Over the last several years, major luxury hotel brands like Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton have been making waves (literally) in the cruise space by introducing a series of luxury yachts to deliver the brands’ high-end service out on the seas.
While we’ll have to wait until 2025 to see the Four Seasons yachts, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection already has one ship, Evrima, sailing. The collection’s second ship, Ilma, is currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France — and now we have new renderings of the ship so would-be luxury sailors can have a taste of what the onboard experience will feel like.
Measuring in at 790 feet, the superyacht is a marriage of design by AD Associates, Aivan and DPA, and is named after the Maltese word for water. According to a statement from the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, both the interior and exterior design invite guests “to soak in the azure waters and coastlines it sails.”
Ilma’s first sailing is set to be a seven-night voyage from Monte Carlo, Monaco, to Rome on Sept. 2.
On Ilma, there are 224 suites offering floor-to-ceiling windows to watch the world sail by, private terraces to enjoy the salty sea air, marble-filled bathrooms with Diptyque amenities, espresso machines, minibars, premium Wi-Fi, a personal concierge and 24-hour in-room dining.
Restaurants on board include Tides, the main restaurant serving fresh, seasonal food inspired by the destinations visited; Seta, an Italian restaurant; Memori, a Japanese restaurant with a sushi bar; and the Peruvian beach club-inspired indoor-outdoor restaurant Beach House, designed by Toronto’s Chapi Chapo Design, which features an infinity pool.
And while days will be spent exploring beautiful destinations or lounging by the main pool on Deck 10, guests can take time to relax at the Ritz-Carlton Spa to take advantage of a sauna, steam room, 11 treatment rooms and full-service salon (and barber).
Other key features of Ilma include an observation terrace with panoramic views; a cigar lounge; a luxury boutique; the Living Room, which hosts live music and DJ events; and a gym with fitness classes, a cycle studio and other typical gym equipment.
Kids are welcome on Ilma, and there’s even a kids club that offers educational activities and good, old-fashioned fun.
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But most interestingly, as TPG’s cruise expert Gene Sloan previously reported, Ilma is set to potentially be the most spacious cruise ship ever built.
How to book
Ilma’s inaugural season will see the yacht sailing around the Mediterranean, with the first itinerary departing from Monte Carlo and stopping in popular spots like Saint-Tropez and Cannes in France and Porto Cervo and Rome in Italy, among others. Advertised fares for that seven-night sailing start at $10,300.
Fares are significantly less for future sailings, including $5,900 for a seven-night cruise from Puerto Rico to Barbados and $5,400 for a six-night round-trip sailing from Barbados.
Can you earn or use Marriott Bonvoy points?
Yes, Marriott Bonvoy members can earn 5 points per $1 spent on cruise fares as well as hotel packages at participating Marriott hotels booked through the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
Unfortunately, redeeming Bonvoy points isn’t as lucrative as one would hope; members can redeem 180,000 points for $1,000 off cruise fare, then increments of 90,000 points to get an additional $500 off.
Bonvoy elite members also get special perks, depending on status, including welcome gifts, private receptions, priority boarding, laundry and pressing, and early access to dining reservations.
Check out our full guide to the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection to learn more about elite benefits, redemptions and earnings.
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