Four Seasons made its first splash on sea last Friday with the inaugural voyage of Four Seasons I from Malaga, Spain. Coinciding with the esteemed hospitality brand’s 65th anniversary, the sleek, 200-passenger vessel’s debut makes industry waves by blending the exclusivity of private yachting with the company’s signature exceptional service.

Qualities that set the Four Seasons experience apart — discerning design, premium offerings and amenities, and intuitive, attentive service — have been seamlessly translated onto the ship.

Under the creative direction of Prosper Assouline, Tillberg Design of Sweden prioritized residential-style comfort in the ship’s interiors. Almost all suites and public spaces feature floor-to-ceiling glass windows, creating an open and inviting atmosphere. The design takes inspiration from Aristotle Onassis’ iconic superyacht, Christina O, while adding its own contemporary edge.

The 95 suites also provide 50% more living space per guest than any competitor at sea. Transparent televisions offer uninterrupted views and spacious private terraces (some with their own plunge pools) beautifully blend indoor and outdoor living.

Tillberg Design of Sweden collaborated with Martin Brudnizki Design Studio to create the ship’s public spaces, which include 11 restaurants and lounges, the impressive L’Oceana Spa and a mid-century-inspired 66-foot pool that transforms into an open-air dance floor in the evenings. The communal areas share the same elegant and serene design aesthetic as the guest rooms.

Elevated taste is also evident in the onboard dining options, which feature an omakase experience, a dedicated champagne and caviar terrace, and relaxed, Mediterranean-influenced cuisine. Dining highlight Sedna will play host to a rotating list of culinary stars from some of Four Seasons’ most lauded restaurants: Christian Le Squer of Le Cinq from Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris; Luca Piscazzi of Pelagos from Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens; Guillaume Galliot of Hong Kong’s Five-Star Caprice; and Paolo Lavezzini of Five-Star Four Seasons Hotel Firenze’s Il Palagio.

With a one-to-one passenger-to-crew ratio and an intimate capacity of 200, Four Seasons I also offers the ultimate luxury — personalization. Guest preferences shape excursions, which can include experiences such as after-hours access to the Acropolis, behind-the-scenes museum tours or afternoon tea with the governor-general of Antigua and Barbuda.

For its inaugural season, Four Seasons I will set sail in the Mediterranean to destinations like St. Tropez, Bodrum, Montenegro, the Greek Isles and the Croatian coast. In its debut year, the yacht will feature 32 voyages, exploring more than 30 countries and territories throughout the Mediterranean in summer and the Caribbean and Bahamas in winter. Four Seasons, which will unveil the second in its fleet in 2027, joins a growing list of luxury hospitality brands that have embraced yachting. Last month, Ritz-Carlton’s second ship, Ilma, was the first cruise to win a Five-Star award. With Aman, Orient Express and Waldorf Astoria all set to make their debut voyages soon, the future of ultra-luxury cruising has never looked brighter.

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