The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: the back story
The back story
About The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: the back story
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection sails three superyachts, Evrima, Ilma and Luminara. Every suite has a private terrace, every yacht has a Marina at the stern for watersports, and gratuities and drinks are part of the fare.
A hotel name, at sea
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection brings the service culture of a famous hotel name to the water, under licence: the yachts are operated by Cruise Yacht OpCo and Next-Gen Cruises, using The Ritz-Carlton marks. The scale is deliberately small, with nearly as many staff as guests, and the mood is what the line calls casual elegance.
Three yachts
The flagship, Evrima, named for a word of Greek origin meaning “discovery”, has just 149 suites, five restaurants and six lounges. Ilma followed with 224 suites, a large pool deck and an expansive Marina beach platform; Luminara, the newest, has 226 suites, five restaurants, seven bars and a wine vault, and what the line calls one of the highest space ratios per guest at sea.
With nearly as many staff members as guests.
The Marina
Each yacht has a Marina at the stern that opens straight onto the sea. At anchor in select ports, you swim, kayak and paddleboard from it, with the water toys included; just above, the Marina Terrace serves cocktails and light bites with a view of the horizon.
Chefs on board
The line works with three chefs it names as partners. Sven Elverfeld, of the restaurant Aqua, created S.E.A. on Evrima, a European tasting menu; Fabio Trabocchi is behind Seta Su, the Italian restaurant on Ilma and Luminara; and Michael Mina created the Pan-Latin menu of the Beach House on Ilma. The main restaurants, Asian venues such as Memorī, Talaat Nam and Haesu Bit, and the Mediterranean Mistral are included in the fare; S.E.A. and Seta Su carry an additional fee.
Where the yachts go
In winter 2026/27, Evrima sails seven-night voyages around Tahiti and Bora Bora from Papeete, Ilma cruises the Caribbean from Miami and San Juan, and Luminara sails Asia between Hong Kong, Bali, Phuket, Singapore and Tokyo. Summer brings the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, and the yachts also sail Alaska and ocean crossings.
Our advice: choose a voyage with at least one Marina Day or a day at anchor off a small island, because that is when these yachts feel most like yachts; and book S.E.A. or Seta Su early, as both need reservations.
Why it's on our list
- Three yachts, 149 to 226 suites
- Every suite with a terrace
- The Marina at the stern
- Gratuities included
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: the back story before you go.