By
Rebecca Gibson |
New luxury cruise operator The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is to name its first-ever yacht Azora.
Derived from the words ‘azure’ and the colour ‘azul’, the name Azora means ‘sky blue’ in Spanish and was chosen to evoke the “beauty of the sky and the ocean”.
“Azora is a name that encourages guests to immerse themselves in the colour of travel and experience the world with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection,” said the company on its website.
Azora is currently having her interiors outfitted at the Hijos De J. Barreras shipyard in Vigo, Spain after floating out of her building dock this October. Interior outfitting works are expected to around one year and the vessel will start service in February 2020.
Designed to reflect a boutique yacht, the 298-guest vessel will have interiors and exteriors created by Tillberg Design of Sweden. Highlights will include all-balcony suites, a lounge and wine bar, a library and café named the Living Room, five dining venues, a wellness centre, an infinity-style pool at the aft, three pools and two whirlpools. There will also several venues with indoor and outdoor spaces, including a fitness centre, a signature Ritz-Carlton spa and a solarium. Guests will also be able to visit a top-deck outdoor space that will transform into a nightclub in the evenings, as well as a marina-style platform that will host open-air events and give direct access to the water.
During her inaugural year, Azora will offer seven-day itineraries that include calls at four ports, and 10-day voyages that will take guests to six or seven ports. She will homeport in the Southern Caribbean, Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Canada and New England.