Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Sets Sail, Taking the Luxury Hotel Brand to Sea

If your go-to hotel on land is a Ritz-Carlton, why wouldn’t you want your cruise to be a Ritz-Carlton experience, too? That’s the logic behind the trend-setting Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, whose first vessel, Evrima, sailed from Barcelona to Nice on her inaugural voyage on the 15^th of October, 2022. 

 

The debut of the luxury hotel brand into the small-ship cruising space has been hotly anticipated, with the delivery of the ship delayed a number of times, including during the pandemic.  

 

In fact, even before the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection set sail, another luxury hotel company, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, announced that it, too, was launching its own small-ship luxury cruise line to carry over its distinct hotel experience from land to sea.

 

The 298-guest Evrima (Greek for ‘discovery’) is the first of three, custom-built yachts for the new cruise line. It was designed as a luxury yacht expression of the Ritz-Carlton hotel lifestyle.

 

 

Evrima’s guests in its 149 suites are served by what Ritz-Carlton says is one of the highest staff and space ratios at sea.

 

In addition to offering a high percentage of large suites, Evrima also features several two-story loft suites. All rooms feature a private terrace and floor to ceiling windows. Through a blind wall, select suites also have the option to be combined into larger, open-concept spaces, allowing for more flexibility when selecting accommodations.

 

All suites feature the luxury amenities that visitors expect from Ritz-Carlton properties around the world, including a king bed, double vanity bathroom, luxury linens, and more.

 

Travelers enjoy onboard programming and amenities, including a menu of ESPA and 111SKIN spa treatments, a sauna and steam room, watersports from the yacht's marina while at anchor, an infinity pool, a fitness studio, and more.

 

Guests can also select from a breadth of dining options including locally-inspired creations in The Evrima Room, creative interpretations of Southeast Asian Cuisine, and a sit down sushi bar at Talaat Nam, a specialty dining experience in S.E.A., designed by chef Sven Elverfeld of Aqua, the three Michelin-starred restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg.

 

Enriching entertainment on board includes intimate performances by in-house jazz and classical musicians, discussions led by renowned experts, and partnerships with local arts and music communities.

Like Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts, the small-ship is family friendly – even to the point of including

‘Ritz Kids’ programming, tailored for young guests between the ages of four and twelve, which has been crafted to appeal to children's curiosity and love for discovery, and for cruise guests, emphasizing marine conservation.

 

In each destination, guests can choose from a selection of experiences within The Shore Collection or use the services of the Concierge Ashore to customize their own private tours in true, Ritz-Carlton style.

 

On select itineraries, guests can enhance their shore experience mid-voyage through an overnight tour, an unforgettable and uniquely immersive cultural experience, before rejoining the yacht at your next destination.

 

 

In her inaugural year, Evrima visits the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. The intimate size of Evrima allows access into more exclusive ports of call, delivering yacht-style cruising in destinations such as Mykonos, Saint-Tropez, and St. Barts.

 

Anticipating how many die-hard Ritz-Carlton loyalists – not to mention fans of luxury, small-ship cruising – will want to immerse themselves in the Ritz-Carlton yachting lifestyle, the ship’s inaugural season consists of 7-10 night voyages, with no two alike, so guests can remain on board for B2B (back-to-back) itineraries that are entirely new.