The 456-guest ship will enter service in September 2024, starting at US$6,800 per person.

Following the success of the hospitality giant’s first floating hotel launch, the Ilma will offer equal levels of unparalleled service and amenities to cater to the world’s elite travellers.

Here’s a peek inside the new floating hotel.

It’s launching in 2024

If you’re looking to travel on the upcoming Ilma, you’ll have to be patient.

The cruise ship – which the brand affectionately calls a “superyacht” – won’t enter service until 2024. The Ilma’s pool deck will have plenty of lounge chairs for days at sea and will embark on its first six Mediterranean sailings in September 2024, with prices starting at US$6,800 per person.

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All of the accommodation aboard the upcoming vessel will have balconies. The Ilma will have a second pool above the marina.

Adventurous itineraries

Itineraries will range from seven to 13 nights, bringing travellers to destinations like Spain’s Balearic Islands with overnight stays in locations like Alexandria, Egypt.

The marina will give guests direct access to the water. All six of these cruises will have at least one sailing day with no port of call. The pool deck will have a bar, of course. To some, this could be the most boring day of the holiday. But at least travellers will get to spend it in a 790 ft-long floating Ritz-Carlton.

The luxury vessel is no mega cruise vessel. There’s no rock climbing wall, rows of waterslides, or loud mini-golf courses for bored children.

However, it does have a pool deck, a separate infinity pool, five restaurants, six bars, several lounges and a spa.

It shares similarities to the Evrima cruise ship

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Like its predecessor, the new vessel will have a marina with a new adjacent terrace, giving guests direct access to the water and water toys while the ship is anchored.

The infinity pool will be located above the marina and below several suites. At most, the vessel can accommodate 456 guests with a nearly one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio.

All the suites will have private balconies or terraces

And there’s no need to fear a dingy interior stateroom when aboard the ship. All 228 of its suites will have private balconies or terraces.

These suites will range from almost 300 sq ft to over 1,000 sq ft, not including the balconies. In typical Ritz-Carlton fashion, the floating hotel rooms will be decked out with luxurious amenities like bathrooms with double vanities and a complimentary bottle of champagne.

If the hotel brand’s first ship is any indication of how well this second vessel will sell, the Ilma could see plenty of success.

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The luxury cruise market has been “off the charts”, UBS analysts said in a note in October 2022. As for the Ritz cruise line itself, it’s operated by the same Ritz-Carlton that operates the hotel chain, which is owned by Marriott.

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The Evrima is “booking quite well” for its 2023 season while its summer Mediterranean cruises only have “limited space” left, the cruise line said in October 2022.

At the time, 2024 bookings were already “pacing well and exceeding expectations”. The Evrima’s pool house has plenty of seating for guests.

And Ritz-Carlton isn’t the only hospitality brand with a new arm in the cruise market.