The intimate 624-foot, 149-suite Evrima set sail for the first time in October 2022. The inaugural vessel in the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, courtesy of Tillberg Design of Sweden, it was the world’s first hotel-branded superyacht.

Earlier this year, the fleet expanded with the 790-foot, 224-suite Ilma, showcasing a sleek exterior from Helsinki, Finland-based design studio Aivan and interiors that capture elements of Maltese mythology by London practice AD Associates. Beach House, the indoor/outdoor restaurant from Toronto firm Chapi Chapo Design, is another pivotal feature, blending Peruvian cuisine with a coastal ambiance.

Rounding out the fleet is the 794-foot, 226-suite Luminara, also featuring the handiwork of Aivan, AD Associates, and Chapi Chapo Design, slated for its maiden voyage in July 2025.

The observation room on Evrima, the inaugural vessel in the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection marks a turning point in luxury hospitality, offering loyal guests a floating 5-Star experience. It’s a way for hotel brands to extend their reach into another luxury market, luring existing clientele to the high seas with a plethora of perks.

On the Ritz-Carlton superyachts, attentive service, choice design details like private terraces, and go-to amenities such as a spa and fine dining—fixtures they are accustomed to at Ritz-Carlton hotels—are all in place, yet they are coupled with the breezy atmosphere of a summer boating sojourn, making stops on journeys through the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and the Caribbean. It’s a striking combination of posh and relaxed, so it’s not surprising that other brands are following suit.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, for example, has joined forces with Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to launch the first Four Seasons Yacht, overseen by Tillberg Design and the yacht’s creative director Prosper Assouline, in January 2026. Setting off for the Caribbean, it will flaunt commodious living spaces, double vanity bathrooms, and the signature Funnel and Loft suites. The former, tucked inside the yacht’s glass-enclosed funnel, stuns with 280-degree panoramic vistas.

A glass enclosed suite aboard the Four Seasons Yacht, shown in a rendering

Over the last few years, Accor has garnered buzz for its forthcoming revival of the golden-age Orient Express brand. In addition to hotels—beginning with the Orient Express La Minerva Rome and Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovanelli in Venice—there are plans to bring Orient Express trains back to railways and to regale guests with two yachts.

A rendering of a suite on the forthcoming Orient Express Corinthian, wrapped in leather, marble, and wood

First up: the Orient Express Corinthian, which is poised to start cruising the Mediterranean, Adriatic, and Caribbean seas in June 2026. Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France and designed by architect Maxime d’Angeac, artistic director of the Orient Express, its 48 suites will be adorned with leather, marble, and wood. A swimming pool, spa, cinema, and recording studio will bolster the five restaurants and eight bars on board, including an Art Deco-influenced cabaret and 1930s-style speakeasy.

Looking ahead to 2027, Aman will unveil Aman at Sea, its 600-foot-long sustainable motor yacht hatched in collaboration with Cruise Saudi and constructed by Italy’s T. Mariotti shipyard. Fueled by both marine diesel oil and methanol, its 50 balcony-dotted suites will be complemented by a club and lounge, multiple dining venues, and the Aman Spa. Guests can also wander through a Japanese garden and unwind in the beach club, providing direct access to the water from the yacht’s stern.

A rendering of the Japanese garden on Aman at Sea, a 600-foot-long sustainable motor yacht

All this fanfare in the hospitality sector has seeped into the luxury residential market, too. Consider Ulyssia, a swish yacht community planned for late 2028 that’s the brainchild of Swiss entrepreneur Frank Binder. Designed by Monaco-based Espen Øino International and brought to life by Meyer Werft in Germany, the 1,050-foot vessel is composed of 22 suites and 133 residences imagined by Francesca Muzio, lead interior designer of Camerano, Italy-based FM Architettura.

Her biophilic-inspired design “prioritizes the human relationship with nature as an integral part of our health,” she says. Here, the lobby air garden highlights an aerial staircase that connects the decks, while a gourmet market dubbed the herb garden, will include local specialties depending upon where the yacht is moored on a particular day. A bi-level Chenot spa, which links to the lobby by way of a dramatic fountain, serves as the water garden.

Technically, the Rossinavi Seawolf X isn’t a superyacht, but the newly built 140-foot catamaran from the Italian yacht builder with interiors from Meyer Davis is every bit as swank. To give guests who charter Seawolf X a one-of-a-kind experience, the New York-based firm aimed to “create a yacht that exudes elegance while staying committed to sustainability,” says Nancy Santorelli, associate principal and director at Meyer Davis.

A rendering of Ulyssia, a yacht community planned for late 2028

Inspired by Blue Technology, which powers the yacht with hybrid-electric systems and solar panels, “we focused on selecting materials and forms that reflect this ethos,” she adds. Wirebrushed wood paneling and woven raffia wallcoverings, for instance, “establish a tactile connection to the natural world. The mood was about finding that balance—a space that feels luxurious yet grounded, blending Rossinavi’s cutting-edge innovation with our design philosophy of honest materiality.”

A Scandinavian sensibility permeates the Seawolf X. “The primary stateroom is an exceptional space, with proportions more akin to a luxurious home, allowing for the inclusion of bespoke furnishings like the headboard that acts as a statement piece,” says Meyer Davis cofounder Gray Davis.

The gathering space at the bow of the yacht is another standout. “Its positioning at the front rather than the back lets guests look outward instead of inward toward the docks and ports,” he adds. “This design choice offers a sense of privacy and an uninterrupted connection to the water—an uncommon element in yacht design that enhances the experience at sea.”

For Will Meyer, cofounder of Meyer Davis, yachts present a distinctive challenge given their “limited space and dynamic environment, and it was exciting to rethink how scale and flow could be adapted to enhance both functionality and beauty.”

Collaborating with Rossinavi and the naval architects, “allowed us to push creative boundaries,” he says. “It was a rare opportunity to merge our expertise into a design language perfectly tailored for the open sea.”

The sumptuous Pan-Asian restaurant Memori on Ilma from the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Neutral tones evoke quiet luxury in a Ulyssia penthouse, shown in a rendering

This article originally appeared in HD’s December 2024 issue.