In our lifetimes, there have only been a few things we’ve said definitively that we would never do—one of them is “go on a cruise.” We might have to eat our words, however, given that The Ritz-Carlton just announced it’ll be launching a few ships in 2019, and the trips they’re promising to curate aboard them actually sound awesome. For starters, rather than hitting up super-tourist-y ports, these chic yacht experiences will dock in it-girl destinations like Portofino and St. Barths. They’ll also involve, according to Ritz-Carlton COO Herve Humler, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that’ll go beyond the all-you-can-eat buffet. “Through collaborations with local chefs, musicians, and artists, guests will get to experience the locations in unique and experiential ways, both onboard and ashore,” he said. Each of the fleet’s three yachts will have 149 suites with private balconies, so the amount of bodies onboard will be significantly smaller than that of most cruise lines. Ultimately, it sounds like these luxury boating experiences will allow (albeit, moneyed) non-celebs to experience travel like the rich & famous, and we’re all about it. Claim your spot aboard starting in May of 2018.
