Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection takes delivery of second cruising superyacht Ilma

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has accepted delivery of its second cruising superyacht, Ilma, from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.

The delivery ceremony, during which ownership of the vessel was officially handed over from the shipyard to the cruise line, was attended by The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Executive Chairman and CEO Jim Murren, who accepted delivery of the vessel.

“Today marks the culmination of a shared vision and the relentless pursuit of excellence, a testament to the craftsmanship and dedication of all those involved,” said Murren. “We are deeply grateful to the exceptional teams here at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, whose hard work and passion have brought this vision to life.”

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection President and CFO Ernesto Fara, as well as Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s General Manager Laurent Castaing and Senior Vice President Arnaud Le Joncour were also in attendance at the ceremony. 

“Ilma represents a collaboration of two like-minded organisations committed to excellence, offering the best in both hospitality and shipbuilding,” said Le Joncour. “The design and construction of Ilma has been a distinctive project for Chantiers de l’Atlantique that has elevated the highest luxury standards in terms of guest experience, technical innovation, and craftsmanship. We are incredibly proud to deliver an ultraluxury cruise product that achieves both elegance and performance.”

The ship’s master, Captain Steve MacBeath, along with more than 350 of the yacht’s crew, were also present. They will now embark on a series of preparation voyages before welcoming guests for Ilma’s maiden passenger voyage from Monte Carlo on September 2nd, 2024.

Ilma is the second vessel to join the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection fleet, after Evrima was delivered in 2021. The vessel marks a significant expansion for the brand, however, as she is almost twice the size, carrying 448 passengers compared to 298 by Evrima.

A sister ship to Ilma, Luminara, is currently under construction at Chantiers de l’Atlantique and is due for delivery next year.

Both ships feature the highest space ratios at sea, with 228 suites, each with its own private terrace, and offer a high percentage of larger suites, with two new, spacious upper suite categories measuring up to 100 square meters (1,076 square feet) in size.

The new superyachts will include five restaurants, six bars, a wine vault, and signature spaces found on Evrima such as an expanded marina with a new mezzanine feature, a Ritz-Carlton Spa, and a special space for Ritz Kids programming.

Highlights aboard Ilma include Seta su Ilma by Chef Fabio Trabocchi, a modern Italian fine-dining restaurant, and the Beach House, a vibrant open-air eatery featuring a Pan-Latin and Caribbean menu created in collaboration with Chef Michael Mina. 

Notably, this marks both Chef Trabocchi’s and Chef Mina’s first ventures at sea. These concepts will complement Memorī, which will serve contemporary Pan-Asian dishes; Mistral, which will offer Mediterranean flavours; and Tides, which will present a regionally inspired menu.