Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Opens 52 Voyages for Summer 2028 in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has opened bookings for its summer 2028 season in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, a programme of 52 voyages running from late April through October 2028. The line announced the season on September 9, 2026, with sailings of four to nine nights aboard two of its three yachts, Evrima and Ilma, plus two brand-new ports of call: Gijón in Spain and Portovenere in Italy.

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For travelers who like to plan well ahead, the announcement lands early. Summer 2028 is still roughly 18 months away, yet the schedule is already open for reservations, which gives anyone eyeing a peak-season luxury cruise the chance to choose cabins, dates and ports before the most popular departures fill up. The line did not publish fares alongside the schedule, so pricing will need to be confirmed directly with Ritz-Carlton or a travel advisor.

The 2028 Season at a Glance

The season is split between two very different parts of Europe. Evrima, the smaller of the two ships, is assigned to Northern Europe, where the itineraries are built around the Norwegian fjords, the Baltic capitals and Iceland. Ilma, the larger yacht, takes on the Mediterranean, with expanded coverage of the Greek Isles and the Adriatic. Voyages range from four to nine nights, and the line has listed Rome, Monte Carlo, Athens, Venice and Reykjavík among its roundtrip departure ports.

That mix of short and medium-length sailings is worth noting. Longer voyages are common in luxury cruising, so a menu of four-night getaways alongside nine-night voyages is a more flexible proposition for guests who cannot take a full two weeks away. It also makes it easier to combine a cruise with time on land before or after the ship.

Evrima Heads North

One of Evrima’s featured sailings is a nine-night voyage from London to Copenhagen departing on July 12, 2028. The route calls at Haugesund and Geiranger in Norway, Kristiansand, and Aalborg in Denmark, taking in some of the region’s best-known fjord scenery before finishing in the Danish capital. Reykjavík is also on the list of roundtrip departure ports, which points to Iceland-focused itineraries for guests who want to see the island from the water.

Evrima launched in October 2022 and is the smallest ship in the line’s fleet. At 624 feet long with 149 suites, each with a private oceanview terrace, it carries up to 298 guests. That is small by cruise-industry standards, and it is the kind of scale that tends to suit scenic, port-heavy itineraries where a ship needs to be nimble and where guests value a quieter, more personal onboard atmosphere.

Ilma Takes on the Mediterranean and Greek Isles

Ilma debuted in September 2024 and measures 790 feet, with 224 suites and room for up to 448 guests. For summer 2028 it covers the Mediterranean, including what the line describes as expanded Greek Isles and Adriatic coverage. Two sample itineraries show the range:

• May 9, 2028: a seven-night roundtrip from Athens, calling at Mykonos, Santorini, Patmos, Amorgos and Nafplio.
• July 27, 2028: a seven-night roundtrip from Rome, calling at Valletta, Taormina and Amalfi.

The early-May Athens departure is a useful example of how the schedule stretches the season. Sailing in the shoulder months can mean milder temperatures and, for some ports, lighter crowds than July and August, while the Rome sailing in late July targets the heart of the summer holiday window. Ilma was named a Forbes Five-Star Cruise Ship in 2026, according to the line’s materials for its winter 2027-28 season.

Two New Ports and a Riviera-to-Rome Route

The two new ports are the season’s most distinctive additions. Gijón sits on Spain’s northern Atlantic coast, well away from the Mediterranean shore that features in most Spanish cruise itineraries. Portovenere sits on the Ligurian coast of Italy, near the Cinque Terre, and appears on a seven-night Evrima sailing from Nice to Rome departing May 14, 2028. That voyage also calls at Cannes, Portofino and the island of Elba, making it a classic Riviera-to-Rome route with one genuinely new stop.

New ports matter in luxury cruising because repeat guests are always looking for reasons to come back. A line that can offer a different harbor, even on a familiar stretch of coast, gives loyal travelers something fresh without asking them to leave a region they already love.

Ashore: Excursions Built Around Experiences

The announcement also highlights the shore experiences available during the season. Guests can choose from pre-designed private excursions, select-group options and fully custom private outings, with examples including helicopter tours, oyster harvesting, winery tastings and culinary experiences. Ernesto Fara, the line’s chief executive, said the itineraries are designed to deepen guests’ connections with the places they visit, framing the voyages as more than a list of ports.

That emphasis fits the broader approach of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, which pairs all-suite accommodations with a high ratio of staff and space to guests, chef-led dining and an onboard Ritz-Carlton Spa. In practice, it means the experience ashore is treated as a core part of the product rather than an optional extra.

How the Season Fits the Rest of the Fleet

The 2028 European season is only one piece of a busy schedule. For winter 2027-28, running from October 2027 to May 2028, the line has already announced more than 60 voyages and 14 new ports across the fleet. Evrima will sail the Hawaiian Islands, the South Pacific and the Caribbean, Ilma will cover the Caribbean with 27 ports and turnaround hubs including Miami, San Juan and Oranjestad, and the third yacht, Luminara, will focus on Asia-Pacific itineraries.

Highlights of that winter programme include a 13-night voyage from Los Angeles to Panama City with first calls at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, Zihuatanejo and Puerto Chiapas, seven-night sailings from San Juan to Panama City via the Panama Canal, and an 11-night voyage from Hong Kong to Tokyo.

Luminara, which launched in July 2025 with 226 suites, is not part of the 2028 European season, according to the line’s announcement. That means summer 2028 is a two-ship story in Europe, with one yacht dedicated to the north and one to the south.

How It Compares With Other Luxury Lines

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is a three-ship line, so its 52-voyage European season is modest in scale next to the programmes of larger luxury operators. Silversea, for example, unveiled its 2028-29 collection in July 2026 with 278 voyages to 497 destinations across 71 countries, including more than 120 new or reintroduced ports. Its plans include what it calls its most extensive Mediterranean expedition programme, with new itineraries aboard Silver Wind covering the Adriatic, the Greek Isles and North Africa, and a 60-day autumn sailing aboard Silver Dawn departing September 23, 2028 that visits 50 destinations across 13 countries.

The comparison shows how differently luxury lines compete. Silversea leans on breadth, with a larger fleet and a wide range of itineraries, while the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection leans on a smaller, tightly curated schedule of short and medium-length voyages aboard yachts that carry fewer than 450 guests. For travelers choosing between them, the decision often comes down to how much time they have, how big a ship they want to sail on, and whether they prefer a classic cruise-line structure or a more hotel-like experience at sea.

What Travelers Should Know Before Booking

Reservations for the summer 2028 season are open now, but there are a few practical points to keep in mind.

First, fares were not part of the announcement, so there is no published price to compare against other lines. Ask for a full quote, and check what is included in the fare and what is charged separately, particularly for shore excursions such as helicopter tours or private experiences.

Second, think about timing. The season runs from late April through October, and the range of departure dates means you can match the voyage to your priorities. Late spring and early autumn departures can offer milder weather in the Mediterranean, while July is the best fit for the long Northern European days that make fjord scenery especially dramatic.

Third, remember that itineraries can change. Weather, port conditions and operational decisions can alter a published schedule, and that is as true for a luxury yacht as for any other ship. Confirm the details close to departure, and consider travel insurance that covers cancellation and interruption.

Finally, consider the shorter voyages as building blocks. A four- or seven-night sailing from Rome, Athens or Monte Carlo can be paired with a stay in the departure city, turning a single cruise into a longer trip without committing to a two-week voyage at sea.

The Bottom Line

With 52 voyages, two new ports and a clear split between a northern and a southern yacht, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s summer 2028 programme gives luxury travelers an early look at one of the more distinctive European seasons on sale. Evrima’s fjord and Baltic sailings and Ilma’s Greek Isles and Italian itineraries each target a different kind of traveler, and the open reservations mean there is time to plan carefully. Anyone interested should look closely at the dates, compare the voyages with similar sailings from other luxury lines, and ask for a detailed quote before committing.

Featured image: Photo by kotkoa on Magnific. Illustrative only; it does not show a Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection ship.