Four Seasons Yachts Adds Costa Rica to 2027 Routes

Four Seasons Yachts will call at Marina Papagayo and Bahía Golfito during its 2027–2028 Caribbean season, introducing Costa Rica as a scheduled port of call and expanding the program by 18 voyages and 18 destinations focused on intimate marinas and lesser-visited harbors.

Operational footprint and itinerary logistics for 2027–2028

The 2027–2028 Caribbean program is designed to optimize tender operations, overnight dockings, and anchoring profiles for small-luxury yachts. Voyages are scheduled to provide balanced run times between ports, with several sailings incorporating extended days at anchor to enable on-water activities and shore excursions. Operational highlights include:

• Calls at Marina Papagayo and Bahía Golfito to provide direct access to coastal wildlife refuges and protected ecosystems.
• Transit options including a Panama Canal passage on select trans-regional itineraries linking Central America and the Caribbean.
• Seasonal alignment of select January–February voyages to coincide with humpback whale migrations along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast.
• Pre- and post-voyage hotel stays in key embarkation/disembarkation hubs, supported by ship-to-shore transfers and curated onshore programming.

Ports and itinerary design

In addition to Costa Rica, the season will include established destinations such as Cartagena and Gustavia (St Barths). Itineraries are structured to alternate between time ashore and on-board anchorage, maximizing opportunities for:

1. Swimming and snorkeling directly from the yacht’s swim platform.
2. Water-sport activities staged from the tender and marina-side operations.
3. Evening and overnight stays that enable waterfront dining and local cultural experiences.

2027 holiday and thematic sailings

Specialty sailings for the 2027 festive season include dedicated voyages for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Planned routes visit the Lesser Antilles—Saint Lucia, Martinique, Antigua, and Nevis—for Thanksgiving and Christmas departures, while the New Year voyage contains calls in Curaçao and Colombia. These sailings emphasize celebratory shore events, enhanced provisioning, and extended marina stays to support private dining and group activities.

Fleet notes: Four Seasons I and Four Seasons II

Four Seasons I is slated for its inaugural voyage in March 2026 and features the 9,975-square-foot Funnel Suite with floor-to-ceiling curved glass modules and a transverse marina with port-to-starboard openings. The second hull, Four Seasons II, is planned to debut in 2027, offering increased capacity for the expanded Caribbean program and enabling overlapping seasonal deployments between the Mediterranean and Caribbean theaters.

Shore experiences and nature-focused programming

Voyages calling Costa Rica’s ports are being scheduled to exploit the country’s biodiversity. Guests can expect orchestrated shore and sea experiences that offer potential sightings of dolphins, sea turtles, tropical birds, and primates in coastal reserves. Curated excursions will be timed with natural cycles—most notably the winter migration of humpback whales—creating high-value wildlife viewing windows for passengers.

Market positioning and passenger experience

The expanded Caribbean season positions Four Seasons Yachts within the boutique luxury cruise niche that prioritizes high-touch hospitality, localized shore programs, and smaller-group experiences compared with mainstream cruise ships. The operational emphasis on intimate marinas and less-crowded ports allows a combination of:

• Enhanced local access for excursions and private shore events.
• Reduced berth congestion and improved tendering efficiency.
• Flexibility in itinerary modulation for weather, wildlife opportunities, and guest preferences.

Commercial implications for marinas and local economies

Port calls at smaller harbors and marinas create concentrated opportunities for local suppliers, tour operators, and artisans. Logistics teams must coordinate provisioning, customs/immigration clearances, and waste-management services at ports that may have limited infrastructure compared with larger cruise terminals. Shore-side partners in Costa Rica and across the Caribbean will likely see increased demand for:

• Specialized transport and charter tenders.
• Nature-guiding services and small-group excursion operators.
• Local culinary and hospitality partners for pre-/post-voyage stays.

Brief historical perspective and industry context

Luxury hotel brands expanding into yachting mirror a broader trend in the experiential travel market that began to accelerate in the 2010s. The move to bring well-known hospitality labels into the small-ship cruise sector was driven by demand for branded service continuity, higher staff-to-guest ratios, and immersive destination programming. Four Seasons Yachts follows this trajectory by leveraging a globally recognized hospitality brand to attract affluent travelers who seek a hybrid of hotel standards with maritime adventure.

Historically, the luxury yachting segment has shifted away from mass-port centric itineraries to itineraries prioritizing secluded anchorages, biodiverse shorelines, and bespoke experiences. The introduction of Costa Rica to a Caribbean program reflects two parallel industry dynamics: greater interest in Central American marine destinations and the operational ability of modern small-yacht platforms to access narrower, eco-sensitive ports.

Forward-looking observations

Given rising interest in wildlife-focused travel and the appeal of personalized itineraries, the expansion is likely to influence charter demand in adjacent markets. Operators of private charters and local marinas should anticipate increased inquiries for shorter-term charters and destination-focused packages that include wildlife viewing, fishing, and coastal exploration.

Practical takeaways for travelers and operators

• Book early for holiday sailings—the limited-guest format fills quickly during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year.
• Expect pre- and post-voyage hotel packages to be integral to many itineraries, particularly in Cartagena and Costa Rica.
• Operators should ensure tender logistics and naturalist-guided excursions are scalable to match demand spikes during peak migration months.

Overall, the 2027–2028 Caribbean expansion by Four Seasons Yachts underscores growing appetite for small-ship luxury voyages that combine marine access, wildlife encounters, and boutique port calls. For travelers seeking a blend of adventure and comfort—yacht charters, beach excursions, and curated shore activities will become more accessible as new routes open. For marinas, local operators, and the wider yachting supply chain, the program signals increased demand for specialized services, from provisioning and refuelling to guided fishing and eco-tours.

In summary, Four Seasons Yachts’ decision to add Costa Rica and 18 new destinations amplifies opportunities across yacht charter and boating markets, affecting marinas, shore excursion operators, and destination managers. For anyone planning a yacht or sailing charter—whether a private boat rent, superyacht retreat, or sport-fishing trip—this expansion highlights new water-based activities and scenic routes across the sea and ocean. For more on how these itinerary changes may influence yacht rental choices, captain-led charters, beach visits, marina availability, and related sale or rent offerings, visit GetBoat.com — an international marketplace for renting sailing boats and yachts, probably the best service for boat rentals to suit every taste and budget.