inVOYAGERs given an exclusive Tour of the all new ‘ILMA’ from the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
With spirits still high from inVOYAGE x Mykonos, we headed to The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s newest yacht “ILMA” for the grand tour with a twist of mixology and an exquisite on-board lunch.
So with luxury super yachts on the rise, we ask what is their potential for incentives and events? Emily catches up with Karen Shiers, VP MICE & Partnership, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and Christopher Gioitta at Parea Travel for their insights.
The Story & Creation of the Ilma
Emily, inVOYAGE: What inspired the creation of the Ilma and how does it fit into The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection?
Karen, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: Ilma was inspired by bringing The Ritz Carlton to sea. We knew that there was a gap in the market for an ultra luxury cruise ship and that's why we created a super yacht with The Ritz-Carlton. We launched Evrima, our first yacht, two years ago - she was a bit smaller 624 feet (Ilma is over 700 feet). We saw such big demand for Evrima that we wanted to go bigger and create more spaces.
Ilma is 224 suites, 448 guests, and we've just really taken the spaces and done everything bigger and better with Ilma and really just step it up, especially for meetings and events. We saw the need for bigger public spaces and areas that people could come together. So that's what really inspired it.
Created with Groups in Mind
Emily, inVOYAGE: I think I can speak for everyone when I say it was incredibly exciting to experience Ilma firsthand and really begin to understand the vision behind its creation. But having been there from start to finish, can you tell us, what is it that makes Ilma such a great venue for hosting corporate events and incentive groups?
Karen, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: It's just such a perfect venue because where else can you find a hotel that actually moves and goes to all these different destinations, whilst bringing people together all in one space. It’s an amazing format that’s just naturally built for bonding and experiences together because you're all together in one place. While in a hotel you can leave and people can separate, on a yacht, you're all together, experiencing the ship and all these destinations in one group.
Emily, inVOYAGE: What are some of the standout onboard spaces that event planners can look forward to exploring during their visit? How do these spaces cater to a variety of events—from intimate gatherings to larger corporate functions?
Karen, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: One of our best meeting venues has to be our Marina Terrace, which opens up directly into the water. You can jump off the ship into the water, but you can also have a meeting there with the ocean as your backdrop, which is such a great experience for any type of meeting and venue. That's one of my favourite highlights!
Emily, inVOYAGE: How has the feedback been from event planners or corporate clients so far? What aspects of Ilma’s design or experience have impressed them the most?
Karen, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: So, we actually had a pre-inaugural voyage with a number of meeting planners earlier last month and they said it was the best event of their entire career. So, we're incredibly happy with the feedback and we just can't wait for everybody to experience it.
The Future of Luxury Yachts in the Events Industry
Emily, inVOYAGE: Looking ahead, do you see more demand for luxury super yachts like Ilma in the events industry?
Karen, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: I do, yes! And mainly just down to the ease of the yachting experience and planning. You only have to unpack once. All of your AV, meals, food and beverages included. Not to mention all the meeting spaces on board. It's just such a unique experience and we've really seen the demand skyrocket.
I started this team three years ago when there was nothing. And now here we are building ships like the Ilma completely designed with meetings and groups in mind.
Emily, inVOYAGE: And what about you Christopher? Having worked extensively in the luxury travel space, what initially drew you to working with yachts as part of your travel offerings, and do you think they are becoming a popular choice for corporate clients and incentive groups?
Christopher, Parea Travel: A lot of travel agencies think land first and sea second but here at Parea Travel we're kind of the opposite which I think is just the way that we’ve entered the industry. Looking at luxury and ultra luxury travel, there's an entirely new market that's being created with companies like Four Seasons Yachts and Ritz Carlton Yachts and Aman Yachts entering the space. So, I think for us, it's really exciting to do programs at sea and to work with some of the super yachts and hotel super yachts currently entering the market. Finally we have a product for the very experienced ultra luxury traveller who's done most of the bucket list destinations already.
Emily, inVOYAGE: What are some of the key factors that influence an event planner when selecting a yacht for their clients?
Christopher, Parea Travel: I think it really depends on what the client's looking for in terms of the destination. If you’re looking to travel in the winter then the Caribbean is a great choice, otherwise the Mediterranean is very popular for travel in the summer. Typically we try to understand that first before planning the programme. Then it’s a question of whether the client is looking for smaller, more bespoke ports or larger, more mainstream destinations. Also, what are they looking for in terms of entertainment?
If they’re looking for a more traditional cruise experience with a theatre and, 11 different restaurants to choose from, we might steer them in one direction. If they're looking for a more kind of laissez faire laid back experience, we might steer them in another direction.
Emily, inVOYAGE: How do you think the experience of hosting events on yachts differs from traditional venues like hotels or resorts? What unique benefits do you see for your clients when they choose a yacht setting?
Christopher, Parea Travel: We love hosting events on yachts and on ships because it takes out one of the hardest elements out of the planning, which is logistics. That’s not to say it’s easy to plan an event on a yacht, but taking the logistics out of it, and knowing the itinerary in advance means we can focus our attention on the most important thing which is getting our guests on the ship. And of course, once they’re on the ship, you know they can’t get lost! When it comes to event planning, we know everything else will be taken care of.
Emily, inVOYAGE: What trends are you seeing in the luxury travel space when it comes to yachts, particularly for corporate incentives and group travel? Do you think demand is rising for yacht experiences?
Christopher, Parea Travel: I think the biggest trend we're seeing is people looking for experiential travel. A lot of people have already checked off those bucket list destinations, and now they're looking for more unique ways to see the world. So, we’re seeing a real emergence of bespoke styles of travel, including super yachts! The timing really couldn’t be more perfect.