The new Ritz-Carlton cruise ship debut just got pushed back — again
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Is The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection‘s first vessel ever going to debut? Forgive us, but we’re starting to wonder.
The new cruising arm of luxury hotel chain Ritz-Carlton on Wednesday said it had pushed back the debut of its much-awaited, 298-passenger Evrima for a fourth time — from July until November.
The company blamed COVID-19-related travel restrictions and regulations in Europe, where the ship was scheduled to sail over the summer.
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“While we remain excited by the promise of future travel, given the unpredictable environment created by existing restrictions and the inability to safely gather our [crew] at this time, we have made the difficult decision to forgo our 2021 Mediterranean season,” The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection CEO Douglas Prothero said in a statement sent to TPG. “We look forward to welcoming guests on board Evrima in the Caribbean this fall.”
Evrima originally was scheduled to begin sailing more than a year ago — in February of 2020. But problems at Hijos de J. Barreras, the shipyard in Vigo, Spain, where Evrima has been under construction for three years — led to two significant delays in its debut last year that initially pushed back its arrival by 14 months.
A third, three-month delay announced in January was — like the current delay — blamed on the coronavirus pandemic.
The new four-month delay means the debut of Evrima is now 21 months behind schedule.
As a result of the latest delay, all Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection voyages that had been scheduled through early November have been canceled.
The ship’s inaugural voyage is now scheduled for Nov. 10. It’ll be a seven-night trip from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Castries, St. Lucia, that will include stops at the islands of St. Martin, St. Kitts, Guadeloupe and Martinique.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection on Wednesday said passengers on canceled sailings can reschedule their voyages for a later date or contact the line to discuss reimbursement options.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has been touting Evrima as an upscale, yacht-like vessel that will appeal to Ritz-Carlton regulars with an elegant, residential look. The company is promising spacious cabins, a stylish spa and lots of deck-top lounge space for sunning, plus five separate restaurants. The dining venues, notably, will include an à la carte restaurant designed by Sven Elverfeld of the three Michelin-starred Aqua in the Ritz-Carlton Wolfsburg, Germany.
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Featured image of courtesy of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
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