The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is expanding its fleet with an order for two newbuild superyachts from Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Sant-Nazaire, France.

The two new sister ships, Ilma and Luminara, will run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will be significantly larger than Ritz-Carlton’s current yacht, carrying 456 passengers.

By comparison, the cruise line’s current superyacht, Evrima, carries just 298 guests.

The two new vessels for Ritz-Carlton will be much larger

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The two new vessels for Ritz-Carlton are scheduled to be delivered and enter service in 2024 and 2025, respectively, according to a press release.

The order includes an option for two additional ships, suggesting Ritz-Carlton sees its future in the boutique, luxury cruise market, rather than the cruising superyacht space.

Although the cruise line calls the new ships superyachts, and they retain a superyacht-esque shape, at 456 passengers, they’re in a similar class as Silversea’s Silver Muse and Silver Moon, its two largest ships.

“We are thrilled to work with Chantiers de l’Atlantique on the development of our second and third superyachts, Ilma and Luminara,” said Douglas Prothero, CEO, The Ritz- Carlton Yacht Collection.

“They are a likeminded organization that is committed to excellence and a custom quality process and program that will help execute our vision as we thoughtfully expand our portfolio,” he added.

“The addition of Ilma and Luminara represent significant growth for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and we look forward to collaborating with management and Chantiers de l’Atlantique on the creation of these world class vessels,” added Tim Grisius, Global Officer for Mergers & Acquisitions, Business Development, and Real Estate, Marriott International.

The new ships will be designed by AD Associates, DPA and Aivan, with reservations for the 2024 season of itineraries due to open to the public this fall.

The new superyachts will feature itineraries ranging from 7 to 10 nights in the Caribbean and Mediterranean. Like Evrima, they will offer an all-inclusive experience and will also be available for private charter.

This contract marks Ritz-Carlton’s first collaboration with Chantiers de l’Atlantique. It’s first yacht, Evrima, was built at the Hijos de J. Barreras shipyard in Vigo, Spain, but was plagued by delays, which the cruise line blamed on the pandemic.

Chantiers is a more established shipyard in the cruise liner sector, with 10 cruise ships on order with major cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and Celebrity Cruises.

The shipyard recently delivered the largest cruise ship in the world, Wonder of the Seas, and is scheduled to deliver Celebrity Beyond and MSC Cruises’ Dubai-bound World Europa later this year.