While I was in the South of France this summer, a travel advisor friend alerted me that the new Orient Express Corinthian would be stopping in Marseille. Would I like to come aboard for a couple of days as a plus-one? Never one to say no to a party on a yacht, I rearranged my schedule.

I’d been curious about the ship ever since I first heard that Orient Express, a French-owned brand that caused a sensation with its luxury La Dolce Vita train in Italy, had decided to take to the seas. The result is an (almost) unqualified success: a 721-foot sailing yacht with just 54 suites, decked out in the style of the golden age of ocean travel. Sumptuous fabrics, polished wood and gleaming brass accents hark back to the elegant liners of yore, while seamlessly integrated high-tech touches bring the ship firmly into the 21st century.

The day of embarkation, we found ourselves stepping out of a chauffeured Maybach at the port. After a swift check-in process, a butler showed us to our Suite Panoramique, an entry-level cabin with an impressive 506 square feet of space. Even with a king bed, a massive desk with a hidden TV and a small seating area in front of the wide windows, there was plenty of space. Though the dazzling marble bath lacked a tub, I appreciated its two sinks and spacious shower.