The verdict on luxury hotel brand’s new ship (or should that be yacht?)

The ship: Luminara, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

• The cruise Singapore to Hong Kong, 14 nights, via Koh Samui and Bangkok, Thailand; and Danang, Halong Bay and Saigon, Vietnam.
• Commissioned 2025
• Passengers 452
• Crew 374
• Passenger decks 10
• Length 242 metres

It used to be verboten to refer to a ship as a boat, and in this era of uber luxe, heaven forbid confusing a ship with a yacht. Along with Evrima and Ilma, Luminara is one of a trio of vessels that form the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection fleet, launched in 2022. The newest (as of last year) of the three yachts, this two-week cruise between Singapore and Hong Kong is the debut by the design-led collection in Asia.

While the royal blue-daubed Luminara, of which clearly no expense has been withheld in its creation, is new to Asia, the Ritz-Carlton hotel brand, of which the yacht collection is an ambitious spin-off, is well-represented in the Orient. As per this itinerary, there are Ritz-Carlton hotels in Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong, the first two of which your reviewer samples before and during the cruise, with the latter an off-ship overnight shore excursion to the Thai capital.

Boarding

For a city state known for its ordered calm, the Singapore Cruise Centre, as opposed to the newer Marina Bay Cruise Centre reserved for larger ships, is a hectic place when busy, as it indeed is on the day of our boarding. Although there are eager-to-please staff on hand to guide my way to Luminara, to do so you have to pass, after alighting by chauffeured van, at a too-small arrival bay, and then pass through a plethora of shops and eateries. However, unlike other cruise terminals, such as Bangkok’s distant facility, it’s only between 15 and 20 minutes’ driving from the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore hotel, the deluxe launch pad for many of Luminara’s passengers.

The design

When they’re puttin’ on the Ritz – as in Ritz-Carlton hotels – it’s all about holdin’ off the glitz, a philosophy which is intended to translate seamlessly through to the more than agreeable aesthetics of the yachts. While the land-based Ritz-Carlton properties strive to create a sense of place through its interior design and lavish art collections, it’s an aim that’s a little harder to achieve on a ship, albeit an equally five-star-plus one like Luminara, which by nature is constantly moving from place to place. And, as it eventuates, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is owned by a separate company to the Ritz-Carlton Hotels brand, which in turn is owned by the giant Marriott group. But the accommodation arm, I’m assured, closely monitors and approves every facet of the ship’s design and service.

The spaces

Luminara’s impressive design ethos, by way of its sibling hotels brand, is most successfully expressed in its five restaurants, six bars and a wine vault, each with an entirely distinct but coherent look. In calmer, anchored waters, the ingenious Marina is created to provide passengers a floating platform-cum-playground off the attractively tiered stern of the ship. It allows direct access to the sea and incorporates a floating lounge, a sea pool, kayaks and paddleboards. Mirroring Ritz-Carlton Hotels, of which there are more than 100 properties around the world, including in Australia, there’s an extensive contemporary art collection throughout the ship with a personal favourite being a replica blinking lighthouse.

The suite

The Ritz-Carlton Yachts Collection claims to offer unparallelled space ratios for its guests, and that’s reflected in Luminara’s suite sizes which start at 27.3 square metres, spacious dimensions even for a hotel room on terra firma. If not for the comparatively low-ceilings typical of inherently space-challenged cruise ships, my suite, which comes with a large “terrace” (read: balcony) delivers a convincing, and then some, impersonation of a Ritz-Carlton five-star room. Every whim is attended to by your omnipresent room attendant or, ahem, “suite ambassador”.

Couples will be pleased to discover not only is there a luxe hotel-style twin vanity in the black marbled bathroom (which, yes, includes a bathtub), there’s also one in the adjoining toilet cubicle. Furthermore, there are his and her (or his and his/her and her) walk-in wardrobes. During calm waters, or even gently rocky ones, it’s easy to be lulled into a belief that you actually are in an upscale hotel suite.

The food

Even though both the Ritz-Carlton hotels in Singapore and Bangkok, characteristic of South-East Asian five-stars, proudly provide bumper buffets, or at least food-station-style breakfasts, Luminara is entirely sneeze-guard free. All the restaurants aboard the yacht are therefore a la carte, which is both a victory for food waste and clearly part of a concerted effort to ensure the experience matches the hefty price-tag. It means seeing hard-working crew members go, literally overnight, from serving vintage drops in fine-dining venues to dispensing fresh OJ at the breakfast table.

While the food is uniformly excellent throughout Luminara, the two standouts are derived from US star chefs. The fine-diner Seta su Luminara, is the product of the Washington, DC-based Fabio Trabocchi, whose accomplished modern Italian tasting menu features superb dishes such as a risotto nero of Hokkaido scallops, calamari, squid ink, lemon froth. On the more casual side, there’s James Beard-trained Michael Mina’s skilful, if not jovial, reimagining of Middle Eastern cuisine at the easy-going Beach House. Untypically good espresso coffee, by the Italian brand Illy, for a ship with American connections is served throughout the ship, including in the form of pods in the in-suite coffee machines.

Wellness

If not for the sight of a massage table with sea views adjoining the indoor treatment rooms, Luminara’s on-board spa could also be easily mistaken for one in a non-floating Ritz-Carlton. Treatments feature products by exclusive British brand ESPA, and one of the more pleasing aspects of this spa was the absence of the up-selling of products at the end of a highly professional treatment. Nearby, on the same deck is The Salon which offers beauty and hair services, including manicure, pedicure, cutting, styling and blow-drying, while next door at The Barber, male passengers can enjoy a haircut, shave or facial. There’s also a gym that’s as well-equipped as you’d expect from this quality of ship.

Entertainment

If you’re hoping for razzle-dazzle, Broadway-style productions performed in a huge sea-going auditorium on this cruise, try another, and much larger, ship. Maintaining Ritz-Carlton’s sophisticated understated style, entertainment aboard Luminara is an intentionally refined and intimate affair including live classical and jazz musical performances, guest lecturers and curated activities in the main Living Room space of the ship. Classy.

The crew

Every member of the multinational crew, who are trained by Ritz-Carlton hotel staff, tries their hardest to please in every possible way. But in doing so, they refreshingly manage not to come across as try-hards, successfully combining formality with friendliness. They’re also blessed with some of the coolest and most relaxed contemporary uniforms at sea.

The verdict

If ever there was a ship, sorry yacht, designed to appease the cruise-sceptics, or even the cruise-despisers, Luminara is it. Though like most of the new generation ships of this calibre, it comes with a giddy price tag.

The details

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s cruises in South-East Asia include a five-night Bali roundtrip itinerary from January 16, 2027, from $13,600; the next 14-night Singapore to Hong Kong cruise departs on February 28, 2027, from $43,700. Luminara and its other two vessels also cruise destinations including the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, North America, Japan and the South Pacific. See ritzcarltonyachtcollection.com

Our rating out of five

★★★★ ½

SWELL

For a ship of this quality and sophistication, there’s a noticeable lack of pretension. In fact, the most affected guests are not the paying passengers but a gaggle of influencers from around the globe, including Australia, sampling Luminara’s first foray into Asia.

NOT SO SWELL

Buffet buffs will miss exercising their membership of the pile-high club, and true to its hotel connections, the shower controls in the suite bathroom can prove tricky. On the in-suite bed, there’s the usual gratuitous Great Wall of pillows and cushions.

The writer travelled as a guest of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.