Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

What sailing with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is really like

Imagine a hotel that has spent a century perfecting the art of making guests feel genuinely looked after — then put that ethos on the water. That is the premise of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: small, beautifully appointed ships that call at the kind of ports larger vessels can rarely reach, crewed by people trained to the standards of one of the world’s most recognised luxury hotel brands.

Sailings run from three to fifteen nights, with a median of seven — long enough to cross a sea in style, short enough to combine with a few nights ashore. Because every departure requires a flight from Australia, the cruise sits naturally in the middle of a longer trip. CruiseAway can build the whole journey — flights, hotel nights either side and airport transfers — as a single DreamAway Package, so nothing is left to chance.

The ships and how they feel

The fleet is made up of three vessels. Evrima is the original and the most widely deployed, with sailings across the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and beyond; if you want to explore her cabins and deck plans in detail, the Evrima cabins and deck guide is the place to start. Ilma and Luminara follow the same philosophy — intimate scale, generous space per guest, and a level of finish that reflects the parent brand — with itineraries covering South East Asia, Alaska, French Polynesia and more.

Because the ships are small, the ratio of crew to guests is high, and it shows. There are no crowds at the gangway, no queues at the bar, and no announcements echoing down the corridor. The atmosphere is closer to a private members’ club at sea than a conventional cruise ship.

Dining — the full picture

Food is one of the strongest arguments for choosing this line. Each ship carries several distinct restaurants, and the variety is serious:

• Tides — the main included restaurant, where seasonal menus shift with the ports visited, served in an intimate setting despite the room’s generous scale.
• S.E.A. — a tasting-menu restaurant conceived around the philosophy of a three-Michelin-star chef, with a surcharge and advance reservation required.
• Seta Su Ilma — contemporary Italian cooking from Michelin-starred chef Fabio Trabocchi, with fresh seafood, prime meat and handmade pasta; à la carte pricing applies.
• Memorī — pristine sashimi, delicate tempura and charcoal-grilled Wagyu at an open sushi bar, indoors or alfresco; à la carte pricing applies.
• Beach House — pan-Latin American dishes, craft beer and premium tequila, conceived by Michelin-starred chef Michael Mina around fire-forward, sharing-style cooking; à la carte pricing applies.
• Mistral & Mistral Bar — Mediterranean fish, handmade pasta and grilled dishes in a relaxed indoor-outdoor setting, included in your fare.
• Talaat Nam — contemporary South East Asian cuisine at a sushi bar, family-style sharing plates or an open-air sunset table; à la carte pricing applies.
• The Pool House — all-day casual dining with global influences, directly beside the water, included in your fare.
• In-Suite Dining — dishes from the ship’s kitchens delivered to your suite or private terrace at any hour.
• Dining Privée — a private dining room within Tides for special occasions, with a bespoke menu for your group; reservation and surcharge required.

The breadth means a seven-night sailing can feel like a week of different restaurants, without ever leaving the ship.

Bars, lounges and ways to spend a sea day

The Living Room anchors social life on board: armchairs, a curated travel library and piano-bar evenings with live music. The Observation Terrace, perched at the top of the ship, gives unobstructed views across the ocean and coastline — a quiet spot at sunrise, a lively one by cocktail hour. For something more contemplative, The Humidor offers a selection of hand-rolled cigars alongside premium cognac. Beverages at all three are charged separately unless covered by a drinks package.

At anchor in select ports, the Marina opens directly to the sea, turning the stern into a private beach with water toys and sun loungers. The Marina Terrace alongside it serves cocktails and light bites with the view as backdrop.

The Pool and its surrounding whirlpools, sunbeds and misting sprays occupy the main deck, doubling as the venue for deck parties when the ship is at sea. The Fitness Studio is equipped with Technogym machines — bikes, rowers, ellipticals and free weights — and runs classes from sunrise yoga to mat Pilates, with personal training and nutrition consultations available additionally. The Ritz-Carlton Spa® uses ESPA products in private treatment rooms with sea views; the salon and barber are open to all guests for an additional charge.

Who this line suits

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is best matched to travellers who value quality over scale — people who would rather dine at one genuinely excellent table than choose from a food-court atrium, and who find a quieter ship more appealing than a floating resort. It works well for:

• Couples and solo travellers looking for a refined, unhurried pace
• Guests already loyal to The Ritz-Carlton on land who want the same standard at sea
• Milestone celebrations — anniversaries, significant birthdays — where the occasion deserves a setting to match
• Australians building a longer international trip around a European or Caribbean itinerary

Ritz Kids® means families are also catered for, with a dedicated programme that intensifies during school holidays and summer months — so younger guests are genuinely included rather than merely tolerated.

Where these ships sail

The western and eastern Mediterranean accounts for the largest share of sailings, with departures from Venice, Rome (Civitavecchia), Barcelona and Nice. The Caribbean is the second major region, running mainly out of San Juan and Miami. In Asia, sailings depart from Singapore, Hong Kong and Bali, covering South East Asia and Indonesia. Alaska departures from Vancouver run in the northern summer, and there are also sailings to Hawaii, French Polynesia departing from Papeete, Japan and into the Transatlantic. For Australian travellers, the Asian itineraries — particularly those starting in Singapore or Bali — are the most accessible to reach.

Why book with CruiseAway

Our cruise experts know The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s cabin grades and fare inclusions in detail — the difference between suite categories, which itineraries suit which travel styles, and where the specialty dining surcharges sit relative to the overall fare. We will help you choose the right combination and put everything — cruise, flights, pre- and post-cruise hotels and transfers — on a single booking through our DreamAway Packages. We also back every booking with our Best Price Guarantee, so you can reserve with confidence.

Fares start from A$2,900pp* for sailings departing from late 2026 onward.