Luxury Travel
Ritz-Carlton Is Building the Anti-Cruise Ship
Its industry-first brand extension, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, will set sail in 2019—disrupting two industries in one fell swoop.
Want to cash in your SPG and Marriott points for a yacht cruise? That may soon be possible, as Ritz-Carlton, Marriott International Inc.'s flagship luxury brand, announced a seafaring expansion Thursday.
As part of the newly minted Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, the five-star hotel brand will launch three small, ultra-luxury ships with laid-back itineraries and spacious, open-concept design schemes that flip the traditional cruise experience on its head. The maiden vessel will pull out of the shipyard late in 2019, with bookings opening next May—marking the first time that a hotel company hits the high seas.