor plus 462 m2/4975 ft2 outdoor (private terrace/sundeck with a wading pool). The Funnel Suite's top floor is also the ship's highest point.

Except for the Funnel Suite, the largest passenger accommodations are the Signature Suites (7x per yacht) sized 277-927 m2 (2980-9980 ft2) including the outdoor terrace/sundeck space. Each Signature Suite has 2 or 3 bedrooms, separate living rooms and dining spaces (indoor and outdoor), a private sundeck (with a splash pool and shower) and an optional connection to adjoining staterooms.

Аdjoining staterooms are with modular walls, offering various options (vertical and horizontal) combinations within the accommodation. The modular design (developed by Tillberg Design of Sweden/TDoS) unlocks 100+ different cabin connection options including the opportunity for ship charter clients (private and corporate) to reserve an entire side of a cabin deck, or up to 1200 m2/13,000 ft2 of total living space.

Four Seasons cruises are superyacht voyages providing the unique opportunity to enjoy the hospitality brand's ultra-premium resort vacation lifestyle at sea.

The yacht travel experience is marked by the industry's highest crew-to-passenger ratio, exotic itineraries (with the option to be combined into B2Bs/back-to-back cruises for longer vacations), extended port stays (late-night departure and overnight stays for longer shore excursions and deeper land explorations. Also on offer are discounted hotel and resort offerings for staying in top-ranked Four Seasons accommodations (hotels and resorts)

Four Seasons "cruise line rival" is another (ultra-luxury hospitality company-owned) subsidiary and brand - The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

Bookings for select Four Seasons cruises and itinerary information (departure dates, homeports, call ports/regions, destinations) were initially expected sometime in 2023-H2. However, details on the company's inaugural season (2026) were announced in late March 2024.

On March 26, 2024, the company announced its first 10 cruises scheduled for its first ship (TBN1) slated for 2026-Q1. The program is based on destinations in Europe/Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

In 2026-Q1 (January-February-March), the first Four Seasons ship will visit 130+ different destinations (ports and islands) in 30+ countries. Following the inaugural Mediterranean season, the ship will be redeployed (RepositionCruises.com) from Europe to the Caribbean (westbound Transatlantic crossing) operating in Central America.

The European itineraries visit destinations in Croatia, Montenegro, Italy, Iberia (Portugal and Spain), and the Eastern Med/Aegean Sea - Turkey and Greece (Greek Islands and Piraeus-Athens).

The Caribbean itineraries are 7-night in length and visit popular island destinations like St Barths/Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Barbados, Martinique, Guadeloupe, the Grenadines, the Netherlands Antilles (Aruba and Curacao).

All Four Seasons voyages can be customized to cruisetours inclusive of shore programs. This way, optionally, the sailings can be extended with land stays (pre- and post-cruise packages) at Four Seasons properties (hotels and resorts).