I Tried an Ultra Luxury Orient Express Cruise

Today I'm taking this ultra-luxury Orient Express cruise for the next four days. I'll show you exactly what it's like to live on board the world's largest sailing vessel. From its opulent suites, to replica train carriages, to the fine dining in the multiple restaurants and first class facilities. Will it all be smooth sailing though, with bizarre opening hours, sun lounger hogging and restaurants struggling to meet demand? Let's pick up our story then on the island of Malta. Well hello there and welcome back to the channel. You join me here in Valletta where our adventure on the Orient Express yacht begins. We've been staying at the iconic Venetia Malta, nestled on the hillside overlooking the city. Incidentally it's also the check-in location for our cruise, over in the hotel's famous club bar. The formalities are brief and within moments our bags are whisked away and we're invited to hop into our private transfer over to the port. Both pre and post private cruise transfers are included with our voyage. It's just a five minute drive to the cruise terminal. I say cruise terminal, but what in the ultra luxury world is going on here? There isn't another passenger in sight. After a brief document check, I'm handed my cruise pass. Next we're escorted through security, which again is just for us. It feels quite surreal walking out of the terminal to see the MSC World Europa towering over the harbour and it's at this point that I finally catch sight of our ship, Orient Express Corinthian, measuring an incredible 721 feet in length. I'm not sure about you, but I'm eager to get on board and see what she's really like. We're warmly welcomed and offered an ice-cold Ghislaine scented towel. So we're currently here on deck three, but we need to head up three decks to our apartment on deck six and I'm not kidding, an apartment. On the way we're introduced to our butler, Clayton, who shows us this rather charming illuminated deck plan. Simply press your suite number and its location lights up. It feels like something you might have found on board one of the great ocean liners of years gone by. Here we are then, 618. Well I'm very happy to welcome you on board the Orient Express yacht, but most importantly welcome back to the channel Millie. I'm back. How are you Millie? Yeah good thank you, just taking it all in. It is quite spectacular isn't it? This is very much unlike any ship we've ever been on before. Should we take a look around? Yeah let's do it. So this is the apartment superior and it's truly expansive, measuring a total of 1109 square feet. We'll begin here in the living room where there's a chaise longue style sofa, displaying some branded welcome gifts. Over on the coffee table we have fresh flowers alongside a selection of sweet treats. There's also a pop-up tv which seems to have a mind of its own. So now you join me in our small dining area, where of course you can order room service 24-7. Breakfast is also served in your room between 7 and 10. And then I've got a welcome bottle of champagne, a 2015 Verve Clicquot. Looks fantastic and that's actually what's served across the ship at no charge whatsoever. What's also quite refreshing, talking of no charges, is that there are no prices on anything because it's all included. Unlike what we experienced on the Four Seasons yacht, but more on that in a minute. Adjacent to the dining table we have our daily program, a welcome letter from the general manager and even a pair of Swarovski binoculars. Moving on to the mini bar, there's a kettle, an espresso machine and a selection of snacks. Inside you'll find even more sweet treats. There's also a fridge stocked with chilled soft drinks and beer. And what would an apartment be without a bedroom? And this is quite an impressive one. I think what stands out the most to me is the fact this doesn't feel like a cruise ship room. I mean can we even use the word cruise ship at this point? The attention to detail on every finish is remarkable. It's clear that no expense was spared by French architect Maxime Donjacq. As for wardrobe space, there are his and her wardrobes positioned opposite one another. With plenty of hangers, a clothes steamer, some wonderfully squashy slippers, oh and by the way same day laundry and pressing are both included. As for the bathroom, it's teeming with Italian marble and oozes class and old world charm. Oh and the bespoke D'Orsay amenities smell absolutely amazing. But where's the toilet? Well it's located separately from the main bathroom and once again it's beautifully clad in marble. It shouldn't be too long now before we set sail. And as the gangway retracts into the belly of the ship, it's clear that our departure is imminent. As the letter begins to slip away behind us, the yacht's enormous sails are raised. I mean where do we even begin? That was the most spectacular sail away I've ever experienced. But anyway, as the sun begins to set and Malta is behind us, we need to start thinking about dinner. And dinner on board, well it's quite a fancy and extensive affair. As I get changed, where exactly are we heading first? Well for the next couple of days, we'll sail around 300 miles across the Mediterranean, firstly to Italy. But for now, let's explore more of the ship, starting here on Deck 6. I want to try every venue during this voyage, so let's begin in Letteras. We're lucky to get in as this is the last table for two, thanks to a few large families dining on board. On that note, it isn't possible to reserve a table here, which as you'll see in a moment, does create a few issues. The menu this evening is most impressive. I'm not sure whether it changes each day, but there's certainly enough variety for a multi-day voyage. I've asked to see the wine list and I'm rather surprised to be handed one with prices. It causes quite a bit of confusion, but eventually a member of staff produces the list of included wines. I've gone for the included Verve Clicquot, while Millie orders a cocktail. That doesn't appear to be materialising though. In the meantime, some freshly baked bread is served. Shortly afterwards, our appetisers arrive. I've gone for the Iberian Bellotta Ham with tomato bread, while Millie has the smoked salmon with homemade blinis and sour cream. Both are excellent. Then halfway through, Millie's Margherita finally arrives. Surely it shouldn't take quite this long. Now for our main course. We both choose the Blue Lobster, served with ginger butter and sides of sautéed vegetables and mashed potatoes. I can confirm it's phenomenal. Of course, we have to sample dessert. Millie orders the Tiramisu, whilst I go for the cheesecake with mixed berries. Once again, fabulous. For our post-dinner drinks, we're heading to the venue I've been most intrigued by, Le Wagon Bar, modelled after the bar car of the Orient Express train. As we enter, we're greeted by a rather confused looking member of the maintenance team. Is that a sign of things to come? Anyway, the bar itself looks stunning, but it's also completely deserted. We ask whether we can order a cocktail, only to be told the bar doesn't open until 11.30pm. It's currently 10pm. Now, I might not be as young as I used to be, but surely that's a rather wild opening time. Unfortunately, no one can serve us, so it's back to our apartment we go. Welcome back to our suite. We've just come back from an interesting evening. Will, what did you think? Yeah, I thought the food was actually really, really good. Yeah, it was good to be fair, it really was. The service was a little mixed, a few teething issues, but we'll see how it goes from here, won't we? Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing how the next few days go, definitely. We remain optimistic, but before turning in, let's place our room service breakfast order. You simply fill in the card and leave it outside your door before retiring. For now, I'm pretty tired, so I'll say goodnight. Good morning. I slept incredibly well. It's time for breakfast out on our terrace. We've ordered a selection of pastries, some more Iberian ham, and our French press coffee. Our terrace itself is fantastic, with plenty of comfortable seating, which comes from Loro Piana, and costs around 30 grand apiece. Wow! As for the hot breakfast, I'm pleased to see it arrives hotel style in a heated trolley. Millie has scrambled eggs with a hash brown and spinach, whilst I've gone for the classic eggs benedict. So I think the best place to start has got to be on the very top deck. We've got to carry on up here to deck seven, to a place called the Fly Bridge, or Le Fly Bridge. So let's continue up here. It's only open at certain times throughout the day, but it is open now. Let's go and see what it's like. Before we explore more of the Orient Express yacht, let me tell you how I no longer need to worry about my personal data being bought and sold online. And that's all down to today's video sponsor, Incogni. They search online for your private data, and within minutes, find where your data appears, and have it removed instantly. When you do pretty much anything online, it's fair to say your data is probably out there somewhere. Data brokers collect this information and charge companies a hefty fee to access your data. In the US, there's a massive number of sites where people can pay to access your name, address, social security number, and even your financial information. Incogni puts an end to this problem. So whenever a new record pops up, they take care of it for me automatically. Not only giving me peace of mind, but respite from junk mail and junk calls. What's more, their unlimited plan offers the highest level of protection, unlocking an unlimited number of removal requests. Try Googling yourself and you'll be shocked how many sites publicly share your private information. Incogni's custom removals can put a stop to that. Simply point them to where your data is being exposed, and their privacy experts will handle the rest. Incogni are giving you a 60% discount when you use my promo code TREKTRENDY at incogni.com forward slash TREKTRENDY. Welcome to the Fly Bridge. This is something else, isn't it? The fact that we can see the three sails, which are currently powering us right now, because we're under wind power. It's also very quiet up here. The ship I've been told is at 60% occupancy. I do find the opening hours for this area rather confusing. According to the daily program, it closes at 11.30am and doesn't reopen until 5.30pm. That in turn creates another issue, which I'll show you when we visit the other pool deck. There's also a rather special space hidden down these stairs, a 54 foot lap pool. That's incredible in itself, but I can't help feeling that it's a little claustrophobic down here. Wouldn't it make more sense to have the pool up on the open deck next to the sun loungers? True to its name, the Fly Bridge does feature an upper helm, although I'm not entirely sure when it's actually used. Still, at least I can technically live out my Jack Sparrow dreams. Now let's head down, because I've just discovered that we can access the very front of the ship. Well, here we are then. The forward most deck. This is almost unheard of in the cruise industry, aside from Alaska sailings and of course, Disney ships. This is open all the time, which is great. Of course, weather dependent, but today the only thing that would stop spending a lot of time out here is the heat. It is so warm. Behind me, you've probably already noticed the navigational bridge. I'm hoping we're going to get a chance to have a look and meet the captain. But for now, let's explore out here before I need to get back in the AC. Now let's catch up with Millie, who's down in La Bibliothèque. With more than 1500 books, this library should be the perfect place to relax with a late morning coffee. There's plenty of comfortable seating and much like the Fly Bridge, it's completely deserted. As we settle in, look through the menu and attempt to place an order, a member of staff informs us that drinks aren't available here until 2.30pm. This is becoming a reoccurring theme. Several of these beautiful spaces have surprisingly limited opening hours. It shouldn't be this difficult to find somewhere to sit and order a drink. We decide to head up to Deck 5 and try La Piscine. We're proactively greeted by a member of staff and shown to a table. La Piscine is divided between this indoor space and the aft pool deck. It appears this is where everyone has flocked. What surprises me most however, is the smell of cigarette smoke. The area directly behind the pool appears to be the designated smoking area, which to me is a rather wild decision. Back inside, my espresso and Millie's tea have arrived. Next up, lunch. Our butler has recommended the ship's raw seafood and champagne bar. Once again, reservations aren't possible, which does make securing a table rather difficult. We also ended up waiting around 40 minutes and I can't help feeling that some form of reservation system would be beneficial. Once seated, I'm offered a chilled glass of Le Grand Darm and presented with today's menu. The only apparent upcharge is for the caviar, which is perhaps to be expected. The chef starts us off with fresh bread and butter. Just as we're asked to move to another table to accommodate a party of four. Our first course is a selection of freshly shucked oysters. At this point we hear several more guests being turned away. It's clearly an oversubscribed venue. Next comes a delicious tuna tataki. I love that you don't order each dish individually, instead they arrive gradually throughout the experience. We then move on to the seasoned langoustine, followed by the grand smoked fish tasting platter. It's been a fantastic experience, although you most certainly need to enjoy seafood. So back at our suite now and enjoying an ice cold glass of DC. And on that note, it's really interesting to see the personalisation here. They have researched in what I enjoy, what Milly and I enjoy, and filled our fridge with Diet Coke. It may have been a small gesture, but I really value this attention to detail. Now I have just asked whether it's possible to take a look around one of the empty suites. Now you know, as I say, that the ship is at 60% occupancy and on the off chance that one of the real high-end suites is empty, I'd love to have a look at it. Well it turns out one of them is. Clayton has arranged for us to take a peek. We can even go up to the suite deck via the private elevator. Okay then, welcome to one of the best suites on board, Melton. I dread to think the cost of this per week. I will find out and let you know. We've got a few minutes, let's take a look around. From a dining area to one of the most extensive balconies I've ever seen at sea. I would worry about the proximity of this to the flybridge, but as we saw already, it's often deserted. And back inside, there are two bedrooms to have a look at, but technically three. The secondary bedroom and of course the primary, featuring this stunning teak decked bathroom. But the most impressive feature has to be this, a replica cabin from the original Orient Express train. Thankfully there's also an adjoining toilet, so there's no need to use a chamber pot. Another perk of these speciality suites is to access this private soundproof dining room, situated directly beneath one of the masts. And if you're traveling with your own butler or bodyguard, separate staff quarters are also available. I think that gives you some indication of the price point of these suites. It's that time again and we have some very special plans this evening. Tonight's restaurant is the only upchargeable dining venue on board and notably the only one that accepts reservations. It's backed by chef Yannick Aleno. The menu and overall experience are designed to reflect his three Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris and at 400 euros a person, expectations are understandably high. To begin proceedings, a champagne trolley is wheeled over. The six-course tasting menu includes a paired wine flight, although you can upgrade to the premium pairing for an additional 500 euros per person, which I really don't think is worth it. As our table is set and we're furnished with fresh bread, our first course arrives, featuring a variety of beautifully presented fruits and vegetables. This is followed by one of the most creative dishes I've seen in quite some time. Its secret is only revealed when we cut into the brioche. Now for our duo of main courses. First, the grilled blue lobster, which is exquisite. The clue to our next course is this rather special steak knife, crafted using material from historic Orient Express carriage 2761. And here it is, A4 Wagyu beef, beautifully cooked medium rare. We both agree this is one of the best steaks we've ever tasted, top marks. We're offered a cheese course, which we both decline on this occasion. To finish, we have the sugar-free meringue with a vinegar veil. It sounds unusual, but somehow works incredibly well. Overall, this was a true fine dining experience with plenty of wow factor. Though we're 800 euros for two, it's unquestionably a splurge. Oh, and the service throughout was impeccable. After such a special dinner, we're heading down to deck four to find the ship's hidden speakeasy. The secretive space is access for a mirror inside the barbershop. But what makes this stand out even more for me is the selection of drinks on offer. The cocktails are all included, although you can venture off-piste with some particularly rare vintage spirits. That includes these Macallan whiskeys, which we're told are valued at close to $60,000. The staff are also fabulous and really add to the experience, tailoring cocktails to our taste and providing some great conversation. Feeling a little merry at this point, we decide to see whether Le Wagon Bar is actually open. And my word, it is. A few more people slowly begin to arrive, but the bar never really develops much of an atmosphere. The bigger issue is the complete lack of music, as we're told that the DJ isn't even on this sailing. DJ Milly does briefly take to the decks though. Good morning and welcome to Italy. Before heading ashore to explore, I want to visit La Marina, which is deployed once during the voyage, weather permitting. Our butler escorts us down for its 11am opening, as I'm keen to see the space before it becomes too crowded. That appears to have been wishful thinking though, because it's already packed, with every sun lounger occupied. Strange. Anyway, let's grab a drink and get our bearings. That's quickly taken care of by the spectacular looking Marina Bar. It appears that one large family was given earlier access and had already claimed all the sun loungers before heading into the sea. The facilities themselves are impressive, with a wide selection of water toys available to enjoy at no additional charge. Anyway, let's head ashore for a couple of hours. For reference, Orient Express seems to include one excursion per destination. But given its length, Milly and I have decided to explore independently. Everyone heading ashore needs to take one of these tenders. The journey is well organised and comfortable, particularly with so few guests using them. Welcome to Otranto, a beautiful fortified town on Italy's Andriatic coast. It's lovely to enjoy a stroll on dry land, and of course stop for some freshly baked ciabatta. Now let's return to the Orient Express yacht and make our way to the spa. The spa is operated in partnership with Galane and is the brand's first spa at sea. The spa manager invites us into the lounge, where we complete our pre-treatment questionnaire and are offered chilled scented towels and refreshments. Then it's through for our couples massage. And after the treatment, we're able to make use of the impressive thermal facilities. Well, that was most relaxing. But now we must continue because there's more to see on board this ship, would you believe? We'll begin in the cinema, a wonderfully atmospheric space. Another highlight is La Studio, which I presume is intended for visiting musicians, or indeed any guests who fancy practising their favourite instrument. Lastly, here on the same deck, we have the theatre, which if I'm honest, leaves me feeling a little underwhelmed. Personally, I much prefer what Four Seasons created for their theatre on board FS1. With our sails currently being raised, it signals our departure from Italy, bound for our next destination. To make the most out of our sail away, Millie and I have headed up to the Flybridge for a sundowner. Next up, dinner, and tonight we're trying another new venue on Deck 6. We've been warned several times that a large family would be dining here and we're encouraged to choose another restaurant. If anything, that only makes me more intrigued. How has a large group reserved the venue when reservations apparently aren't possible? Why are they so keen for us to dine elsewhere? The menu is predominantly Italian, with a strong focus on seafood. Very fitting, given where we've just been today. Millie has her Paloma, while I enjoy another glass of that delicious Veuve Clicquot. Fresh bread is served alongside a selection of cold cuts. Before our pasta course arrives, Millie chooses the Lobster Casarecce, while I have the spaghetti with caviar, of course. For our main courses, we both choose the Lobster. It's a relatively small dish, but the perfect size after all that pasta. To finish, we have yet more pasta, this time for dessert. It's a flambéed pasta Suzette, but somehow it works incredibly well. And just to be clear, the family were absolutely fine. There were no issues whatsoever. The mystery continues. Good morning from Croatia. We've arrived in Dubrovnik. As we prepare to disembark, let's discuss the cost and share my final thoughts. From a hardware perspective, the ship is on another level. The ability to travel under sail, combined with the heritage of the Orient Express brand, creates something truly unique and magical. The crew have overall been brilliant, especially our butler Clayton. There are, however, a few areas that need addressing. The confusing opening hours across the ship, the inconsistent approach to restaurant reservations, and lastly, the cost. This is the most expensive cruise per night I've ever taken, coming to a grand total of €27,000. Oh, and that speciality suite we looked around. That'll be €72,500 for this three-night sailing. Thank you so much for watching. Do let me know what you think of the experience in the comments below, and I'll catch you all again next time.