The most exciting hotel opening of the year might not be a hotel at all.
Some of the biggest names in hospitality are currently looking to the water. Four Seasons has launched its first yacht. Orient Express has unfurled the sails on the rather extraordinary Corinthian. Aman is preparing Amangati for 2027. And suddenly, some of the people who have always told us they are categorically not cruise people are asking rather a lot of questions about going to sea.
We understand it.
What’s happening on the water right now feels much closer to the world of great hotels and private yachting than it does to cruising as we once knew it. The names are familiar, the suites increasingly extraordinary, and the food serious enough to be a reason for travelling in itself. The difference is waking up off the coast of Sicily one morning and somewhere in the Cyclades the next.
And the shiny new yachts aren’t the whole story. Some of our favourite journeys on water are considerably more intimate. Belmond has seven beautiful boats slipping through the French countryside, complete with private chefs and bicycles for disappearing along the towpath. In Egypt, Nour El Nil’s traditional dahabiyas sail the Nile largely under the power of the wind. In Indonesia, Aman’s five-cabin Amandira can be chartered privately for adventures through Raja Ampat and Komodo.
So, this isn’t really another list of the best luxury cruises. It’s our edit of the boats, yachts and ships we’d actually put our clients on – plus a few journeys currently giving us very itchy feet.
Orient Express Corinthian
We’ve been waiting for this one. And, very happily, we were there right at the beginning.
Our Founder, Jonas, was invited by Accor aboard Orient Express Corinthian for one of its inaugural voyages in 2026, sailing for three days from Marseille to Monaco via Cassis and Saint-Tropez. As an Accor Preferred Partner, it was a chance for us to be among the first to properly experience the world’s largest sailing yacht – and work out exactly who we’d send on board.
Read Jonas’ full review of Orient Express Corinthian here.
Corinthian is difficult to neatly categorise. At 220 metres she has serious scale, but with only 54 suites and a maximum of 110 guests, life on board feels remarkably intimate. Jonas found himself recognising faces and favourite corners by his second day, while the crew quickly knew names, coffee orders and what everyone liked to drink.
The interiors are unmistakably French, designed by Maxime d’Angeac with rich timber, stitched leather, hand-finished stone, artwork and warm vintage-inspired lighting. Every suite faces the sea and comes with its own butler; Jonas quickly settled into breakfast on his terrace, watching Provence appear outside one morning and Saint-Tropez the next.
Down at water level, the marina became one of his favourite places on board. The stern opens onto a waterside deck where you can swim straight into the Mediterranean, take out a paddleboard or kayak, or stay horizontal on a lounger and let everyone else be energetic.
And then there are the sails.
Corinthian’s three SolidSail masts rise almost 100 metres above the water. One evening, as they began to unfurl at sunset, conversation across the top deck simply stopped. It was one of those moments that made the scale and ambition of the whole thing suddenly make sense.
Food is another very good reason to be here. Yannick Alléno is behind the culinary programme across the yacht, with multiple restaurants, bars and lounges rather than a single headline dining room. Jonas moved between seafood overlooking the Riviera, oysters and Champagne at sunset and more elaborate multi-course dinners, with the choice and consistency being one of the things that surprised him most.
His other takeaway? The places in between mattered just as much as the ports themselves. Cassis, Saint-Tropez and Monaco made for a very good few days on the Riviera, but some of his favourite hours were simply spent sailing between them.
What’s included?
Corinthian is reassuringly comprehensive once you’re aboard.
All 54 suites come with butler service, bespoke amenities and laundry, while dining across the yacht’s restaurants, bars and lounges is included, along with fine wines, spirits and other beverages. You can also dine in your suite – breakfast on the terrace was something Jonas became very accustomed to during his few days on board.
There is plenty included beyond eating and drinking, too. The marina opens for water sports when conditions allow, with water toys and nautical instruction available, and the hammam and sauna are on board. Evenings might mean live music, theatre or the cinema, and there is also the unexpected option of disappearing into Corinthian’s recording studio.
Arrival and departure have been thought about properly as well, with airport welcome, luggage handling and private transfers between the airport, hotel, city or terminal included.
Experiences ashore vary according to the voyage, but selected itineraries include some very special access as part of the fare. Orient Express offers private palace galas, access to galleries and fashion houses, and one-off dining experiences; elsewhere, it might be a private dinner on the beach or lunch in the truffle country of Provence.
Journeys on our radar
Saint-Barth & Anguilla Escape
25 – 28 January 2027 | 3 nights | San Juan to Saint-Martin
January is exactly when we’d like to be somewhere in the Caribbean, and this is a very appealing little post-Christmas escape.
Corinthian leaves San Juan in the evening before sailing overnight to Saint-Barthélemy, arriving in Gustavia the following afternoon and staying at anchor until 2 am. It gives you time for the beach, a late lunch and a wander around Gustavia, but also dinner and a proper evening ashore if you want it – considerably nicer than watching the clock for a 5 pm departure.
From St Barth, Corinthian sails to a secluded island off Anguilla for something much more barefoot. Think clear water, white sand, snorkelling and grilled lobster rather than shops and beach clubs. The final morning brings you into Marigot on the French side of Saint-Martin, where the voyage ends.
At only three nights, we wouldn’t necessarily fly across the Atlantic for Corinthian alone. We’d make a trip of it. A few nights somewhere fabulous in the Caribbean before embarkation, three nights aboard and perhaps a final beach stay afterwards would make for a very good January reset.
From the Turkish Riviera to the Greek Isles
29 May – 5 June 2027 | 7 nights | Istanbul to Athens
For a proper introduction to Corinthian, this is probably the one we’d choose.
You begin in Istanbul, leaving the Bosphorus behind for a full day under sail before reaching Bodrum. From there, Corinthian works her way along the Turkish Riviera to Göcek, where pine-covered hills and tiny islands surround one of the loveliest natural harbours on this stretch of coast.
Then you cross into Greece. There is an afternoon and evening in Pythagorio on Samos, followed by Antiparos, where the Corinthian stays at anchor until 2 am. We like these later departures: you can swim and explore during the day without having to abandon the island just as everyone starts thinking about dinner.
The final full day is perhaps the most Corinthian part of the itinerary. There is no port to tick off. Instead, the yacht anchors off Sifnos for a dedicated Marina Day, with the platform open onto the Aegean and time to actually enjoy being on the water before sailing overnight into Athens.
It is a lovely mix: Istanbul and Bodrum bring the energy; Göcek, Samos and Antiparos take things down a notch; and there is enough time actually sailing to experience Corinthian as a sailing yacht rather than simply a very beautiful way of getting between ports.
We’d make a trip of it: Fly into Istanbul a few days early and stay at Raffles Istanbul before boarding Corinthian. The hotel has some of the most generous rooms in the city, starting at 62 square metres, many with private terraces and views across the Bosphorus, plus Raffles Butler Service and a very good spa and hammam. It gives you a couple of days to settle into Istanbul before swapping the Bosphorus for a week under sail – and, as part of the Accor family, it’s a natural pairing for us to arrange alongside Corinthian.
Four Seasons Yachts
Four Seasons taking to the water was always going to get our attention.
Four Seasons I made its debut in March 2026, with just 95 suites and the sort of space and service existing Four Seasons regulars will recognise immediately. Every suite has floor-to-ceiling windows and a private terrace, with connecting configurations for families and groups; at the top end, the four-level Funnel Suite has more than 900 square metres of indoor and outdoor space and its own pool.
There are 11 restaurants and lounges, a Four Seasons spa, a generous pool deck and a marina opening directly onto the water for swimming and watersports. Its smaller scale also allows for more interesting anchorages and harbours – an important part of the appeal when you’re spending a week around the Mediterranean.
Four Seasons II follows in 2028, with just 79 suites, so this is clearly becoming a significant new part of the Four Seasons world.
For RASK, that matters. As a Four Seasons Preferred Partner, it is already one of our most important global relationships, and the yachts give us another way to connect stays across the portfolio – a few days at a favourite Four Seasons on land, followed by a week at sea.
What’s included?
Four Seasons takes a slightly different approach to some of the other yachts in our edit. Breakfast is included each morning, alongside a selection of non-alcoholic drinks and snacks, high-speed Wi-Fi, access to the marina and water sports, fitness facilities and group classes, with gratuities, port fees and taxes also covered.
Lunch and dinner are chosen separately, which gives you the freedom to move between the yacht’s 11 restaurants and lounges as you please – from Mediterranean lunches to omakase, Champagne and caviar. Four Seasons suggests allowing around $250 per person, per day for food and drink, although naturally this will depend on how you dine.
Spa treatments, experiences ashore, transfers and other personal services are also arranged separately.
Journeys on our radar
The Rivieras featuring Sardinia & Monte Carlo
6 – 11 July 2027 | 5 nights | Monte Carlo round-trip
Five nights, peak Mediterranean summer and a route that makes very good use of Four Seasons I’s smaller scale.
The journey begins and ends in Monte Carlo, travelling first to Varazze on the Ligurian coast before a dedicated Marina Day in the Italian Riviera. From there, the yacht heads south to Porto Cervo, with a full day and late evening on the Costa Smeralda, followed by Bonifacio, arriving by water beneath those extraordinary limestone cliffs.
What we like here is the amount of time spent at anchor. Varazze, Porto Cervo and Bonifacio are all anchorages, and the Marina Day leaves an entire day for swimming and water sports directly from the yacht. It’s also an easy one to extend. We’d add a few days on either side. Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, would make a very natural pairing – and turn five nights at sea into a longer Riviera holiday.
Lesser Antilles featuring Virgin Gorda & St Lucia
19 – 27 December 2027 | 8 nights | Sint Maarten to Antigua
If Christmas at home isn’t calling, eight nights through the Lesser Antilles might.
Four Seasons I leaves Sint Maarten for the sea pools and beaches of Virgin Gorda, followed by a Marina Day off Peter Island and Nevis for Pinney’s Beach and a Killer Bee rum punch. By 23 December, you’re sailing into the forested hills of Saint Lucia, with time in both Marigot Bay and Rodney Bay, before spending Christmas Eve in Martinique.
Christmas Day itself is spent at sea, followed by a Boxing Day Beach Day at Prickly Pear and arrival in Antigua on 27 December. Sunshine, rum punch, several islands and absolutely no Christmas lunch washing up.
For families making a bigger occasion of it, Four Seasons I also has more than 100 connecting suite configurations, including the possibility of reserving an entire side of a deck.
Aman at Sea
Aman is heading to sea in 2027, and naturally, it’s doing things with plenty of space.
Amangati, meaning ‘peaceful motion’ in Sanskrit, will carry just 94 guests across 47 suites, all with private terraces. Even the entry-level Deluxe Suites start at more than 65 square metres, while the 354-square-metre Aman Suite comes with its own lift, massage room and private Jacuzzi.
Elsewhere, there will be several restaurants, an Aman Spa, pools and a marina opening directly onto the water. The first voyages begin in the Mediterranean in May 2027, with itineraries designed around smaller ports, time at anchor and plenty of opportunity to actually get into the sea.
It isn’t Aman’s first experience on the water. Amandira, its beautiful 52-metre, two-masted phinisi, already sails privately through Indonesia. With just five cabins and a crew of 14, including a private chef, dive master and spa therapist, it offers private charters through Raja Ampat and Komodo – a much smaller, more adventurous counterpoint to what Amangati will bring to the Mediterranean.
We have a close relationship with Aman through our work with the brand around the world, so Amangati is one of the 2027 openings we’re watching especially closely.
What’s included?
Amangati includes much of the day-to-day experience on board: your suite and dedicated Suite Host, twice-daily housekeeping, daily laundry and pressing, personalised beverage replenishment, Starlink Wi-Fi and all onboard gratuities.
Dining includes all-day service at Alira, in-suite breakfast, light bites and the gelateria, with non-alcoholic drinks and beer included. There’s also access to the fitness studio, pools and marina, including water toys, plus the yacht’s entertainment and enrichment programme, cinema and Youth Lounge.
Select premium experiences, bespoke arrangements and other personal expenses are additional.
Journeys on our radar
Balearic Adventure – Amangati’s Inaugural Voyage
7–13 May 2027 | 6 nights | Palma de Mallorca to Nice
If you’re going to sail on Amangati, there’s something special about being there for the very first one.
The inaugural voyage begins in Palma de Mallorca, before six nights tracing the Mediterranean coast to Nice. There’s Ibiza first, followed by Barcelona, then a shift towards the smaller ports and coastal places that feel especially well suited to a yacht of this scale: Palamós for the villages and food of Girona, Marseille and the wild coastline of the Calanques, and a final day anchored off Saint-Tropez before arriving in Nice.
May is a lovely time to do it too, catching the Balearics and French Riviera just before the full summer rush. And with only 47 suites on board, this first sailing should feel suitably intimate for such a significant Aman debut.
Raja Ampat Expedition aboard Amandira
Bespoke private charter | Raja Ampat, Indonesia
At the other end of the Aman-at-sea spectrum is Amandira, a 52-metre traditional phinisi with just five cabins, available for private charter through the Indonesian archipelago.
We’d choose Raja Ampat, where the itinerary is built entirely around the people on board. Days might mean diving and kayaking through the mangroves of Yanggefo, swimming with manta rays around Arborek, climbing the limestone karsts of Wayag or crossing the Equator before an evening of stargazing from the deck. A PADI-certified dive master travels on board, and the route can be shaped around however much – or little – time you want to spend underwater.
And this is one we’d definitely extend on land. Aman has five properties across Indonesia, so we can build Amandira into a longer journey with Amandari, Amankila, Amanjiwo, Amanwana or Aman Villas at Nusa Dua before or afterwards.
Explora Journeys
Explora Journeys is closer to a traditional cruise line than Four Seasons Yachts, Corinthian or Amangati – just executed on a smaller, more polished scale. Its ships carry hundreds rather than thousands of guests, so you still get the breadth that makes cruising appealing: multiple restaurants, pools, a substantial spa, plenty happening on board and, crucially, a much wider choice of where to go.
The fleet is growing quickly. EXPLORA I, EXPLORA II and EXPLORA III are already sailing, with the latter joining the fleet in July 2026, while EXPLORA IV follows in 2027. Between them, the map stretches well beyond the Mediterranean and Caribbean, with journeys through Alaska, Northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland, Canada and New England, alongside plenty of warmer-weather routes.
On board, every accommodation is an oceanfront suite, penthouse or residence with its own terrace. The interiors are contemporary and European in feel, and there’s enough scale for a real choice of restaurants, bars, wellness spaces and quieter corners without tipping into floating-city territory. For us, that combination is Explora’s strength: more ships, more dates and a much broader map, while keeping the experience firmly within the luxury end of cruising.
What’s included?
Explora keeps the fare refreshingly comprehensive. Nine culinary experiences, including in-suite dining, are included, as are unlimited beverages across the ship, from fine wines and Champagne to premium spirits. Suites also have a welcome bottle of Champagne and a selection of wines and spirits.
Wi-Fi and gratuities are covered too, alongside access to the Ocean Wellness thermal area, fitness facilities and group wellbeing classes. Where available, Explora also provides complimentary shuttles between the port and city centre.
There are still opportunities to add to the experience — certain destination experiences, spa treatments and some specialist dining experiences come at an additional cost — but most of what you’ll want day to day is already taken care of.
Journeys on our radar
A Grand Journey through Pacific Cities, Untamed Wilderness & Glacial Wonder
3 – 21 May 2027 | 18 nights | Los Angeles to Vancouver
This is where Explora’s broader reach comes into its own. Eighteen nights aboard EXPLORA III take you from Southern California all the way to Alaska, with some great cities along the way.
You begin in Los Angeles, call at San Diego and spend an overnight in San Francisco before heading north via Victoria and Vancouver. From there, the scenery changes dramatically: Wrangell and Juneau, a full day sailing through both Endicott Arm and Tracy Arm, followed by Skagway, Sitka and Ketchikan, before crossing back into Canada for Prince Rupert and a final return to Vancouver.
We like that it isn’t Alaska in isolation. You get California, the Pacific Northwest, and some excellent food cities before the glaciers and wilderness take over – and enough days at sea to actually enjoy everything EXPLORA III has on board. For clients who want to see a lot without changing hotels every few nights, this is exactly where Explora starts to make sense.
A Grand Journey through Europe’s Fjords & North Atlantic Marvels
13 August – 25 September 2027 | 43 nights | Southampton to New York
One for the bucket list – or perhaps the trip you promise yourself you’ll take when you finally retire and can disappear for six weeks without looking at the calendar.
This 43-night Grand Journey aboard the brand-new EXPLORA IV leaves Southampton and takes the very long way to New York, calling at 27 ports across 10 countries. The first stretch covers the Norwegian fjords, Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Oslo before returning via Hamburg; then it’s north again through Belfast and the Outer Hebrides to Iceland, with an overnight in Reykjavik.
From there, it becomes a proper North Atlantic adventure. EXPLORA IV sails through Prince Christian Sound in Greenland, with stops in Paamiut and Qaqortoq, before crossing to Newfoundland and tiny Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. Quebec, the Saguenay Fjord and Nova Scotia follow, with Boston as the final stop before sailing into New York.
It’s the sort of journey that explains the appeal of travelling by ship better than almost anything else: Norway, Iceland, Greenland and eastern Canada stitched into one continuous route, without a string of flights or constant packing and unpacking. And after 43 nights, we suspect your suite on EXPLORA IV will feel very much like home.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection sits somewhere between the hotel world and private yachting. Its three yachts – Evrima, Ilma and Luminara – are small enough to access ports that larger ships can’t, but substantial enough to give you a choice of restaurants, pools, spa, water sports and plenty of space beyond your suite.
And the suites are a big part of the appeal. Every one has its own terrace, with larger categories designed more like apartments, and each comes with a dedicated Suite Ambassador. There’s a marina at water level for swimming and water sports, while dining ranges from relaxed meals outside to more ambitious tasting menus.
The fleet also covers a lot of ground. Alongside the Mediterranean and Caribbean, Ritz-Carlton is now sailing in Alaska, Asia and the South Pacific, which gives us scope to use it for much more than a week of Mediterranean island-hopping.
What’s included?
The fare covers your suite, most dining venues and 24-hour in-suite dining, alongside premium wines and spirits, Wi-Fi, onboard entertainment and enrichment, marina watersports and gratuities.
Certain speciality dining experiences, spa treatments and experiences ashore are arranged separately.
Journeys on our radar
Bangkok to Hong Kong aboard Luminara
1 December 2026 | 11 nights | Bangkok to Hong Kong
If you’re looking for somewhere warmer as December arrives, this is a very good way to disappear into Southeast Asia for 11 nights.
Luminara leaves Bangkok and works its way north towards Hong Kong, combining time in Thailand with a substantial stretch through Vietnam. There’s Koh Samui for beaches and warm water, before the journey moves into Vietnam for Ho Chi Minh City, the central coast and Hoi An and Hue, finishing further north with Hanoi and the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay. Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites fall within the same voyage, but there’s enough time on board between them for it not to feel like a race around Southeast Asia.
This sailing also coincides with Hanukkah, with Luminara marking the Festival of Lights throughout the voyage. Traditional pastries and dishes are served alongside the yacht’s usual dining, with festive evenings and performances from Broadway vocalists on board.
We’d be very tempted to add a few days at either end. In Bangkok, stay at the new Aman Nai Lert Bangkok for a very polished few days in the city, or Capella Bangkok if you’d prefer to be down on the Chao Phraya. At the other end, we’d check into Rosewood Hong Kong for a few nights overlooking Victoria Harbour.
Give it three weeks and you have Bangkok, 11 nights through Thailand and Vietnam aboard Luminara, and Hong Kong to finish. A very good use of December.
Bali to Singapore aboard Luminara
12 February 2027 | 9 nights | Bali to Singapore
Starting in Bali, Luminara spends nine nights travelling through Indonesia before finishing in Singapore, with Komodo among the headline stops. Expect those extraordinary white beaches, clear water and, of course, the dragons, alongside Lombok and Semarang for a very different look at Indonesia away from Bali.
There’s also a stop at Ta’aktana, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, where guests have exclusive access to the resort, its reefs and the terraced hills of Flores. It’s the sort of day that suits Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection especially well: off the yacht and somewhere beautiful, without necessarily heading for the obvious sightseeing circuit.
We’d arrive in Bali early and spend a few days at Amankila first – a lovely contrast to the journey ahead, with its hillside setting above the Lombok Strait and that famous three-tiered pool. Or go inland to Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan for rice terraces and the Ayung Valley before heading to the coast to board Luminara. Nine nights through Indonesia follow, with a couple of nights in Singapore at the other end if time allows.
Les Bateaux Belmond
Not every great journey on water needs an ocean.
Les Bateaux Belmond is a collection of seven beautiful barges travelling slowly through some of France’s best wine regions and countryside, from Burgundy and Champagne to Provence and the Canal du Midi. They’re intimate – generally sleeping between four and 12 guests – and can be taken privately, which is exactly how we’d be tempted to do it with family or a group of friends.
The rhythm is wonderfully French. You might wake beside a vineyard, cycle along the towpath before lunch, stop at a market or château in the afternoon and return to find dinner being prepared by your private chef. The boats travel short distances each day, so the point isn’t covering ground. It’s having the time to enjoy where you are.
Each boat has its own crew, including a chef and host, with itineraries shaped around food, wine and the region you’re passing through. And because RASK Travel is part of the Belmond Bellini Club, this is also a collection we know well and can build into a wider trip through France.
What’s included?
Once aboard, very little requires much thought. All meals and drinks are included, with menus prepared by the boat’s private chef and wines chosen to reflect the regions you’re travelling through.
The itinerary also includes a programme of private excursions and experiences ashore – perhaps vineyard visits and tastings, markets, historic estates or local producers – alongside bicycles for heading off along the towpath when you fancy exploring under your own steam.
Transfers at the beginning and end of the journey are included too, making the whole experience pleasingly easy from the moment you arrive.
Journeys on our radar
Burgundy aboard Marguerite
6 nights | Pontailler-sur-Saône to Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune | Private charter for up to 8 guests
This is less a river cruise and more your own floating villa in Burgundy. Marguerite is chartered privately for up to eight guests, with four cabins, your own crew and a private chef, so bring the family or three other couples, and the boat is entirely yours for the week.
The journey begins in Pontailler-sur-Saône and moves slowly through Burgundy towards Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune, with much of the week built around what the region does best. There’s a private lunch at Château du Clos de Vougeot, a morning at Dijon market followed by a mustard-making workshop at Edmond Fallot, and a visit to the 14th-century Château de Germolles.
Our favourite day might be Beaune. You’ll meet local chef Adeline at Fromagerie Alain Hess to choose cheeses and ingredients before heading to her atelier to cook a Burgundian lunch together, accompanied by local wines. Later in the journey, there’s more time in Beaune for its cobbled streets and wine cellars, before returning to Marguerite for one final gala dinner prepared by your private chef.
It’s Burgundy at exactly the speed we’d like to experience it: a little cycling along the towpath, a lot of very good food and wine, and your own boat waiting at the end of the day.
Provence aboard Napoléon (Open Sailing)
11 – 17 April 2027 | 6 nights | La Voulte-sur-Rhône to Avignon
If you don’t have eight friends ready to clear their diaries for Burgundy, Napoléon offers another way to experience Les Bateaux Belmond. Selected departures operate as open sailings, meaning you can reserve one or more cabins and share the boat with a small number of other guests.
This six-night journey follows the Rhône south through Provence, beginning at La Voulte-sur-Rhône and finishing in Avignon. Along the way, there’s the medieval village of Grignan, a walking tour through Viviers and the chance to swim beneath the Roman arches of the Pont du Gard.
Food and wine inevitably get plenty of attention too. The itinerary includes an excursion to Châteauneuf-du-Pape before continuing south to Les Baux-de-Provence, Arles and Avignon. Six nights aboard, all meals and drinks, the programme of excursions and transfers to and from the boat within France and Geneva are included.
We’d choose this for someone who likes the idea of Belmond’s barges but doesn’t necessarily want to charter an entire boat. You still get the private chef, dedicated crew and slow days on the water – just with a few new faces around the dinner table.
Nour El Nil
If the new generation of yachts is about bringing the world’s great hotels to sea, Nour El Nil is appealing for almost the opposite reason.
Its traditional Egyptian dahabiyas sail the Nile between Esna and Aswan, relying on the wind whenever conditions allow and carrying only a small number of guests. The boats are individually designed, with generous decks, simple but beautiful cabins and the sort of pace that makes five nights on the Nile feel like an actual journey rather than a succession of sightseeing stops.
You’ll still see some of Upper Egypt’s great archaeological sites, including Edfu, Gebel Silsileh and Kom Ombo, but Nour El Nil also stops in places where larger Nile ships simply pass by. Small villages, islands and stretches of riverbank become as much a part of the trip as the temples. Lunch might be served on deck as the boat sails, followed by a swim or walk ashore, before everyone reconvenes for dinner under the stars.
It’s intimate, uncomplicated and deeply tied to where you are. For clients who already know Egypt – or those who want to experience it without spending their entire trip moving between large hotels and cruise ships – this is how we’d do the Nile.
What’s included?
Nour El Nil keeps life aboard pleasingly simple. Your accommodation, all meals on board, excursions and site visits along the sailing route are included, with the crew taking care of the logistics as you travel south towards Aswan.
The experience is deliberately small-scale. Meals are prepared fresh each day and served communally, while excursions are woven into the journey according to the river, weather and sailing conditions rather than treating every day like a fixed timetable.
Journeys on our radar
The Nile aboard Poppee
1 – 6 February 2027 | 5 nights | Esna to Aswan
This is the classic Nour El Nil journey, aboard Poppee, one of the newer dahabiyas in the fleet. Built in 2024, it has just ten rooms and space for up to 24 guests – intimate enough that days on the Nile retain that lovely sense of travelling slowly with a small group.
You board in Esna, south of Luxor, and spend five nights sailing towards Aswan. Along the way are some of Upper Egypt’s great archaeological sites, including the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Gebel Silsileh and Kom Ombo, but the smaller moments are a large part of why we like Nour El Nil. The dahabiyas can stop beside islands, villages and stretches of riverbank inaccessible to the larger Nile ships, with the route shaped partly by the wind.
We’d make Egypt a much bigger trip around it. Start in Cairo for the pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, continue to Luxor for a few nights before boarding at Esna, then arrive in Aswan five days later. Abu Simbel can easily be added afterwards if you want to keep going.
February is a very good time to do it, too: warm, dry days without the fierce heat that arrives later in the year. Five nights under sail, ten rooms on board and Upper Egypt unfolding from the deck feels a pretty compelling way to spend the first week of February.
So, which would we choose?
The answer depends less on whether you consider yourself a ‘cruise person’ and much more on how you like to travel.
For Four Seasons regulars, its new yacht feels like the obvious place to start. The service will be familiar, the suites are exceptionally generous and those connecting configurations make it a strong option for families travelling together.
Orient Express Corinthian is the one for the theatre of it all. Those enormous sails, only 54 suites and a marina opening directly onto the water make the yacht itself as much a reason to travel as Saint-Tropez, the Greek islands or St Barth. Having sailed on board already, Jonas can also tell you exactly what it’s like.
Amangati is perhaps the launch we’re most curious about for 2027, especially for existing Aman clients. And if you’d prefer your Aman experience considerably smaller and more adventurous, charter Amandira through Raja Ampat instead.
For sheer choice, Explora Journeys wins. More ships, more departure dates and a map stretching from the Mediterranean to Alaska, Greenland and beyond make it especially useful when the destination is driving the decision.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection sits very comfortably between a hotel and a yacht, and we like it for longer journeys through Asia in particular. Les Bateaux Belmond, meanwhile, is what we’d book for a group of friends who would normally take a villa in France but would like to wake up somewhere new each morning.
And for something entirely different, there’s Nour El Nil: a traditional dahabiya, a handful of rooms and five days sailing the Nile with the wind deciding some of the pace.
The question isn’t really whether you like cruising. It’s where you want to go, who you’re travelling with and what you’d like life on the water to look like when you get there. Tell us those three things, and we’ll know where to start.
Where will you sail next?
The most exciting thing about travelling by water right now is the choice. A few days under sail in the Mediterranean, six weeks crossing the North Atlantic, a private barge through Burgundy or five nights following the Nile – these are very different holidays that happen to share the same mode of transport.
And, as ever, the journey doesn’t have to begin and end at the port. Some of our favourite ideas in this edit are the ones we’d build into something bigger: Aman in Indonesia before Amandira, Bangkok and Hong Kong around Luminara, a few days in Istanbul before Corinthian, or Cairo and Luxor before sailing the Nile.
If one of these journeys has caught your eye – or you’d like us to work out which yacht, ship or river journey suits you best – get in touch with the RASK team. We can take care of the sailing itself, the hotels on either side, flights, private transfers and everything that turns it into a much bigger trip.
