Plying new waters in high-sea hospitality, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company announced today that it will be unfurling an exclusive cruise line christened the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. The five-star hotel brand will launch three small, ultra-luxury ships with laid-back itineraries and spacious, open-concept design schemes that flip the traditional cruise experience on its head. The maiden vessel will pull out of the shipyard late in 2019, with bookings opening next May—marking the first time that a hotel company hits the high seas.
The Yacht Collection is a venture created by maritime experts Douglas Prothero, who was the CEO and founder of the Canadian Maritime Group, and Lars Clasen, former president of Aida Cruises. Each ship will feature 149 balcony suites and two duplex penthouse suites and two 1,442-square-foot penthouses. And every accommodation features its own private balcony and an interior aesthetic created in partnership with Tillberg Design of Sweden.
The first vessel will feature a restaurant by 3-star Michelin chef Sven Elverfeld of Aqua at The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg. Additional onboard amenities are set to include a signature Ritz-Carlton Spa, as well as a lounge and wine bar. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection—also available for private charter—will offer initial itineraries that comprise seven- to 10-day getaways to destinations in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
“The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will have a distinctive personality and the vessels are sure to be true stand outs in some of the most glamorous ports around the world,” said Herve Humler, president and COO of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, in a statement. The cruise line is targeting luxury travelers who are familiar with the Ritz-Carlton brand on land, as well as new cruisers and guests in the growing luxury and cruise markets in Asia.