The debut of the first luxury cruise ship to bear the Ritz-Carlton
name will no longer be Feb. 5.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection said it will postpone its
debut until June, blaming issues at its shipyard in Spain.
"With additional challenges around the former shipyard
management, both the new board of Hijos de J. Barreras and the board of the
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection are working cooperatively towards a long-term
solution for the shipyard. As a result, we have been forced to reschedule the
debut of the yacht's first voyage and subsequent voyages through June 13, 2020,"
the company said in a statement.
Guests who have tickets for canceled cruises can get a
refund or rebook a future cruise at a discounted rate. Agent commissions will
be protected, the company said.
The Fort Lauderdale debut of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's
first ship had been timed to the 2020 Super Bowl in Miami. Rumors of a delay
had surfaced in Spanish media in August, but Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection at
the time said it would stick to its Feb. 5 date.
A unit of Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. has a contract to manage
the 298-passenger ship, which is owned by private equity firm Oaktree Capital
Management along with senior managers of the brand.