DeeAna is excited about sailing on the first ship of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
She booked the Owners on the sleek, 298-passenger Evrima for a Bahamas cruise in February and can't wait to post pictures on Facebook.
She said that those posts will lead to more luxury clients booking the hotel brand's cruises. What is her proof? She booked two rooms on the Evrima after only posting that she was going on a sailing trip. Most of her clients have never been on a cruise ship.
The Ritz-Carlton yacht is providing a more personalized luxury experience for clients who want to experience cruising without all the people.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is one of a number of luxury hotel companies turning their attention to the sea.
The Four Seasons announced last month that it is launching a yacht line. Aman is building a 100 passenger yacht in a joint venture with Cruise Saudi. These ships will be launched by both hotel brands.
A common thread among the entrants is that they don't use the word "cruise" in their name, and at least two of them are trying to distance themselves from the idea.
Project Sama is creating a new category in on-the-water discovery. Is it a vacation? He said the product was similar to a private yacht. Those who are familiar with Aman will be attracted to the yacht product, he predicted.
Larry Pimentel, who was last at the helm of Azamara, was the CEO of Four Seasons Yachts when it was announced.
He said that they are not a cruise line. Whether it's the design or the way we'll go to market, there's a lot of differences. It's a mix of two designs. It takes the best of passenger shipping and the best of yachting to create a genre that doesn't exist.
The first ship of Four Seasons will cost over $4 million per person. One of the most expensive expedition cruise vessels is said to be the Crystal Endeavor, which costs just under $2 million per berths.
The space per passenger is something that sets the Four Seasons apart. The vessels of Four Seasons Yachts will hold 190 passengers and be about 33,000 gross tons.
The brand release of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection makes it clear that it is not a traditional cruise and that it is paving the way for a new era of yacht-style cruising.
Some people don't think that hotels should distance themselves from products that have been successful in the past at the sea.
Eric Goldring, a luxury specialist and the owner of Goldring Travel, said the biggest issue he sees with these brands is that they are hotels venturing into a business they don't know and would be wise to bring in seasoned cruise executives who don't.
He said it must be a cruise line first and operate with those who can do it. It's great to say, 'That'll be cool,' but you need to know it can be built and has legs over time.
According to Goldring, his clients have inquired about the sailings, including the Evrima, which just made its debut on a voyage from Barcelona to Rome. He told his clients that there was no benefit in being the first. My job is to make my clients happy.
Steve Orens, president of Plaza Travel in Woodland Hills, Calif., has booked four sailings on the Evrima, all of which have been canceled due to construction delays or Covid. He is going to sail on the ship in December and wants to experience the Ritz-Carlton's service at sea. He wants to give the line time to show how a hotel runs a ship before he gives a review.
According to Orens, cruise lines always have a hotel director on cruise ships. They will see how they can duplicate that experience at sea.
Christian Sauleau was the former executive vice president of operations for luxury brands, including Silversea Cruises, Crystal and Regent Seven Seas. The crew lives on a ship and needs a different team effort to care for them.
He said that these brands have the power of a well-known name, but they will still have to work out the bugs of their new products.
Guests will have higher expectations. He said that their expectation was the four seasons. There are some excuses for a new brand. We expect you to deliver immediately if you are the Four Seasons.
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