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In accordance with longstanding maritime
tradition, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection recently celebrated the
milestone keel laying of its inaugural yacht at the Hijos De J.
Barreras Shipyard in Vigo, Spain.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will
bring
the brand’s legendary service and attention to detail to the seas
when it launches in Q4 2019.
“We are delighted to commemorate this milestone
as we embark on our journey to bring The Ritz-Carlton Yacht
Collection to life,” said Lisa Holladay, Global Brand Leader, The
Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. “The keel laying marks the
realization of a longstanding dream for The Ritz-Carlton brand as
we bring our guest experience and service ethos to the seas
through these highly unique luxury vessels and one-of-a-kind
on-board amenities and experiences.”
Celebrating the official start of a ship’s
construction, the keel laying ceremony was historically used to
mark the initial placement of a central beam, which served as the
vessel’s backbone. Today, as ships are built in a series of
modular components, the symbolic ceremony is used to mark the
lowering of the first module into place in the building dock.
As part of this exciting occasion, Douglas
Prothero, Managing Director of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection,
and Timothy Grisius, Global Real Estate Officer for Marriott
International, were joined by HJ Barreras Shipyard’s Chairman José
García Costas, and Tillberg Design of Sweden’s Owner and Executive
Project Director Fredrik Johansson as the commemorative coins were
unveiled and welded to the hull. Representing a symbolic process
in the keel laying, the coins are meant to bring good fortune
during construction and throughout the ship’s travels.
“The keel laying is a significant moment in the
ship building process and signals that we are well on our way to
redefining luxury at sea with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection,”
said Prothero. “The intimate size of our ships and compelling
itineraries will give our guests the opportunity to explore
unexpected destinations, all while enjoying the legendary
Ritz-Carlton service. This is an exciting new venture and we look
forward to celebrating the many more milestones to come.”
Reservations for the first of three lavish
yachts in this series will open in May. The inaugural ship will
cruise a wide variety of destinations depending on the season,
including the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean and
Latin America.
The specially designed vessels will
measure 190-meters and feature 149 luxury suites to accommodate up
to 298 passengers.
“The opportunity to design The Ritz-Carlton
Yacht Collection has been extremely exciting as we have been able
to start from a blank piece of paper and create a whole new brand
from scratch. Our guiding principles for all aspects of the
yacht's design have been spacious privacy and personal comfort”
said Johansson. “The keel laying celebrates how far we have
already come in the design process, and in creating the most
exclusive and serene experience possible at sea.”
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will offer
voyages ranging from seven to ten days, combining signature
Ritz-Carlton service and amenities onboard with uniquely curated
destination experiences. The ships of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht
Collection are also available for private charter.
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