Four Seasons has carried its legendary hotel DNA to sea and its crowning jewel is the astonishing Funnel Suite aboard Four Seasons Yacht I. With sweeping curved glass, vast living space and views that stretch beyond imagination, this is not just travel, but a floating private world.
A New Era Begins at Sea
There are luxury suites, and then there are spaces that completely change the conversation. The Funnel Suite aboard the upcoming Four Seasons Yacht I belongs firmly in the second category a private residence suspended over the ocean, imagined not as a cabin but as a multi-level penthouse that simply happens to move. Due to debut in March 2026, the yacht has already completed its first sea trials off the Fincantieri shipyard in Ancona, Italy, where engineers tested stability, safety, comfort and performance across five meticulous days at sea. The results, according to Four Seasons Yachts CEO Ben Todd, delivered exactly what the team hoped for: reassurance that design ambition and technical excellence are working in harmony as the vessel enters its final chapter of preparation.
Carrying just 180 guests across 95 suites and supported by a remarkable 1:1 staff-to-guest ratio, Four Seasons Yacht I has been conceived less as a cruise ship and more as a floating residence designed for people who value privacy and thoughtful service. Following an additional round of sea trials, the yacht will make her maiden journey with a nine-night itinerary from Málaga to Malta and then gently settle into a Mediterranean rhythm before sailing toward the Caribbean and the Bahamas. And yet, despite all its features, conversations inevitably drift toward one extraordinary space: the Funnel Suite.
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The Funnel Suite: A Private World in Motion
Spanning approximately 927 square metres and wrapped in curved glass from floor to ceiling, the Funnel Suite feels like an architectural dream rendered at sea. Light enters differently here — filtered and softened, reflecting across water and sky in endless variations. Instead of enclosing guests, the design opens outward, creating the sensation that ocean and interior are part of the same continuous gesture. Multiple terraces, expansive lounge and dining areas, soaring bedroom spaces and private vantage points create a world that is both intimate and monumental. Indicative pricing places the Funnel Suite between US$320,000 and US$350,000 per week close to US$45,000 per night positioning it among the most exclusive residential accommodations available anywhere on water. And yet, for the guests drawn to it, cost is not the headline. Privacy, perspective and the privilege of inhabiting a world in motion without ever feeling exposed are the true luxuries.
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Hospitality First: Designed from the Hull Up
The yacht itself has been purpose-built for hospitality first, rather than adapted from an existing design. Everything is crafted around experience: a bespoke transverse marina allowing direct access to the sea; a generous pool deck; a spa designed not as spectacle, but as sanctuary; restaurants and lounges that reflect the Four Seasons philosophy of quiet confidence. Service is intentionally discreet — gestures anticipated without fanfare, preferences remembered, rhythms respected. Four Seasons is not attempting to mimic the cruise industry; it is redefining a smaller, more curated form of sea travel in which the journey feels like an extension of its celebrated hotels and resorts.
Hotel Brands Go to Sea
This approach isn’t emerging in isolation. Across luxury travel, hotel brands are increasingly moving from land to sea, creating floating extensions of their signature experiences. Ritz-Carlton helped pioneer the shift with the launch of Evrima in 2022, followed by Ilma and Luminara; Aman has begun translating its minimalist, soulful design language onto ocean-going vessels; Orient Express is preparing to revive maritime nostalgia through Corinthian; Waldorf Astoria is bringing its refined cadence to the Nile through river cruising. The philosophy is shared: more space, fewer guests, personalised service, calm rather than spectacle, and the ability to feel entirely at home while the scenery changes beyond the windows. Instead of chasing size, these yachts pursue rarity.
Life Onboard: Quiet, Curated, Beautifully Unrushed
Life aboard Four Seasons Yacht I follows this quieter script. Days unfold at an unforced pace mornings with coffee on the terrace, the sea spread out like silk; afternoons divided between spa rituals, the pool or stepping directly into the water from the marina; evenings shaped by refined dining and lounges that feel more like elegant hotel venues than traditional cruise spaces. Everywhere, the experience is curated but never choreographed too tightly. The ocean remains visible, audible and present, reminding guests that they are travelling — but in comfort that feels reassuringly familiar.
Looking Ahead, with Confidence
Perhaps the clearest signal of confidence in this new chapter is the fact that Four Seasons has already commissioned a second yacht, due in 2027 and scheduled to debut the following year. Demand is not speculative. Today’s luxury travellers are seeking experiences that feel personal but expansive, grounded but adventurous, elevated yet genuine. The Funnel Suite is simply the most dramatic symbol of that intention: a floating sanctuary where architecture, hospitality and landscape merge.
Standing within its wraparound glass walls, the horizon dissolving into water, the sky changing tone minute by minute the sensation must feel less like staying in a suite and more like inhabiting a moving, living observatory. It represents not just another expression of luxury, but a redefinition: one where emotion, privacy and perspective matter as deeply as design. With Four Seasons Yacht I, the brand has extended its vision beyond land without losing its soul and for those fortunate enough to experience the Funnel Suite, the ocean itself may never look quite the same again.