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I just took my first cruise in over 20 years, and I have to say, my expectations were exceeded! I hadn’t really considered taking cruises for a long time, but I’ve been fascinated by the recent trend of luxury hotel groups getting into the cruising industry (or at least licensing out their names for such concepts), and I couldn’t help but give one of these a try. This industry is getting crowded — while Ritz-Carlton was first among these, we’re seeing similar concepts launch shortly from Four Seasons, Orient Express, and Aman.
Anyway, I digress. We just sailed with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Evrima, which is the company’s first and smallest ship (there are two more in the meantime, which are substantially bigger). We booked the shortest, cheapest cruise we could, and the goal was to “dip our toes” in the cruising world, so to speak.
I’ll be publishing a very detailed review soon, but would first like to provide some initial thoughts, in no particular order. For what it’s worth, we booked a three-night cruise from San Juan that had stops in St. John and St. Barts, and we paid $3,100 per person for an entry level suite.
As a reminder, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection participates in Marriott Bonvoy. Furthermore, if you do decide to book a voyage, make sure you book through a travel advisor affiliated with Marriott STARS. Ford’s team can help, and can be reached at [email protected]. Booking through Marriott STARS adds significant value, which I’ll talk more about that in a separate post, but I couldn’t believe how few people on our voyage booked this way, and left extra benefits on the table.
In this post:
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Evrima is an intimate ship
As mentioned above, we sailed on Evrima, which was built in 2021, is 624 feet along, and has just under 150 suites, accommodating around 300 guests. So while I think it’s a bit of a stretch to refer to this as a “yacht,” it’s only a small fraction of the size of the biggest cruise ships nowadays.
I’ve gotta say, the size of this ship was great for our purposes. It felt like a medium-sized hotel, with truly endless dining outlets and deck space, so it never really felt busy. We basically never had to wait for anything, including not having to queue to get on or off the ship, get on the tender, etc.
Admittedly due to the ship’s smaller size, it doesn’t have as many amenities as some of the huge ships, but that’s by design. So yeah, if you want water slides and malls and roller coasters, this obviously isn’t the ship for you.
I loved the ship’s huge amount of deck space, as it really never felt crowded anywhere. There were so many areas to sit, relax, and enjoy the views, no matter what kind of a vibe you were looking for.
I will say, if you’re into pools, you’ll probably be a bit disappointed, as there’s just one primary pool on the ship, which isn’t terribly big. Personally that didn’t bother me at all (I wouldn’t have swam in it anyway), and the smaller pool also reflects that this is so much smaller of a ship than the others, which I personally view as an advantage.
However, there are some nicely positioned hot tubs, and then my favorite feature, the marina. On days where the ship tenders and there’s sufficient time, they set up this incredible deck at the bottom back of the ship, which is so fun, and not something you’d ever get on a substantially larger ship.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Evrima has beautiful suites
Cruise ship rooms are known for being on the small side and for making a lot of compromises compared to hotel rooms, but the accommodations on Evrima impressed me. All accommodations onboard are described as suites (a bit of a stretch if you’re used to hotels, but…), and are elegantly appointed.
The terrace suite is the standard room, and that has an interior space of around 280 square feet (26 square meters), plus a terrace of up to 75 square feet (seven square meters). The bathroom is very nice as well, with double sinks, a walk-in shower with excellent water pressure, etc.
Just as another example, a few categories up from that is the grand suite, and that has an interior space of around 570 square feet (53 square meters), plus a terrace of up to 118 square feet (11 square meters). This also has double sinks, and even a soaking tub.
The food and drinks were endless, and mostly very good
Quite honestly, it’s the food and drinks that I was most curious to experience, since I was wondering just how high quality they’d be. For one, you have the obvious logistical challenges with preparing food on ships. Beyond that, though, with the cruise being (basically) all-inclusive, I wondered if the quality would live up to what I hoped, given the balance between managing costs and maximizing revenue. My expectations here were exceeded in every way.
For one, the included alcoholic selection was extensive. We’re talking free flowing Moet, a huge wine list, and some pretty premium liquor brands as well. And the cocktails were prepared in the way you’d expect if you were paying, rather than what you’d expect from an all-inclusive experience. Heck, there was even an awesome sommelier who’d come around and help you select wines, even pairing them with each course. Yes, even the complimentary wines, and this wasn’t some sort of a pressure play to pay for a more expensive wine.
The dining was excellent as well, with several venues, all of which I’ll cover in great detail in my review. This included restaurants, lounges, and bars, and even a coffee shop with barista coffee. There was a good mix between indoor and outdoor seating.
There were no buffets in sight, which personally I’m happy about, as everything was a la carte. Not a single restaurant we dined at was ever full, with the exception of The Pool House, right after boarding.
We even had dinner at S.E.A, the specialty restaurant that ordinarily costs extra (however, if you book through Marriott STARS, you can get a credit toward that). This was also a phenomenal dining experience, and at times I forgot I was on a ship.
I do have to say, the problem with cruising (as I see it) is that you just eat, eat, eat, eat, and then eat a little more. Oh, wait, and you also drink. The amount they offer you just seems never-ending, as it’s hard to go very far without being offered a glass of champagne. As we were ordering food, staff would typically ask if we wanted another appetizer, or side, or main course, or dessert. No, I think the 21 courses of food I’m eating per day just about cut it, including the three desserts I was force fed during lunch. 😉
But hey, all-in-all, this was way better than I was expecting. While a few dishes were a miss, by and large, they were very good.
The service standards greatly exceeded my expectations
Cruise lines are generally known for offering friendly service, and I was curious to what extent Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection would deliver. While Ritz-Carlton is a luxury hotel group, I find service at the brand to often be a bit scripted and canned, so I wondered what service would be like on the ship.
I can only speak based on our voyage, but I found the crew to be stellar. With a nearly 1:1 ratio between passengers and crew, service was incredibly attentive.
I was expecting the crew to be friendly and well intentioned, since that’s kind of a standard among cruising. However, what impressed me most was how polished the crew was, and how invested they were in making sure guests had a great experience.
The logistics of ships like these are outrageously complicated, so I was just amazed by the consistently great service, from the ship’s general manager and entertainment director, down to the restaurant staff and room attendants.
To me, this is an area where the ship’s small size shines. You see familiar faces, they get to know you, you get to know them, etc. Having fewer than 150 rooms is obviously very different than being on a ship with 2,500+ rooms. It felt to me like the crew were proud to work on the ship, with management constantly roaming the ship.
Cruising is a delightfully relaxing & easy experience
I’m not someone who is going to be converted into exclusively vacationing on cruises rather than hotels. That being said, after the first experience, I’m 100% sure this won’t be my last one. Okay, I’ve actually already booked my next one, so that’s simply a fact. A few thoughts on that front:
- I’d love to take a cruise to somewhere that can actually most efficiently be explored by ship, because I think that’s where the most value is; to Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s credit, there are actually some really cool itineraries, including in Alaska, Asia, Iceland, the South Pacific, etc. (Antarctica is of course still the ultimate cruise destination)
- Cruising is just such an easy experience, and there’s something so refreshing about that; you really don’t have to think about anything, and it’s also just really enjoyable to sit on a deck enjoy the views, the breeze, etc.
- I think cruising is especially good for families, and I can’t wait to take our kids on a cruise, because they would adore it (well, I’m not sure our 9-month-old would have much of an opinion, but our 3.5-year-old would have the time of his life)
- In an era where it feels like so many luxury hotels rip you off at every possible corner, I can’t say how nice it was to not sign a single check, not once be asked to tip someone, and to be able to order whatever one wants without it costing extra; I know this is just an argument in favor of all-inclusives, but I had forgotten just how nice this is
- As an introvert, I was a little worried about what the cruise crowd would be like, but it was honestly a delightfully mixed crowd that didn’t skew in any one direction, so I didn’t at all feel like an outsider; I got the sense it was a good mix of people who had never been on a cruise before, as well as those who had
Bottom line
I just got off Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Evrima, after a quick three-night cruise in the Caribbean. I don’t want to suggest that the cruise changed my life or that I’m now exclusively obsessed with cruising, but I am sure that cruising will now be a type of travel I pursue more regularly, particularly with family.
While Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is pricey, I walked away from the experience with a positive impression, thanks to a beautiful ship, luxurious rooms, excellent and varied food and drinks, friendly service, and some cool amenities. Best of all, I found the vibe on board to be nice, with an interesting array of passengers.
Admittedly if you’re looking for a mega ship with endless amenities, this isn’t it. But I actually think this is a really compelling way to travel, especially if you can take a voyage to an interesting destination, or if you’re just looking for a relaxing time.
Of course this journey was expensive, and priced at the top end of the cruise market. However, with the rates that so many luxury hotels are charging for basic rooms while including very little, I thought there was an argument to be made for the value of this. Anyway, I realize this is quite a drawn out teaser, so stay tuned for the full review…
What’s your take on the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection experience?
You mention the wine and drinks being of high quality. Did you happen to snap any pictures of the list?
There's no point in taking a three night cruise. First day you board around 1pm last day you have to get off at 8am, so it's basically a one day cruise. If you want to experience a proper luxury cruise then try a 27 night voyage on Seabourn, which I am doing on Saturday. Of course being retired helps.
Just wondering if there were any kids? This certainly doesn’t look appealing for children. A few years ago we took a cruise on Oceania. It was lovely…I just read that O is soon to go no kids.
In your full review, I hope you’ll talk more about your fellow passengers. My experience with luxury cruises, especially river cruises, has been that most passengers were rather conservative. As a gay couple, we got the disapproval, subtle but real, and we had to be very careful about explaining our situation. While no one was outright rude, we were “shunned” in a way that degraded the whole experience. The staff were fantastic though, and were...
In your full review, I hope you’ll talk more about your fellow passengers. My experience with luxury cruises, especially river cruises, has been that most passengers were rather conservative. As a gay couple, we got the disapproval, subtle but real, and we had to be very careful about explaining our situation. While no one was outright rude, we were “shunned” in a way that degraded the whole experience. The staff were fantastic though, and were more than welcoming to us.
Which river cruise line, specifically, did that happen on? We went on Tauck with my parents and had no issues - we were all welcome and had a great time with many of the other passengers.
Viking.
Perhaps being with your parents made a difference…
I mean, two gay couples (me and brother are both gay and both had our partners) and we didn't spend all of our time with our parents. Spent a lot of time individually with other guests, especially at the bar at night and on excursions. There were also a couple of other gay couples onboard. So maybe you just had bad luck?
Viking is more of a middle/upper middle class brand that doesn't attract...
I mean, two gay couples (me and brother are both gay and both had our partners) and we didn't spend all of our time with our parents. Spent a lot of time individually with other guests, especially at the bar at night and on excursions. There were also a couple of other gay couples onboard. So maybe you just had bad luck?
Viking is more of a middle/upper middle class brand that doesn't attract the same traveler as Tauck. Tauck is more of an old money/ live and let live type of clientele.
Ben, I appreciate this review. My family and I like active vacations and cruises have always seemed too sedentary. But I'm intrigued by your point about visiting places that would otherwise be difficult to see (e.g., Alaska, Antarctica). I'd love to read more--in your reviews over time or from commenters--about favorite high-end cruises to places like that.
15 years ago, I flew international business class for the first time after your blog showed me...
Ben, I appreciate this review. My family and I like active vacations and cruises have always seemed too sedentary. But I'm intrigued by your point about visiting places that would otherwise be difficult to see (e.g., Alaska, Antarctica). I'd love to read more--in your reviews over time or from commenters--about favorite high-end cruises to places like that.
15 years ago, I flew international business class for the first time after your blog showed me the way. Maybe you'll get me on a cruise one day too!
I have looked into a longer cruise with RC but seems cost prohibitive. The suites look so small for the $$$$ also. But looks like a great experience esp the food options.
Quickly commenting here. So glad you did this. I'm sure somebody else has said this but if you book Antarctica make sure you book an expedition where they actually make landings and have zodiacs to get you ashore. I've cruised extensively at what I would call the top of mid-level. The level you just experienced as a whole nother level of expense but also supposed luxury and I've long been curious if it's worth it....
Quickly commenting here. So glad you did this. I'm sure somebody else has said this but if you book Antarctica make sure you book an expedition where they actually make landings and have zodiacs to get you ashore. I've cruised extensively at what I would call the top of mid-level. The level you just experienced as a whole nother level of expense but also supposed luxury and I've long been curious if it's worth it.
"I just took my first cruise in over 20 years, and I have to say, my expectations were exceeded!"
That's not surprising. This industry has evolved leaps and bounds as have most others. But cruising has really changed...I've been cruising 14 years and I've seen massive changes some good others bad.
Thanks for the review. I’ve been looking into this for our family. In your full review mind commenting on how this would be with kids as we have a 5 yr old and 7 month old and would want to take them. Thanks
@ Ankaj -- Yep, I'll be sure to cover that! :-)
I'd love to see a review from you about MSC Yacht Club. It consistently wins awards for best ship within a ship experience. Hope you get a chance to check it out.
Or their luxury line Explora Journeys. All new ships with only 900 pax (1.25:1 pax to crew ratio), all inclusive like Ben experienced here, and have some great itineraries that stop in smaller ports.
Thanks for the nice review. Feels good to read it. I've been involved in the development of the project in the early stages and we obviously seem to have developed the right product - at least for you.
Do you think this exceeded Etihad's The Residence even during it's prime era?
@ DontAskMyAge -- Hah, they're two very different experiences, so I think it's hard to compare.
I've been on two cruises on much larger ships (admittedly much cheaper than this RC trip) and the thing I hated the most was "all the other bloody people & having to queue all the time..." This seems like a much more pleasant option.
To each their own. Fine for 3 nights and makes sense for a larger group trip, but if I was going to spend this kind of cash on a week-long vacation with the family, I'd just charter a catamaran with a skipper and actually go to some off the beaten path places and avoid the crowds. No Marriott benefits (the horrors), BYOC (bring your own champagne) and enjoy.
True story, I was on the same short sailing from San Juan. I felt that the service was excellent just like you said. I was most impressed with the boarding experience as someone personally escorted me from the time the car dropped me off, through checking the bag and they waited while I registered at the desk. That person then escorted me to the yacht. They handed me off to another host on the yacht...
True story, I was on the same short sailing from San Juan. I felt that the service was excellent just like you said. I was most impressed with the boarding experience as someone personally escorted me from the time the car dropped me off, through checking the bag and they waited while I registered at the desk. That person then escorted me to the yacht. They handed me off to another host on the yacht who continued to escort me through the muster process and then to the room where they gave me a complete orientation. That really stood out.
With it being such a small space we must have crossed paths multiple times! It is nice you had a similar experience.
The price point is very high at $6k for three nights so I doubt I will go on again even though the service experience was so positive.
I did notice in the dining, they tended to have long pauses in between the appetizer course and the entree course. That seemed to happen with every meal while the starter and appetizer courses came right away. So that was the only negative thing I noticed with dining. Did you experience the same?
Received in the mail 2 weeks ago - an expensive, 40 page booklet brochure on the Cruise line - showing the ships and services. Not sure who provided the addresses to them - maybe AmEx?
My wife and I sailed on Evrima last summer and we loved it. We’re currently booking our next ritzy cruise, which will be on one of the larger yachts in Asia and we will almost certainly do more in the future.
We thought the crew were fantastic and whilst these cruises are very expensive relative to other cruise lines we thought it was great value
I think it'd be really great if these cruises were giving night elite credits in the same fashion hotel stays do
@ GRKennedy -- They do earn elite nights with Marriott Bonvoy. Our three night cruise earned me three elite nights, and they already posted to my account. :-)
Glad you had a good, if very short taste of the cruise environment. While I have not sailed with Ritz-Carlton yet, I have enjoyed most of the luxury lines (Silversea, Seabourn, Explora, Ponant, etc.) to varying degrees. I have to say, Evrima is generally priced higher per-day than its competitors. And, a 280-sq-ft “suite” is actually a tad smaller than entry-level cabins on the aforementioned lines.
As for “the problem with cruising is you...
Glad you had a good, if very short taste of the cruise environment. While I have not sailed with Ritz-Carlton yet, I have enjoyed most of the luxury lines (Silversea, Seabourn, Explora, Ponant, etc.) to varying degrees. I have to say, Evrima is generally priced higher per-day than its competitors. And, a 280-sq-ft “suite” is actually a tad smaller than entry-level cabins on the aforementioned lines.
As for “the problem with cruising is you just eat, eat, eat,” well, that’s on you. I go for the sea environment and exploring (on foot) places like Norway’s fjords, or the outer Seychelles, or Alaska’s Inside Passage that would be difficult-to-impossible to see via a traditional land journey.
I hope you try cruise lines beyond the hotel brands, as special experiences await those who venture onto some of the many smaller, more intimate, less-branded ships traveling the seven seas.
@Disco Dave, of those other lines you mentioned, which are your top two or three picks? Thanks.
For me, it really goes beyond conventional theories of "luxury," so for me, there's no one-size-fits-all.
The itineraries of Ponant are truly diverse and unique, but know that you will be cruising with a French crew. Explora's dining is superb, but itineraries are a little conventional (that will change as they add ships this year and next) and I don't like how much of the common areas feel like a JW Marriott lobby, or...
For me, it really goes beyond conventional theories of "luxury," so for me, there's no one-size-fits-all.
The itineraries of Ponant are truly diverse and unique, but know that you will be cruising with a French crew. Explora's dining is superb, but itineraries are a little conventional (that will change as they add ships this year and next) and I don't like how much of the common areas feel like a JW Marriott lobby, or high-end shopping mall. Silversea's S.A.L.T. program is truly innovative, but only offered on half the fleet.
The ambience of Windstar -- crew and passengers -- is really relaxed and unpretentious, the friendliest at sea, and the sailing ships are finally getting long-overdue cabin upgrades (the non-sailing ships got theirs a few years ago). Worth mentioning is Riverside, a new river cruise line, which has probably the highest per-pax food budget of any cruise line, and it shows. I'll refrain commenting on Seabourn, as my last with them was a decade ago. Haven't been on Regent or Crystal, hope to in the next year.
Of the "big" ship brands, I like Viking, and though I think it's an excellent product I wouldn't classify it as luxury (hence, it's overpriced) and the reserved ambiance is really focused on destination immersion such as port talks (no hairy chest contest, a la Carnival). Viking's ships are a perfect size, real Goldilocks. Virgin is doing interesting things, but it's definitely not for all tastes -- I went aboard anticipating I wouldn't like it but my opinion turned around after a couple days. And Disney does an excellent job for mass-market.
@Timo, my reply may be buried, but...
For me, it really goes beyond conventional theories of "luxury," so for me, there's no one-size-fits-all.
The itineraries of Ponant are truly diverse and unique, but know that you will be cruising with a French crew. Explora's dining is superb, but itineraries are a little conventional (that will change as they add ships this year and next) and I don't like how much of the common areas...
@Timo, my reply may be buried, but...
For me, it really goes beyond conventional theories of "luxury," so for me, there's no one-size-fits-all.
The itineraries of Ponant are truly diverse and unique, but know that you will be cruising with a French crew. Explora's dining is superb, but itineraries are a little conventional (that will change as they add ships this year and next) and I don't like how much of the common areas feel like a JW Marriott lobby, or high-end shopping mall. Silversea's S.A.L.T. program is truly innovative, but only offered on half the fleet.
The ambience of Windstar -- crew and passengers -- is really relaxed and unpretentious, the friendliest at sea, and the sailing ships are finally getting long-overdue cabin upgrades (the non-sailing ships got theirs a few years ago). Worth mentioning is Riverside, a new river cruise line, which has probably the highest per-pax food budget of any cruise line, and it shows. I'll refrain commenting on Seabourn, as my last with them was a decade ago. Haven't been on Regent or Crystal, hope to in the next year.
Of the "big" ship brands, I like Viking, and though I think it's an excellent product I wouldn't classify it as luxury (hence, it's overpriced) and the reserved ambiance is really focused on destination immersion such as port talks (no hairy chest contest, a la Carnival). Viking's ships are a perfect size, real Goldilocks. Virgin is doing interesting things, but it's definitely not for all tastes -- I went aboard anticipating I wouldn't like it but my opinion turned around after a couple days. And Disney does an excellent job for mass-market.
@ Disco Dave -- Thanks for the thoughts! I have the same question as Timo. Of those cruise lines, which would you most recommend? I get it's largely about the destinations (and I like Ponant for that) and the ship, but generally any thoughts on Silversea vs. Seabourn, for example?
Silversea has gotten cheap and nickel-and-dimey.
I took it two years ago with my family on a trip around the Baltic sea. The ship itself was nice, but what got annoying was about half the exursions offered you had to pay for. But there were some included ones,but you had to sign up in advance, and that was annoying as they sold out months in advance. NOW, pretty much all the excursions are paid. It's...
Silversea has gotten cheap and nickel-and-dimey.
I took it two years ago with my family on a trip around the Baltic sea. The ship itself was nice, but what got annoying was about half the exursions offered you had to pay for. But there were some included ones,but you had to sign up in advance, and that was annoying as they sold out months in advance. NOW, pretty much all the excursions are paid. It's obnoxious.
Two years ago the food was very mediocre, and again, you had to hustle to make reservations months in advance for the restaurants. It was annoying.
I heard many people say, during the trip, "it was better before Royal Caribbean bought it."
I'd recommend a river cruise. But not Viking. Go upmarket to something like Tauck. The best.
My aunt and uncle were just on a Ritz Carlton cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong in January-February. They said the ship was half empty and there was an annoying influencer onboard who kept commandeering space that prevented people from using areas at certain parts of the trip. They were annoyed.
@Ben I remember you had a general overview post of Ponant awhile back, any interest in trying them now to see how they stack up against the RC yachts? As far as I can tell by ship size and such, Ponant appears to be in a similar market space.
Have you done regent? How was seabourn and silver Sea disco dave? Lindblad or whatever it is is Hyatt but there's meh benefits. Desperate for rooms of any kind those Hyatters
Not cheap but decent enough for the size of these rooms and food and drink quality. Almost enough to tempt me to go on a first cruise.
What about other potential extras? Tips, WiFi or laundry are they included too?
@ Nikojas -- Starlink Wi-Fi and gratuity are included. Regarding laundry, there are actually complimentary self-serve laundry facilities onboard. Otherwise some Bonvoy elite members receive complimentary serviced laundry, depending on their tier. Others do have to pay for that.
Beyond laundry, the only other thing you're on the hook for is any spa treatments, the super premium alcohol options, etc. We actually didn't spend a dime while onboard.
I hope you used your boyfriend's travel agent rate. Assume he's entitled to it, why not use it
Husband*
@ yiannis93117 -- In this case we just paid the standard rate. I'll explain it more in the full review, but we actually traveled as a group, as this was also a work retreat for Ford's team.
This was planned a long time in advance, and I believe any travel advisor rates they have are if planning closer to the actual sailing date.
I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise, though somewhat surprised in making the booking you were not offered the usual promotional rates Ritz Carlton offers to partner travel agents, which would be substantially less than what you paid. (Perhaps you have a policy against booking reduced travel agent fam fares). I hope in your full review you will give proper recognition to Ritz Carlton Yachts having contracted with V. Ships Leisure. V.Ships Leisure (a division of...
I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise, though somewhat surprised in making the booking you were not offered the usual promotional rates Ritz Carlton offers to partner travel agents, which would be substantially less than what you paid. (Perhaps you have a policy against booking reduced travel agent fam fares). I hope in your full review you will give proper recognition to Ritz Carlton Yachts having contracted with V. Ships Leisure. V.Ships Leisure (a division of V.Group) provides comprehensive ship management services for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. While Ritz-Carlton handles the brand experience, sales, and marketing, they have partnered with V.Ships to manage the technical and operational complexities of their fleet. Under their long-term strategic partnership, V.Ships Leisure handles several key operational areas for the yachts, including:
- Technical Management: Overseeing the maintenance, engineering, and overall technical health of the vessels.
- Crewing & Recruitment: Sourcing and managing qualified deck, engine, and hotel crew members.
- Marine Procurement: Managing the supply chain and purchasing for ship operations.
-Safety & Compliance: Ensuring the yachts meet all international maritime rules, regulations, and safety standards.
-ShipSure Platform: Utilizing V.Ships' proprietary digital platform for real-time data and operational oversight
https://vgrouplimited.com/ship-management/leisure/
V
While I got this information directly from the V.Ships Leisure website, I understand it is no longer the case. In that regard I received the following clarification from Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection: "V Ships was involved early in RCYC operations, but no longer. Today they do provide some preliminary recruitment services. They do not hire or manage RCYC crew onboard. Hotel and F&B services, as well as Marine operations are managed by RCYC under Rachel...
While I got this information directly from the V.Ships Leisure website, I understand it is no longer the case. In that regard I received the following clarification from Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection: "V Ships was involved early in RCYC operations, but no longer. Today they do provide some preliminary recruitment services. They do not hire or manage RCYC crew onboard. Hotel and F&B services, as well as Marine operations are managed by RCYC under Rachel Moosa's leadership as Chief People Officer and Jens Gorka as Chief Shipboard Operations Officer Whiel some cruise lines outsource operations to VShips, that is not the case with RCYC."
That photo from the special marina "incredible deck at the bottom back of the ship" looks downright dangerous! So theres a ring of lounge chairs and directly behind and in front without any guardrails direct ocean underneath?
Also even on the other decks the railing gaps looks unsafe too for taking young kids on it who can slide right through it into the ocean!
@ Luke -- The ocean "pool" in the middle of the marina actually has a net under it, so guests can only swim in the center area, and not go into the ocean.
If you go back here, you do have to sign a waiver, kids have to wear a life vest, and there are a lot of staff around watching closely after everyone. They also only offer this on calm days.
If you can swim, why would it be at all dangerous to fall or jump into the ocean from right above the water level when a ship is parked in calm seas? That's the point, you can swim when it's calm. Too bad in my view they don't let you swim outside the ring! That's the whole idea of a ship like this -- it's like a giant yacht of your own.
Was there anyone who got motion sickness? I am prone to motion sickness on boats but wondering how it would be on large ships. I took Dramamine and that didn't help. The main thing that scares me is that once on the boat, there's really no getting off until the next stop.
Take a ferry for an hour in rough seas. You'll know if you can take 3 days+ on a ship.
@ Sam -- I didn't notice anyone getting motion sickness, and quite honestly, I barely felt the movement. In fairness, the area we were cruising in isn't known for being particularly rough. But of course I can't speak for how you'd experience it, since we're all different. Good luck, if you do choose to take a cruise!
Thank you Ben!
Went on Antarctic expedition in December. Life changing. Save your money.
These companies need to stop with the expedition BS marketing.
That word alone costs you an extra $200/night.
F**k, nobody calls flying CRJ an "expedition".
Huh? Who hurt you.
A cruise does not land on Antarctica. Cruise ships are not ice hull strengthened.
If you're new to cruise reviews just a heads up to include a pic of your balcony and any furniture on it, looks like you only captured the grand suite's not your standard cabin.
Oh also shower size
That's probably because this is a PREVIEW, not a review.
@ DanG-DEN -- Thanks, I got all the pictures coming with the full review. :-)
$6200 for a truly all-inclusive (I guess besides certain specialty wines and liquors?) all-inclusive cruise on a ship this nice seems like... dare I say it, quite a good deal? Like it's $2000 a day/night for, say, a room/location/activities that might cost you $1000 a night and then you are paying $1,000 a day for awesome food and drinks, which is easily what you'd spend in such a place.
@ DiogenesTheCynic -- Yeah, relatively speaking, luxury cruising is certainly becoming a much more compelling option than luxury hotels.
It's incredible how $2K guest rooms at many luxury properties have become the norm with almost nothing included, and then people end up spending another $1-2K per day on experiences.
Perhaps "quite a good deal" compared to a land-based "luxury vacation" but $2k/nt for 2 people seems super steep for a cruise. And cruise pricing is much more opaque than land-based pricing, with options from Costco to CruiseCompete to deliver more competitive pricing than booking direct.
For example, I'm seeing 6 or 7 night Caribbean cruises on Seabourne or Regent with similar inclusions, slightly bigger small ships (600-700 passengers) for about $10k for 2 people...
Perhaps "quite a good deal" compared to a land-based "luxury vacation" but $2k/nt for 2 people seems super steep for a cruise. And cruise pricing is much more opaque than land-based pricing, with options from Costco to CruiseCompete to deliver more competitive pricing than booking direct.
For example, I'm seeing 6 or 7 night Caribbean cruises on Seabourne or Regent with similar inclusions, slightly bigger small ships (600-700 passengers) for about $10k for 2 people or less than half the per-person-per-night cost of RC. Again, that's with zero effort at finding a cheaper price.
Agreed about the state of value in hotels. That's a great idea to try something new and different; glad it was a good experience!
This is very much not for me, but I appreciate the write up! I'm curious - how was the tech in the room? I've heard from a few people that they were very pleasantly surprised with the overall experience but that the tech in the room was inconvenient/lacking, which is obviously strange for a brand new ship.
@ pstm91 -- That's interesting feedback. I don't necessarily have much context about what tech is supposed to be like on ships nowadays (given how long it has been since I've cruised).
When it comes to tech in the room, it took me a second to figure out how to use some of the lighting switches. Also, while minor, I didn't love how most of the outlets in the room were sort of inside hidden...
@ pstm91 -- That's interesting feedback. I don't necessarily have much context about what tech is supposed to be like on ships nowadays (given how long it has been since I've cruised).
When it comes to tech in the room, it took me a second to figure out how to use some of the lighting switches. Also, while minor, I didn't love how most of the outlets in the room were sort of inside hidden compartments, because they weren't wide enough to put a "brick" Apple charger in there (so I had to get creative, and use an adapter). The curtains were also manual rather than automatic, but I don't think that's unusual for ships?
What have you heard from others? :-)
Pretty much this exact thing - that they weren't laid out well and annoying to use with placement. On a somewhat related note, my boss is on the FS Yacht right now and it's a completely different level...
How ironic. They just sent a bunch of snail-mail out this week promoting it.
Cruising is awesome. On the luxury side I love Crystal Cruises. You get a touch of that old world of cruising which makes it a fun experience.
@Jack: Have you cruised Crystal since it was resurrected a few years back? I had cruised with them a few times in the '10s and it was amazing. Was wondering how its fared since, being as it now is run by a completely different company.
If this was this last weekend, I saw you guys sailing by from the Ritz in St. Thomas. I thought the ship looked cool so I googled it. My first thought upon finding out it was an RC Yacht was: I wonder if OMAAT has a review. You didn’t… guess I should’ve been more patient.
@ BKL -- Hah, too funny! Thanks for reading.
Sounds lovely - and it definitely should be for $1000/person per day. This is VERY high end pricing for a cruise FYI. Compared to some hotels these days though, it's a bargain.
Thanks for the review!
But is there badly trained service animal and children?