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Ritz-Carlton's new luxury cruise ship will sail in 2024 starting at $6,800 per person — see inside the 456-guest 'yacht'https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/ritz-carltonaposs-new-luxury-cruise-ship-will-sail-in-2024-starting-at-6800-per-person-ampmdash-see-inside-the-456-guest-aposyachtapos/slidelist/98773740.cms2023-03-19T17:28:33+05:30

Ritz-Carlton's new luxury cruise ship will sail in 2024 starting at $6,800 per person — see inside the 456-guest 'yacht'

Brittany ChangMar 19, 2023, 17:28 IST

Ritz-Carlton has opened reservations for its newest cruise vessel following the success of its first floating hotel.

But if you're looking to travel on the upcoming Ilma, you'll have to be patient.

The cruise ship — which the brand affectionately calls a "superyacht" — won't enter service until 2024.

The Ilma's pool deck will have plenty of lounge chairs for days at sea.The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

The Ilma will embark on its first six Mediterranean sailings in September 2024 starting at $6,800 per person.

These itineraries will range from 7 to 13 nights, bringing travelers to destinations like Spain's Balearic Islands with overnight stays in locations like Alexandria, Egypt.

All six of these cruises will have at least one sailing day with no port of call.

To some, this could be the most boring day of the vacation. But at least travelers will get to spend it in a 790-foot-long floating Ritz-Carlton.

The luxury vessel is no mega cruise vessel — There's no rock climbing wall, rows of waterslides, or loud mini-golf courses for bored children.

However, it does have a pool deck, a separate aft infinity pool, five restaurants, six bars, several lounges, and a spa.

If you're already familiar with the cruise line's first vessel, the 623-foot Evrima, you'll probably recognize some of the amenities aboard the upcoming Ilma.

Like its predecessor, the new vessel will have a marina with a new adjacent terrace, giving guests direct access to the water and water toys while the ship is anchored.

At most, the vessel can accommodate 456 guests with a nearly one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio.

And there's need to fear a dingy interior stateroom when aboard the ship: All of 228 of its suites will have private balconies or terraces.

These suites will range from almost 300 square feet to over 1,000 square feet, not including the balconies.

In typical Ritz-Carlton fashion, the floating hotel rooms will be decked out with luxurious amenities like bathrooms with double vanities and a complimentary bottle of Champagne.

If the hotel brand's first ship is any indication of how well this second vessel will sell, the Ilma could see plenty of success.

Inside one of five restaurants aboard the upcoming Ilma.The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

The luxury cruise market has been "off the charts," UBS analysts said in a note in October 2022. As for the Ritz cruise line itself, it's operated by the same Ritz-Carlton that operates the hotel chain, which is owned by Marriott.

The Evrima is "booking quite well" for its 2023 season while its summer Mediterranean cruises only have "limited space" left, the cruise line told Insider in October 2022.

At the time, 2024 bookings were already "pacing well and exceeding expectations."

Ritz-Carlton isn't the only hospitality brand with a new arm in the cruise market.

The Evrima has been "booking quite well," the cruise line told Insider in 2022.The Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection

Over the last year, Four Seasons, Aman, and Orient Express have all announced new ultra-luxury cruise lines as well.

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Ritz-Carlton's new luxury cruise ship will sail in 2024 starting at $6,800 per person &mdash; see inside the 456-guest 'yacht'