The first passengers say the new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruise ship will be great… in a few months

After eight delays Making her first launch almost three years behind schedule, the first vessel of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, the Evrima, finally set sail on Saturday, for a week-long cruise from Barcelona to Nice, France, with stops at the Spanish Balearic islands of Alcudia and Palma de Mallorca, plus a night in Saint-Tropez, France.

Because of Ritz-Carlton’s new flying arm and its shipyard (yes, plural) with so many problems, but also with so much time to work on the new yacht product, we don’t know if Evrima’s maiden voyage will be perfect or a mess .

Because The Points Guy couldn’t win a spot on the first ride, we enlisted the help of our readers on board. So far, the responses have been pretty consistent.

As you would expect from a premium product that carries Ritz-Carlton name and from a brand new ship carrying passengers for the first time, great ship, great staff and great food – but there are still some kinks that need to be worked out.

Here, we share the latest information and photos from passengers Amy Southard and Laura Baill, both sailing, as well as comments from other passengers on Facebook.

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Good

Dish

Food is an important part of any travel. In Evrima, they all include, with the exception of SEA, a restaurant created by chef Sven Elvergeld, the man behind the Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg’s Aqua restaurant in Germany, which has three Michelin Stars.

Baill, who has never traveled before, tells us she is a fan of the food all over the ship.

“I expected to be impressed with the dining options and quality, and the food definitely met my expectations,” she said. “We mostly ate breakfast at the main poolside restaurant, with dishes ranging from French toast to bagels and the best lox I’ve ever tried (and this comes from a Jewish patron). Thai, who have tried a considerable number of bagels.) We [also tried] Evrima Lounge – which specializes in local cuisine – serves breakfast this morning and enjoys cheese plates and lobster butter croissants.

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“We tend to have lunch in the ports, but the ship also has nearly all of the restaurants open for lunch. Our top dinner pick is Mistral, from sandwiches to lobster tails. with another famous passion fruit cheesecake.We also enjoyed some Barbaresco wine to round off the meal.Although I don’t have a direct comparison of the itinerary, the Ritz managed to avoid the buffet trap and portions. greedily. “

“We [also went] Baill said.

Baill and her boyfriend also tried to eat at SEA, but she was unimpressed, writing: “One criticism is that we ate at SEA, and it felt expensive ($625 for two people). ) for a very small portion, leaving us still hungry as soon as we left.”

Service

Befitting a name as classy as the Ritz-Carlton, we say the service on the Evrima is outstanding.

“Everything looks good, smells good, feels good,” passenger JL Thomas posted in a Facebook discussion group called Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection – All news. “But the best parts of the boat… the crew! Everyone from the housekeepers to the mechanics was so sweet! [and] Useful.”

Guarantee agreed. “The staff were the highlight of the experience, in both their attitude and their attentiveness,” Baill said. “In one case, they offered me a cocktail suggestion and then, without hesitation, brought me mango and white chocolate gelato by the pool (which suits my taste best).

“The service at the pool and the restaurants was top-notch, matching my expectations when I booked the trip. The crew memorized our drink preferences and names and kept the wine flowing, no questions asked. The personal nature of the service is unlike any vacation I’ve been on.”

Standard cabin

“[My] The room features a signature Ritz-style interior with a sleek and modern design,” says Baill. This is my first excursion, I am comfortable by the large deck with sliding glass doors and abundant light in the room. Upon boarding, we were greeted with a chilled bottle of Champagne along with other beverages in our mini fridge. Our concierge is happy to replenish our requested drinks in the fridge at any time. “

Southard, who booked the Grand Suite, said she also likes her accommodation: “It’s great and spacious.”

Other terms

In addition to the standard elements noted above, Baill also calls the bar service, the all-inclusiveness of the ship, and the seamless onboarding process remarkable.

“Ritz made the boarding process extremely seamless and promptly ordered me a cocktail at the top pool seat within 20 minutes of boarding,” she said. “The bartenders are extremely skilled at making and delivering fun and interesting drinks based on the desired wine and our taste. Drinks are also served in glass instead of plastic, which is what makes it so good. which I greatly appreciate.”

Not so good

The first trip went wrong

No new cruise ship is perfect. Until individual cabins are tested, showrooms prepare actual meals, and crew members get to work, tweaks are almost always needed, and it looks like that’s the case. the case of Evrima.

Southard, a cruiser enthusiast, said: “They definitely need to find the twists and turns. “Even though everyone [who works on board] is extremely good, it doesn’t have that Ritz-Carlton touch. From what I heard, they were building until 2am the night before on the train, so everything still needs to be done. They need more time to get it together. In a month or so, this will be an amazing journey. “

Some of the problems cited by Southard and Baill included a cabin phone not working properly, a malfunctioning climate control in the room, a broken public bathroom lock that trapped unsuspecting people inside, a Some pools are closed for days due to maintenance and the on-board wine list. not ready yet.

Suite

TPG has also learned that some of Evrima’s cabins – mainly some of the largest suites, which can cost $25,000 or more, per person, per cruise – are still unfinished.

“I booked this ship after 2 and a half years of waiting,” AS Hussain, a passenger commented on one of the posts on Official Facebook page of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. “Booked View Suite, one level lower than Owners Suite, only downgraded to Basic Suite because top suites … not ready yet.”

“A small number of suites on Evrima are taking longer to complete,” the travel agency confirmed to TPG on Friday in an email. “Affected guests have been notified in advance and given the option to choose a different suite on their current trip with a refund for any cost difference, rebook the trip to maintain their suite type or get a refund.”

Port knowledge

Interestingly, passengers also reported that the ship’s staff still had a thing or two to learn about the ports of call the ship was visiting.

Baill told TPG: “Given this was the Ritz’s first voyage, the staff had very limited knowledge of dining or other activities around the ports beyond their scheduled voyages. “I asked them about the best local beach for swimming and watersports in Mallorca and ended up switching to one passenger on a boat with a home in Mallorca, versus our guide, who told I’m not sure about any of these options.

“I think this can and absolutely should be an area for improvement for guests who may not want pre-packaged (and overpriced) tours depending on my boyfriend and me. myself to try and order anything in the port cities.”

Since the Ritz-Carlton is a land-based brand that has ventured into cruises, it’s understandable that it might take some time for employees to get their feet wet, but guest service or the excursion desk. on the shores of Evrima will be able to easily answer such questions.

In addition, local regulations prevented the ship from bringing down the marina for several days. It’s unclear if the manager was aware of those restrictions in advance or was just as surprised as the guests. (Thomas said on Facebook that the platform had been lowered, allowing passengers to take the ship’s personal seaplane.)

Key point

Some minor issues are expected, but it appears the airline is managing to fix them and address passenger concerns.

Southard initially noted that her guide (one per cabin) was nowhere to be found during the first few days of the trip. However, she later said, “Our instructor upped her game and it was amazing.”

Southard also told TPG that the crew is working hard to fix other things she and Baill have mentioned as malfunctions, such as problems with the air conditioning and other equipment that hasn’t worked. normal.

“Having traveled extensively, from Bora Bora to Africa to New Zealand and Burma, it has become a little difficult for me to feel uniquely amused, however, the Ritz has excited me and inspired me,” says Baill. makes me want more.” “I’m already planning my next Ritz excursion.”

Stay tuned for more on Evrima coverage in the coming months.

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