Is This the World’s Most Exclusive Cruise? We Went to Find Out
Cruises (undeservedly) get a bit of a bad rep. A “human lasagna,” a particularly judgemental writer once described them, where layers of often older travelers (or “cruisers”) live on top of each other for days, weeks and sometimes even months on end, with the aim of ticking off bucket list destinations with minimal effort. It was then, given this reputation, a stroke of genius by the powers that be at The Ritz-Carlton to not describe their cruise line — as it undeniably is — as a cruise line.
Instead, in October 2022, we were introduced to The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. A polished, refined and, most importantly, boutique take on cruising, where travelers can enjoy that famous Ritz-Carlton service, at sea — a floating hotel from one of the most respected hospitality brands on the planet, if you will. Its first ship was the 623-ft, 149-cabin Evrima, which was delivered three years late but to plenty of fanfare. She lived up to The Ritz-Carlton’s sky-high promises: cabins were roomy, service was personalized and excursions were immersive.
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Now, just shy of two years later, Evrima’s little sister has hit the water, embarking on her inaugural journey in late August from Barcelona to Monte-Carlo. In true Ritz-Carlton style, she set sail with a bang, with an opening night DJ set from Sam Feldt, cocktail bar pop-up from Paradiso in Barcelona (a mainstay on the World’s 50 Best Bars list), free-flowing Moet & Chandon, and a bunch of intrigued first-in guests onboard. Ilma hath arrived.
Ilma is a touch larger than her older sister at 790 ft and with 224 suites. Every accommodation is a suite — no poky cabins here, thank you — and even the entry-level option comes with a balcony big enough for dining space and a sun lounger. The Ritz-Carlton by no means pushes the boat out (no pun intended) when it comes to interior design, but that’s not meant as criticism — the decor is minimal but warm, muted but cozy.
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There are plenty of little extra touches: polish off one packet of your favorite treats in the all-inclusive snack cupboard and three more will have arrived by the time you look again. Poured the last drop of your welcome champagne last night? Another bottle will be chilling pronto. I even came back to my room each evening to a display of gifts that would make Santa blush, from Diptyque perfume to a Bulgari AirPods case.
If you’re looking for a showstopper, though, go for the Owner’s Suite. Covering 1,033 sq ft (with an extra 721 sq ft outside), it has a separate dining area and lounge, a kitchenette, a walk-in wardrobe and its own outdoor hot tub. No half measures.
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This is Ritz-Carlton-on-Sea, so service is the real marker of luxury on Ilma. The guest-to-staff ratio is proudly 1:1 (the highest ratio in the industry, so I’m told) and you feel it at every stage — from the dedicated suite ambassadors on hand to cater to every whim to the bar team who very helpfully whizz around the pool areas, trays of cocktails that you didn’t know you wanted until you saw them in hand. By the time you disembark, expect plenty of the team to know you by name — as well as, crucially, your drinks order. Most things are included in your fare too, so you won’t feel that niggling dread of the bill ticking up as you go.
But, so far, so cruise. Pick a line luxurious enough, and the above will come as standard. The real place where traditional cruising reveals its flaws, however, is in the on-shore excursions, with locals in many ports notoriously fed up with hordes descending en masse. No such worry for Ilma guests, though. During our two-night call at St Tropez, I, along with a small (by cruise standards) group of fellow guests headed to land for an afternoon at the Domaine La Rouillère vineyard.
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Worries set in when I saw our host waving a clipboard above her head, indicating that the group should follow her to a nearby mini-bus. The worries disappeared when we arrived, though. The vineyard and its thankfully air-conned winery were ours for the afternoon; a tour turned into a tasting of its delightfully crisp Provence rosé. Small groups like this not only keep the locals happy but also mean you make quick friends — a few sips in and we were all sharing stories of champagne-fueled festivities the night before.
If even this type of excursion is a bit too close to organized fun for you, fear not. Regular tenders run to shore when the ship is at anchor so you can explore as you please (many of my fellow rosé sippers stayed in town for dinner, post wine) and the concierge team can set up fully private custom excursions if you like — there’s even the option to stay overnight and rejoin at the next port of call.
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Personally, though, I would recommend as many nights onboard as possible as one place where Ritz-Carlton has really leaned into the cruising experience is in its food and drink program. There are five restaurants — including lavish multi-course fine dining at Seta su Ilma by chef Fabio Trabocchi (of Washington DC’s Michelin-starred Fiola), light Mediterranean bites at poolside The Beach House by Michael Mina, and sharing-style Pan-Asian dishes at Memorī — and no less than seven bars, as well as 24-hour in-suite dining. You’d be hard-pressed to enjoy such an embarrassment of riches on even the biggest of private yachts.
For our final night onboard Ilma, someone at The Ritz-Carlton surely paid off the weather gods — a sunset as beautiful as I’d ever seen gracefully waved us away from the swanky shores of St Tropez. After a night of sailing, Ilma’s first journey came to an end in Monaco; I opened my curtains to a view of the sunrise casting a pink glow over Monte-Carlo’s gleaming Port Hercules harbor.
After dropping us off in the billionaire’s playground, the ship was snaking her way down to Rome for her first proper outing (read: not filled with notebook-wielding journalists). From there, she’s off around the Med — Santorini, Valletta and Taomorina beckon — before she heads over the Atlantic to prove to the Caribbean that not all cruises are created equal.
