Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Delays Debut Until Next Year

Ritz-Carlton's cruising debut has been delayed once again.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection was originally scheduled to make its inaugural voyage in January 2020. Due to a logistics issue, its first ship was not ready on time, and then just a few months after its first delay, the pandemic struck and sailings were delayed yet again.

Now, the newest offshoot of the luxury brand has announced that it will not set sail until May 2022, due to "the ongoing impact of Covid-19, combined with related challenges created for construction operations in Europe," a spokesperson for the collection told Travel + Leisure on Monday.

The collection's first yacht, the Evrima, was originally scheduled to set sail in November. It will now make its inaugural voyage from Lisbon on May 6, 2022.

The Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection Rendering of The Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection's Evrima. Renderings are artistic concepts. All features, plans and specifications are subject to change without notice.

"While we are eager to welcome guests on board the Evrima, we have had to re-evaluate the timing of our first voyage given the rapidly changing circumstances and their impact on the Evrima's completion," Douglas Prothero, CEO of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, said in a statement shared with T+L. "We remain excited to set sail in the spring and thank our guests for their understanding and patience as we continue to navigate this unprecedented global environment."

Passengers scheduled on impacted itineraries have been contacted to either reschedule their sailing or discuss reimbursement options.

When the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection makes its grand debut it will be with the aim to translate a Ritz-Carlton hotel experience to the water, complete with fine dining, spas, and suite-style accommodations.

"This is a curated yacht experience that's going to be targeted to one percent of global travelers," Prothero told T+L in a 2017 interview. "We've designed and focused the product on an intimate experience."

The ships will have a maximum capacity of 298 passengers while carrying a total of 236 staff members aboard, one of the highest staff to guest ratios in the industry.

Itineraries are available to book from $4,999 per person for six nights.

Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or at caileyrizzo.com.