How the Ritz-Carlton at Sea Will Avoid the Bus-Route Nature of Cruising
Photo Credit: A Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection vessel is shown in a rendering. Voyalges go on sale to the public on Monday; the first cruise is slated for early 2020. Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Skift Take
Luxury cruisers have some well-known options, but the new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection believes it can win over both fans of cruising and non-cruisers alike. Will newcomers abandon land to check out how Ritz-Carlton translates to sea?
Cruise executives are fond of saying they don't consider each other competition. Rather, they insist, they are fighting for customers who can choose from experiences on land like all-inclusive resorts, boutique hotels, or luxury properties.
One of the newest cruise lines in the industry, still in startup mode, is seeking success through its affiliation with a luxury hotel brand. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is banking on name recognition and reputation to reach customers — including those who have never before taken a cruise.
Called "cruising yachts" by the company, the fleet of three ships will each have 149 suites, accommodating up to 298 passengers. The first vessel is scheduled to be delivered in late 2019, with its first sailing built around the 2020 Super Bowl in Miami.
Financial details about the line, which was announced in June, 2017, have been kept under wraps. The hotel company said the brand was "created by the Ritz-Carlton and maritime expert Douglas Prot
