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The first Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruise ship sets sail Oct. 15 after years of delay.
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The 623-foot “yacht” Evrima will have 149 suites to accommodate nearly 300 travelers.
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The luxury cruise market has been ‘off the charts’ as more companies continue to unveil premium cruise brands.
Ultra-luxury cruisers who have been looking forward to the delayed debut of the Ritz-Carlton’s first cruise ship can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The luxury hotel company’s first cruise ship finally sets sail on October 15 after years of delays amid COVID-19 and reports the project went $55 million over budget…
Source: Initiated
…officially bringing the Ritz-Carlton brand’s promise of luxury at sea to life.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Evrima will begin its stay at sea with a seven-day sail from Spain to France.
And it now has a slate of itineraries from 2022 to November 2024 with stops in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Central America and South America…
…including crossings from Barbados to St. Maarten, from Panama to Costa Rica, from Spain to Italy and several round trips to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
According to the new cruise brand, no two sailings will be the same, and all will last from four to 13 nights.
Source: Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
The 623-foot cruise ship – or “yacht” as Ritz-Carlton likes to describe the Evrima – will have 149 suites to accommodate nearly 300 travelers.
It’s significantly smaller than the mega cruise liners that heavy hitters like Royal Caribbean have recently built.
Source: Initiated
But its small size will allow it to access more stopovers in destinations like Greece and France, according to the Ritz-Carlton.
And it’s not like the smaller ship lacks amenities.
The Evrima will still have the typical services and facilities of cruise ships such as a spa with sauna, infinity and hot tubs, a gym with personal trainers…
…and a list of dining venues like the “SEA” designed by the chef behind the Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg’s three-star Michelin restaurant.
The Ritz-Carlton is known for its luxury and pampering, and this ship will be no different.
Cold towels offered to guests as soon as they board the ship…
… to the misting of water on the pool deck …
…at the marina which gives guests direct access to water toys while the ship is anchored…
…it’s not hard to see how the Ritz-Carlton’s upscale brand is reflected in the Evrima.
Staterooms will be just as glamorous as traditional Ritz-Carlton hotel rooms with options like a two-story penthouse and suites with private terraces.
And no matter the size, all cabins will have decks, floor-to-ceiling windows and king-size beds.
But don’t expect prices to compare to the $30-a-day cruise itineraries that have been popping up throughout 2022.
Source: Initiated
The cheapest cruise currently listed on the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection website is a five-night round-trip cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida in February 2023, starting at $4,600.
This rate then skyrockets to $15,100 for an 11-night cruise from Istanbul to Athens, although this price may increase depending on the suite.
The Evirma is only days away from departure, but it seems the Ritz-Carlton has no plans to slow the growth of its cruise arm.
In March, it announced plans to build two more “superyacht” cruise ships: Ilma and Luminara, which will sail in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
And it seems travelers aren’t getting tired of these expensive cruises: The luxury cruise market is “off the beaten path,” UBS analysts said in an Oct. 11 note, a fortuitous sign for companies like Ritz Carlton.
Source: Initiated
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection appears to be a prime example of this: its 2022 departures have only a few availabilities left, the company told Insider in a statement.
And in the longer term, his 2023 season is “reserving rather well at 60%” while his 2024 season should already exceed expectations.
The official debut of the Evirma comes shortly after Four Seasons announced its new cruise brand, Four Seasons Yachts.
Source: Initiated
Read the original article on Business Insider
