Can you offer a super-yacht experience on a cruise ship? Ritz-Carlton thinks that they can, and put their money where their mouth is by launching three luxury cruise ships, each offering a bespoke cruise experience.
Ritz-Carlton is aiming at the niche between privately chartered luxury yachts and the more exclusive cruise experiences. Their custom-built yachts (cruise ship all of a sudden has such a mundane ring to it) will only accommodate 298 guests, in 149 luxurious suites each with their own balcony. For those who prefer even more room, there are also several duplex penthouses available.
But Ritz-Carlton realizes that this is not all that is needed to create a winning formula. Another part has a lot to do with the design of the ship. The 623-foot vessels will not look like your typical cruise ship, but have the sleek lines of a true megayacht. Looking at it alone will create the desire to travel with it. The interior matches this, with a refined interior design, featuring high-end materials and offering a lot of privacy to its guests. Flexibility is another key factor, allowing guests to spend their days the way they want to, with an abundance of options, making “no” and “not possible” words that will not come on board for the journey.
Another source for success is carrying over some of the favorite amenities of the land-based Ritz-Carlton’s such as their celebrated spas and several dining options, including one by Sven Elverfeld of 3-starred Michelin-restaurant “Aqua” located in the Ritz-Carlton in Wolfsburg.
The luxury yachts also have another benefit, and that is that they can go where most larger cruise ships cannot. Places with names like St.Tropez, Mykonos, Portofino, and St.Barths. This way they can offer their guests an experience not many others can.
The first yacht is scheduled to be delivered in 2019, with reservations opening in May 2018.
