Add Aman to the list of luxury resort companies engaged in the sea tourism business.
The Russian-owned hotel brand is teaming up with an arm of a Saudi Arabian investment fund to launch a yacht-like luxury cruise ship by 2026, according to the shipyard to be built. ship.
Italy’s T. Mariotti shipyard announced on Friday that a joint venture between Aman and a Saudi Arabian investment entity called Cruise Saudi has contracted with the shipyard to build an unsealed ship. to name.
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T. Mariotti gave some details about what the ship would be like other than saying it would have 50 suites, be 183 meters (about 600 feet) long and occupy “a space in the entertainment market that has never been explored before. destroyed before.”
The announcement comes just months after luxury hotel and resort company Ritz-Carlton Launching a luxury yacht for the first time and the next day luxury travel agency Orient Express revealed plans to launch her own luxury yacht.
The recent Four Seasons luxury brand also announced plans to enter the luxury travel business.
In his announcement, T. Mariotti said the upcoming Aman ship will have a total tonnage of about 23,000 tons. That’s about the same size as the new Ritz-Carlton, the Evrima, which has a gross tonnage of 26,500 tons.
The size suggests that the new Aman can be much more luxurious than the Ritz-Carlton, at least in terms of space per passenger. Assuming that each of the Aman’s 50 suites can accommodate two people (as is customary for luxury cruise lines), it will set sail with just 100 passengers at “double capacity”.
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Ritz-Carlton’s Evrima sets sail with 298 passengers with double capacity.
That would give the Aman a much higher “ratio of space” per passenger than the Ritz-Carlton’s Evrima. A cruise ship’s spatial proportions are often closely correlated with how luxurious it is.
In his announcement, T. Mariotti said the construction of the Aman, codenamed Project Sama, will deliver “exceptional luxury, generous public spaces and unrivaled recreational facilities, a imprint of the Aman brand.”
T. Mariotti CEO Marco Ghiglione said in a statement accompanying the announcement: “It is an honor to have the opportunity to work with Aman, a leader in the luxury hospitality sector. Challenging new venture offering a unique combination of luxury, safety and versatility that will transform the art of cruises.”
The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia is making a big push to become a key player in the tourism business. Through Cruise Saudi, the country has been developing port infrastructure for cruise ships and cruiser attractions to attract more and more cruise ships operated by major carriers.
However, even if it is one of the world’s most luxurious cruise lines, the new Aman cruise line may have limited appeal to some travelers due to the brand’s partnership with an entity. Saudi Arabia, based on Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, some tourists were also able to steer clear of the Aman-branded cruise ship as the brand was owned by a wealthy Russian, Vladislav Doronin.
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