By
Elly Yates-Roberts |
This article was first published in the 2019 issue of Cruise & Ferry Interiors. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Prompted by the recent boom in cruising, operators are looking for ways to differentiate their brand and many are finding their way into the luxury cruise market. Often, these operators invest in smaller ships that carry fewer passengers, and as such, give guests a more exclusive cruise holiday.
Yachting is the ultimate trend for luxury cruises, according to Vittorio Garroni, founder of Garroni Design, chairman of Monaco-based Le Yacht Cruises and winner of The Cannes Yacht Show’s 2016 Designer of the Year award.
“Le Yacht Cruises is in the process of creating the smallest, most exclusive cruise experience,” says Garroni. “Instead of compressing a cruise ship into the space of a yacht, it will expand the yacht to function like a cruise ship.”
The line’s cruise concept is still in the design stages but will offer guests weekly cruises from a floating marina called Le Lodge. Able to accommodate several berthed yachts at a time, the floating barge hotel will provide guests with a private island-like experience via a restaurant, bar, swimming pool and jacuzzi all suspended in the ocean. Le Lodge can also be repositioned around the world to offer a diverse range of trips.
“Le Yacht Cruises fills the void between the most exclusive luxury cruises and a superyacht charter,” says Garroni. “Maintaining the professionalism of an all-inclusive hotel, but with the freedom to go snorkelling at romantic beaches and have direct access to the most coveted marinas, it will be the most elegant way to cruise.”
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