Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s next new ship, Ilma, reached a construction milestone this week with the keel laying at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.
The keel laying marks the official start of construction of a new cruise ship as the blocks of the vessel begin to come together. The cruise line’s second yacht, Ilma, is scheduled to enter service in 2024. Ilma means “water” in Maltese.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this important milestone and to partner with Chantiers de l’Atlantique on the construction of Ilma,” commented Douglas Prothero, Chief Executive Officer for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. “As we expand our fleet, we look forward to continuing to create unique experiences that celebrate the yachting lifestyle and are transforming the luxury cruising category.”
Ilma will have one the highest space and staff-to-guest ratios among all luxury cruise ships. The ship will accommodate 456 guests in 228 suites.
The onboard experience will reflect the sublime comfort and legendary service for which The Ritz-Carlton brand is recognized. It will be the first yacht in the collection to utilize liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel source – further positioning The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection as an innovator with the industry.
Reservations for cruises on Ilma are now open for bookings.
