Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection marks keel laying for new ship Luminara

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has celebrated the keel-laying ceremony for its third cruising superyacht, Luminara, marking a significant milestone in her construction.

The traditional ceremony took place at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France where the vessel is under construction.

As per maritime tradition, the first modular block of Luminara was lowered into the building dock and symbolic coins were placed within the keel for good fortune.

“Luminara represents the culmination of innovative design and relentless pursuit of excellence. Every element reflects the dedication of our combined teams, promising unparalleled voyages for our guests,” said Jim Murren, Executive Chairman and CEO of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. 

“We take great pride in the remarkable craftsmanship, meticulous planning, and unwavering attention to detail invested in the creation of Luminara, and we can’t wait to welcome our newest superyacht to the fleet,”he added.

Set to launch on July 31, 2025, reservations for the Luminara, as well as for the Evrima and Ilma are now open.

Evrima is the luxury lines first vessel and carries 298 guests, while the two newer vessels Ilma and Luminara are significantly larger, carrying more than 450 guests.

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.

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.Ritz-Carlton is among a range of luxury hotel operators entering the cruise business. Four Seasons and Aman are also creating yacht-style cruise experiences and positioning them as exceptional luxury vacations, along with Orient Express Hotels, which has announced plans to launch the Orient Express Cruises brand.