After years of delays, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection turns to experienced shipyard for 2 new ships
The new cruise line under development by Ritz-Carlton on Thursday announced it had ordered two more new ships -- even as it continues a multiyear struggle to bring out its first vessel.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection said in a press release that it had contracted with the giant Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, for the construction of two 456-passenger "superyachts" to be delivered in 2024 and 2025. The ships will be called Ilma and Luminara.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection said the deal with Chantiers de l'Atlantique also included options for additional vessels.
The announcement comes just weeks after The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection pushed back the debut of its first vessel, the 298-passenger Evrima, by three months to Aug. 6. It was the sixth time that the company had pushed back the debut of Evrima, which originally was due to begin sailing in early 2020.
The arrival of Evrima is now 30 months behind schedule.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection originally ordered Evrima in 2017 from a shipyard in Vigo, Spain – Hijos de J. Barreras – that had no experience building luxury cruise vessels. Hijos de J. Barreras got its start building fishing vessels, which was its specialty for many years, and it has built ferries, container ships and other specialized vessels in the past.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection later blamed troubles at the shipyard for many of the delays in Evrima's construction. The vessel, still unfinished, was moved several months ago to a second shipyard facility in Santander, Spain, that specializes in ship conversions and repair projects.
The new shipyard that The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will be using for its next ships, Chantiers de l'Atlantique, is one of the world's best-known cruise ship builders, with a history in passenger ship construction that goes back decades.
In the 1960s, Chantiers de l'Atlantique built the SS France, one of the most famous ocean liners of the 20th century. In more recent years, it has manufactured a long list of vessels for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises and other major cruise lines.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection on Thursday said the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard would carry out all production and development of the two new vessels.
“We are thrilled to work with Chantiers de l’Atlantique on the development of our second and third
superyachts, Ilma and Luminara,” The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection CEO Douglas Prothero said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “They are a likeminded organization that is committed to excellence and a custom quality process and program that will help execute our vision as we thoughtfully expand our portfolio.”
A spokesperson for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection told TPG that Evrima will continue to be finished at the shipyard where it currently resides, the Astander shipyard in Santander, Spain.
As of Thursday, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection still contends that Evrima will debut in August.
The two new ships on order will be significantly bigger than Evrima at 46,750 gross register tons. Evrima will measure about 24,000 gross register tons. The new ships will be 794 feet long as compared to 623 feet long for Evrima.
As part of its Thursday announcement, the company said the two new ships would feature the highest space-to-passenger ratio and the highest staff-to-passenger ratio of any luxury vessels in the cruise industry.
Both of the new vessels will be all-suite ships, with 228 suites in all, according to the line. The biggest suites on the ship will measure 1,076 square feet.
The new ships are set to have five restaurants, six bars, a wine vault, a marina and a spa.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection said the new vessels would operate in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, but specific itineraries weren't announced. Passengers will be able to book 2024 sailings on the first of the two vessels this fall.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.