With Ilma earning the first-ever Five-Star cruise rating in the 2026 Star Awards, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection signals how the cruise industry is shifting toward smaller, design-led voyages built around space and service.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has become the first cruise brand to receive a Five-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide, a distinction awarded to its second yacht, Ilma, in the newly released 2026 Star Awards. The recognition matters less as a marketing milestone than as a sign that luxury cruising is being evaluated by the same standards once reserved almost exclusively for top-tier hotels, spas, and restaurants.
Ilma launched in September 2024 and was built on a scale that resembles a private yacht more than a traditional ship. At 790 feet long, it accommodates up to 448 guests across 224 suites, each with a private ocean-view terrace, and is positioned around unusually high space- and employee-to-guest ratios. Those details align closely with Forbes Travel Guide’s emphasis on consistency and service delivery across every step of a guest’s experience.
The yacht’s design also reflects the direction luxury travel is taking: less spectacle, more atmosphere. Interiors were created by London-based AD Associates with lighting by dpa lighting, while the exterior was developed by Helsinki’s Aivan studio, giving the ship a clean, architectural profile. Spaces like Beach House, designed by Toronto-based Chapi Design Luxury Division, are meant to blur indoor and outdoor living, reinforcing the idea that the sea itself is part of the experience rather than just a backdrop.
Itineraries across the Caribbean and Mediterranean mix well-known ports with less-visited destinations, leaning into the promise of access and slower pacing. Onboard programming includes live entertainment and shore experiences positioned as cultural immersion, suggesting a move away from the high-volume cruise formula toward a model that resembles curated resort travel. In practice, this is part of a wider industry shift: fewer passengers, more personalization, and a premium placed on time and calm.
Amenities aboard Ilma include five dining venues developed in collaboration with chefs Fabio Trabocchi and Michael Mina, along with seven bars and lounges and a wine vault. Wellness is also central, with The Ritz-Carlton Spa offering treatments from ESPA, 111SKIN, and Pisterzi, plus Technogym-equipped fitness spaces. A marina platform provides direct access to the water for activities like paddleboarding, kayaking, and electric foiling.
Forbes Travel Guide’s decision to grant its first Five-Star cruise rating suggests that luxury at sea is no longer being treated as a niche category. Instead, it is beginning to compete directly with the world’s most established hospitality experiences—measured not by size, but by precision.
