The Ritz-Carlton have announced they’ll dive into luxury cruising with three lavish super-yachts. Known as The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, they’ll take discerning travellers to some of the worlds most intimate and sophisticated ports.
The luxury hotel brand has teamed up with maritime experts Douglas Prothero and Lars Clasen for the project. They tell us they hope to bring their award-winning service and timeless style to sea.
The marina at the stern of the vessel.
Herve Humler, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company said, “This unique combination of yachting and cruising will usher in a new way of luxury travel for guests seeking to discover the world in a relaxed, casually elegant and comfortable atmosphere with the highest level of personalized service.”
While other luxury cruise lines like Seabourn and Silversea have grown the size of their vessels up to 600-guests, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will be different. Each yacht will measure just 190 m. / 633 ft. long and accommodate a maximum of 298 guests. And every one of the 149 suites will boast its own private balcony. The yachts will also feature two opulent 138 sq. m. / 1485 sq. ft. duplex penthouse suites.
The opulent Owners Suite with sweeping ocean views.
The first ship is due in the fourth quarter of 2019 and voyages will range from seven to ten days, cruising the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. Smaller definitely means better for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection with the intimate sized vessel able to call at unique locations not accessible to larger cruise ships.
Ritz-Carlton say the onboard experience will reflect the comfort and unparalleled level of individualised service for which the brand is renowned. Among the highlights will be a restaurant by Sven Elverfeld who runs Aqua, the three Michelin-starred restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Wolfsburg, and a signature Ritz-Carlton Spa.
The rear-facing bar on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is reminiscent of that on Ponant ships.
The Ritz-Carlton’s foray into cruising is by no means a first for diversification in the industry. Crystal Cruises already offer a unique pairing of luxury cruising and air travel in their own branded aircraft. We’re sure The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will make an equally seamless guest experience across the brand’s up-scale hotels.
Reservations for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will open in May 2018. The ships of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection are also available for private charter. For more information, please visit www.ritzcarlton.com/en/yachts.
About the Author: Jason Kerr
Another cruise delay and this time for 7 months. Too bad they can’t seem to get the ship built and mgmt continues to hide behind Covid safety practices. Be honest and be fair to your customers! Certainly not fitting with the Ritz brand!