Construction of Four Seasons II, the second vessel in the Four Seasons Yachts fleet, has reached a major milestone with the laying of the ship’s keel at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard in Italy.
The keel-laying ceremony formally marked the start of construction in the shipyard’s dry dock and was attended by representatives of Fincantieri and Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings, the joint owner and operator of Four Seasons Yachts.
In accordance with maritime tradition, a commemorative coin was welded into the hull during the ceremony as a symbolic gesture for the future vessel, its guests and crew.
At ~34,000 gross tons and 207 metres in length, Four Seasons II will accommodate just 180 guests in 79 suites. The resulting space allocation is significantly higher than that typically found aboard conventional cruise ships and reflects the company's focus on residential-style luxury accommodation.
The ship will feature large suites with private terraces, together with extensive open-air areas intended to provide direct access to the surrounding seascape. Its design will also incorporate environmental technologies aimed at improving operational efficiency and reducing the vessel's environmental impact.
Four Seasons II is scheduled to enter service in early 2028, becoming the second vessel operated by Four Seasons Yachts following Four Seasons I, which entered service in 2026.
Fincantieri is also contracted to build a third Four Seasons yacht, scheduled for delivery in 2031. The vessel is expected to follow the fleet's all-suite, residential-style concept.
The expansion reflects the growing involvement of established luxury hotel brands in the cruise and yacht sectors. Four Seasons Yachts is positioning its vessels between conventional luxury cruising and private yachting, using a low passenger capacity, large suites, extensive outdoor spaces and a high crew-to-guest ratio as key elements of its operating model.