Largest sailing ships by capacity

As of 2026-10-12, Golden Horizon tops the list with 272 seats.

1. #1 Golden Horizon — 272 seats

   5-masted French sailing ship

   SV Golden Horizon is a steel-hulled five-masted barque rigged tall ship which is intended to serve as a cruise ship, but has almost never seen active service. Originally named Flying Clipper, the luxury vessel was designed by Polish naval architect Zygmunt Choreń, for Star Clippers Ltd. of Sweden, and built by the Brodosplit Shipyard in Split, Croatia. She is the largest sailing ship ever launched. Her design was based on France II, a famous French five-mast cargo windjammer built in 1911. Read more on Wikipedia.

   Wikidata
2. #2 Royal Clipper — 227 seats

   ship built in 2000

   Royal Clipper is a steel-hulled five-masted fully rigged tall ship used as a cruise ship. She was redesigned by Robert McFarlane of McFarlane ShipDesign, for Star Clippers Ltd. of Sweden, the same designer behind the cruise company's first two vessels Star Clipper and Star Flyer. Read more on Wikipedia.

   Wikidata
3. #3 Star Flyer — 170 seats

   Four-masted barquentine built in 1991

   Star Flyer is a four masted barquentine built as a cruise ship, and operated by Star Clippers Ltd of Sweden. A luxury vessel, Star Flyer is a sister ship to Star Clipper. Both sailed under the Luxembourg flag until 2010, and now sail under the Maltese flag. Read more on Wikipedia.

   Wikidata
4. #4 Wind Song — 159 seats

   4-masted motor sailing yacht used as a cruise ship

   Wind Song was a 4-masted motor sailing yacht used as a cruise ship by Windstar Cruises from 1987 until 2002, when the ship suffered an engine room fire. Read more on Wikipedia.

   Wikidata
5. #5 Orient Express Corinthian — 110 seats

   largest sailing cruise ship built 2025-2026

   Orient Express Corinthian is a Silenseas-class cruise ship constructed at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France. Orient Express Corinthian is the largest sailing ship in the world and is operated by Orient Express, a subsidiary of Accor in partnership with LVMH. Read more on Wikipedia.

   Wikidata
6. #6 Desire — 80 seats

   ship sailed by 16th-century explorers Thomas Cavendish and John Davis

   Desire was the 120 ton flagship Thomas Cavendish built for his highly successful 1586–1588 circumnavigation of the globe. Desire was only the third ship to circumnavigate the globe after Victoria of Ferdinand Magellan and Golden Hind of Francis Drake. After this expedition Cavendish was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I of England who was invited to a dinner aboard Desire. Read more on Wikipedia.

   Wikidata
7. #7 Ópal — 60 seats

   ship launched in 1951

   source Wikidata
8. #8 LASHA — 26 seats

   52.5-metre wooden phinisi sailing vessel operating in Komodo National Park, Indonesia

   source Wikidata
9. #9 Naturalia — 24 seats

   33-metre wooden phinisi sailing vessel operating in Komodo National Park, Indonesia

   source Wikidata
10. #10 Elbark — 21 seats

    37-metre wooden phinisi sailing vessel operating in Komodo National Park, Indonesia

    source Wikidata