The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, a luxury line launching
in late 2019, celebrated the keel laying for its first ship.
Managing director Douglas Prothero and other executives welded
commemorative coins to the first section of ship to be lowered into place at
the Hijos De J. Barreras Shipyard in Vigo, Spain.
A 298-passenger ship, the first of three on order, is
expected to be finished in the fourth quarter of 2019.
The new cruise line is a project of investor group Oaktree
Capital Management and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, a subsidiary of Marriott
International.