The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, the new cruising arm of the upscale hotel company, on Friday said it had pushed back the debut of its 298-passenger Evrima until April 2021.
Evrima originally was scheduled to begin sailing in February of this year, but its arrival already had been delayed by four months to June 14.
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The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cited ongoing problems at Hijos de J. Barreras, the shipyard in Vigo, Spain, where Evrima has been under construction for more than a year.
All The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection voyages that had been scheduled through April 21, 2021, have been canceled.
"We sincerely apologize to all guests who were ready to sail with us," The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection CEO Douglas Prothero said in a statement sent to The Points Guy. "We remain deeply committed to ensuring a seamless delivery of the standards of quality and service that The Ritz-Carlton is known for as well as providing a highly customized, state-of-the-art build that will make our inaugural yacht the most distinctive of its kind."
As part of its announcement, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection said the majority of shareholders of Hijos de J. Barreras had agreed to hand over control of the shipyard to a newly formed company that is affiliated with the first The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection vessel's owners.
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The new entity, called Cruise Yacht Yard Co Ltd, will be led by Prothero, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's CEO.
"The new structure will ensure the timely completion of Evrima," the company said in a statement.
Hijos de J. Barreras has little experience in building an upscale cruise vessel of the type that The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection had ordered, and the construction of Evrima has been plagued by problems. Spanish websites in recent months have posted pictures of the ship in the shipyard appearing far from finished.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection said the maiden voyage of Evrima has been rescheduled for April 22, 2021. It's a sailing from Lisbon to Palma de Mallorca.
Passengers on canceled sailings can reschedule for a later date or receive a full refund. Those who made independent air and hotel arrangements will be reimbursed for any change or cancellation fees they face.
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The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection said it was in the process of reaching out to passengers on canceled voyages. Passengers and their travel agents in North America also can call the company at 833-999-7292.
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 á la carte restaurant designed by Sven Elverfeld of the three Michelin-starred Aqua in the Ritz-Carlton Wolfsburg, Germany.
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