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We booked an excursion to the Virgin Gorda Beach Baths where we traversed the caves made by massive granite boulders forming ‘baths’ between two beautiful beaches. The seas were rough with red flags warnings so there was no swimming. Back on the yacht it was too rough for the Marina to open up. Afterwards we took a few steps out onto the beach where the restaurant has a secondary bar and rows of chaise lounges. We wandered up and down the beach before returning to the yacht. Our adventure included a leisurely 3-course lunch at Amis, the hotel’s French-Mediterranean restaurant.
Cruising on large ships and covid
Although Evrima currently stands as Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's sole vessel in the fleet, the company has announced the introduction of two new yachts. Ilma is set to arrive in 2024 and will be a larger ship, with capacity for 456 guests. In 2025, the luxury line will welcome Luminara, which is expected to be similar to sister ship Ilma.
Story Loft Suites
Upon further investigation it appears this is a brand specifically for cruise ships and yachts. Speaking of Frette, the yachts bathrobes are the softest and coziest I’ve ever experienced. Evrima set sail in October 2022 under the direction of Captain Kevin Falconer of Scotland (currently residing in Kansas City, when not captaining the yacht.). Finally, give a sentence or two on why the cruise is worth booking. There's no denying the 623-foot, 300-guest ship is still something of a playground—you could fit three mega yachts (which start at about 60 meters) on the length of Evrima. It’s perfect for those who dream of a Below Deck-style getaway with enough space to make new friends.
When will The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection debut its first ship?
Themed voyages in 2022 included Christmas Cruise (Dec 25 in Roseau Dominica), New Years Eve Cruise (Dec 31 in Saint Barthelemy Island), Casablanca overnight (tour to Marrakesh Morocco), Monaco Grand Prix 2022 (Circuit de Monaco). Evrima's MAIDEN VOYAGE is currently scheduled for August 6, 2022. The 7-day itinerary is from Piraeus-Athens to Chioggia-Venice, visiting Greece (Parga, Kerkyra-Corfu Island), Croatia (Dubrovnik/overnight, Korcula, Rovinj), Slovenia (Koper) and Chioggia (overnight). Follows the complete list of Ritz-Carlton Evrima ship lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.
The executive added that about 75% of their passengers are in fact new to cruise, and many are loyal to the Ritz-Carlton brand, which is why Evrima features such strong links to the brand's onshore properties. Guests will be able to partake in intimate shore excursions in each destination, these tours will be part of Ritz-Carlton’s Shore Collection. The ship will also have specific concierge onboard to help guests plan their independent outings in each port of call, by the name of ‘Concierge Ashore’.
Most of the sailings will range from 7 to 10 days, to start. Scenic launches Scenic Eclipse II next year, while sister company Emerald Cruises has had terrific reviews for its own superyacht, Emerald Azzurra, pitched at a much lower price point than Evrima but oozing yachting chic nonetheless. SeaDream Yacht Club has revamped both its small ships, while Four Seasons will be entering the fray in 2025. So, there’s competition out there, although Prothero insists that his competition is a villa in Tuscany or a luxury safari, not other ships. Appealing to the cash rich, time poor, itineraries are mainly just seven to 10 nights, designed around the ports and anchorages favored by the superyacht set, as well as marquee ports with appealing sightseeing. No two itineraries are the same, so anybody wanting a longer cruise can simply bolt two together.
We expect this drive to deliver an authentic, above-average experience to find its way onto the yachts. Instead, the line and yacht offer modern and elegant decor (nothing fussy), personalized service and Michelin-star quality dining. The launch of the line was delayed for three years due to a variety of circumstances that included slowdowns at the shipyard, the pandemic and moving its first yacht to a new shipyard for completion.
Just Back from Ritz-Carlton's Luxury Cruise Yacht Evrima
Evrima includes many things, as you’d hope for a daily rate of more than $1,000 per person, but not everything. The S.E.A. restaurant has a cover charge of $285 per person, while menus in the private dining room also carry a surcharge. A wide selection of wines is poured with meals, with no compromise on quality – the house rosé, for example, is Whispering Angel. The premium wine list ranges from reasonable – $45 for a Sicilian red – to an eye-watering $9,900 for a bottle of vintage Mouton Cadet Rothschild.
A journey on the Ritz-Carlton Yacht - Cruise Passenger
A journey on the Ritz-Carlton Yacht.
Posted: Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Making the move into luxury shipping makes complete sense; Ritz-Carlton not only has its own vast database of wealthy customers to tap into, but those of all the other upscale brands of the Marriott portfolio, from St. Regis to Edition and W. Depending on how it’s measured, The Ritz-Carlton companies have more than a century of hospitality experience, including some two restaurants on early 20th Century ocean liners. From Barbados was scheduled a 12-night Transatlantic repositioning cruise (March 28 - April 9) to Portugal (Lisbon), with prices from EUR 4720 pp. The itinerary included Canary islands - Tenerife (April 5 / 8 am - 9 pm) and Lanzarote (April 6 / 9 am - 10 pm). The deal with CESCE covered the Evrima yacht's cost overruns, secured the construction of Ritz-Carlton's second vessel (tbn) and also saved the Astilleros Barreras shipyard from bankruptcy.
Servers and deck crew are cordially chatty, full of recommendations, and can be one in the same at times—you may notice some swapping their daytime deck uniform for server’s clothes to pour your wine or bartend in the evenings. Impressively, there’s also an art curator onboard offering up tours of the ship’s sprawling collection. Travelers can also use Marriott Bonvoy points for a discount on their cruise fare (180,000 points for a $1,000 savings, with increments of 90,000 points each offering a $500 savings thereafter). Marriott Bonvoy member status will also be recognized onboard with benefits such as in-suite welcome gifts and priority boarding and departure. During the day on a sailing with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, a “Yacht Casual” dress code is enforced.
“Every element of the luxury yachting experience was carefully considered in creating Evrima. The suites are designed for luxury, and to create a light and open space for passengers. Many suites will also be capable of being linked with neighboring suites for those traveling with larger groups or families, and include sound-proof walls for added privacy. It’ll be interesting to see how Evrima’s sense of space and luxury translates to The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s next two ships, which will have 228 suites as opposed to 149.
Cabins are distributed across decks 4 to 8, while the spa and fitness studio take up most of Deck 9. The main dining room -- called Evrima Room -- and the reception area are both on Deck 4, while the Observation Lounge is on Deck 10. Ritz-Carlton Evrima yacht offers a total of 10 ultra-premium dining options at intimate venues with chef-curated menus, small seating capacity, opened around the clock and without assigned seating or fixed mealtimes. Passengers can eat whenever they want, rather than the traditional pre-set dining times customary on most companies. All-day and all-night dining in cabins (or on their terraces) can be ordered from the 24-hour room service menu (items from all onboard dining venues), as well as during regular hours from the MDR menu. The company didn't provide images of the Owner's Suites but offered a peek inside a Loft Suite and smaller Grand Suites and Signature Suites.
The water closet contains another sink … as well as a second door opening into the entry hall (think Jack & Jill) which I guess makes it a powder room. I also appreciated the lighted makeup mirror … there’s also a large, lighted pull-up mirror in the bedroom’s vanity. The entry hall contains lots of storage with hooks, shoe shelves, and a bench. As well as a desk space, espresso machine, a nice selection of coffee pods and teas, a mini-fridge, electric kettle, ice bucket, and coasters. We booked a Signature Suite located on the 6th deck, roughly mid-ship.
The company’s mission is "to blend the lifestyle of the Ritz-Carlton resorts with the casual freedom of a yachting vacation". And from what we’ve seen on a flying visit to the 298-passenger ship, this mission has been accomplished. There have been a few teething issues since the yacht set sail from Barcelona in October, but once these are ironed out, Evrima looks set to carve its own niche in luxury cruising.
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