Ritz- Carlton – The First Hotelier to Enter the Cruise Industry

The Ritz-Carlton has celebrated the keel laying of its inaugural yacht as it prepares to become the first hotelier to enter the cruise industry.

Reservations for the unnamed, 298-passenger ship will open to the public in May 2018. The ship’s inaugural season includes visits to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. They will measure 190 meters and feature 149 luxury suites to accommodate up to the passengers.

Intended to evoke the feeling you’d get on a luxurious private yacht, the ship will feature all-balcony suites, a Ritz-Carlton spa, and a restaurant by Michelin-starred Sven Elverfeld. Renderings show an infinity pool at the back of the ship and a marina platform with kayaks and a speed boat.

The brand, part of Marriott International, has secured financial backing from Oaktree Capital Management to launch The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

Douglas Prothero, managing director of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and Timothy Grisius, Marriott International’s global real estate officer, were joined by shipyard chairman José García Costas, and Fredrik Johansson, executive project director of marine architects Tillberg Design of Sweden, as the commemorative coins were unveiled and welded to the hull.

Prothero said: “The keel laying is a significant moment in the ship building process and signals that we are well on our way.”

Johansson said his “guiding principles” for all aspects of the yacht’s design have been spacious privacy and personal comfort.

He said: “The keel laying celebrates how far we have already come in the design process, and in creating the most exclusive and serene experience possible at sea.”

Reservations for the first of three yachts in this class will open in May.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection ships are also available for private charter.

Would this interest you? Could this be your next cruise? Let me know your thoughts in the comment box.