The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection vs Star Clippers

The core difference

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Star Clippers appear in the same yacht category by virtue of their intimate guest counts — but the comparison is between products so different that they scarcely belong in the same conversation. And yet Australian travellers researching small-ship experiences will encounter both names, and understanding what each actually delivers prevents the kind of booking mismatch that turns a holiday into a disappointment.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is Marriott International’s ultra-luxury entry into cruising, built to feel nothing like a cruise line. Three purpose-built superyachts — Evrima (149 suites, 2022), Ilma (224 suites, 2024), and Luminara (226 suites, 2025) — deliver the hushed, anticipatory service of a Ritz-Carlton hotel on the water. Five restaurants include S.E.A., serving seven-course tasting menus from a three-Michelin-star culinary director. Ilma holds the highest space-per-guest ratio at sea. All dining, premium beverages, Wi-Fi, and gratuities are included. There is no buffet, no PA system, no cruise director, and no casino. The guest profile includes roughly half who have never cruised before — luxury hotel guests who want that experience on the water.

Star Clippers operates three working tall ships — Star Clipper and Star Flyer (170 guests each, four-masted barquentines) and the magnificent Royal Clipper (277 guests, five-masted full-rigged ship). These are not cruise ships with ornamental sails. The crew are trained square-rigger sailors who raise and trim 36,000 to 56,000 square feet of canvas by hand. Guests are genuinely invited to haul lines, climb the mast, and learn celestial navigation. The ships travel under wind power up to eighty per cent of the time. Dining is single open-seating with regionally inspired menus and very reasonably priced wines. There are no formal nights, no assigned tables, and no pretension. Royal Clipper’s stern opens into a watersports marina. Recognised repeatedly as the World’s Best Boutique Cruise Line and the World’s Best Green Cruise Line, Star Clippers has earned a fiercely loyal following.

For Australian travellers, the choice is not between competitors but between entirely different categories of travel experience. Ritz-Carlton offers the pinnacle of modern luxury afloat. Star Clippers offers the thrill of sailing on working tall ships. The fact that both carry fewer than 300 guests is where the similarities begin and end.

What is actually included

The inclusion models are as different as the vessels themselves, and the gap is wide enough to affect the entire cost calculation.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection operates a comprehensive all-inclusive model. The fare covers all dining across five restaurants without surcharges, premium beverages including champagne, fine wines, spirits, and cocktails, Wi-Fi throughout the vessel, crew gratuities, and the marina watersports platform. Shore excursions and spa treatments are additional. The fare is designed to eliminate all onboard spending decisions — a genuinely cashless experience from embarkation to disembarkation.

Star Clippers operates a more traditional inclusion model. The fare covers all meals — breakfast, lunch, and dinner — in the single open-seating restaurant, plus afternoon tea and midnight snacks. Basic tea and coffee are included. Alcoholic beverages, premium coffees, Wi-Fi, and crew gratuities are charged separately. The watersports marina on Royal Clipper provides complimentary kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, and water skiing. Wine is notably well-priced aboard — a deliberate policy that reflects the line’s unpretentious philosophy, with bottles starting from approximately EUR $15.

The total-cost difference is substantial. A Ritz-Carlton seven-night voyage effectively requires no onboard spending beyond spa and excursions. A Star Clippers seven-night voyage will accumulate a bar tab, Wi-Fi charges, and gratuities that might add AUD $100 to $200 per person per day depending on consumption. Even with these additions, Star Clippers’ total cost is a fraction of Ritz-Carlton’s — the pricing structures reflect fundamentally different product tiers rather than different value equations within the same tier.

Dining and culinary experience

The dining comparison illustrates the philosophical gulf between these lines — one offering Michelin-pedigree gastronomy across five venues, the other offering honest, excellent cooking in a single convivial setting.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection delivers a multi-venue dining programme of genuine culinary ambition. S.E.A. serves seven-course tasting menus conceived by Chef Sven Elverfeld of the three-Michelin-star Aqua at The Ritz-Carlton Wolfsburg. Additional restaurants cover Asian-inspired cuisine, poolside dining, a grill, and the main restaurant — five venues in total, all included without surcharges. Wine pairings, premium spirits, and champagne flow throughout the day. The culinary standard is among the highest at sea.

Star Clippers offers a single dining room with open seating, and the food is genuinely excellent for vessels of this category — a pleasant surprise for guests expecting basic ship’s fare. Menus change daily with regional influences drawn from the sailing region. The cooking is fresh, well-executed, and accompanied by reasonably priced wines. The atmosphere is convivial: shared tables, no dress code beyond reasonable casual wear, and the Captain often joining guests. Breakfast and lunch buffets are supplemented by a la carte options. The Tropical Bar on deck serves cocktails, beer, and wine throughout the day.

The comparison is not about quality within respective categories — both deliver well for what they promise. It is about ambition, variety, and price point. Ritz-Carlton offers gastronomy that competes with the finest restaurants ashore. Star Clippers offers genuinely good ship’s cooking in an atmosphere where the meal is a social event and the conversation matters as much as the cuisine. Food-obsessed travellers will choose Ritz-Carlton. Travellers who value a good meal shared with interesting company in a relaxed setting will find Star Clippers more than adequate.

Suites and accommodation

The accommodation gap is enormous — purpose-built ultra-luxury suites versus compact nautical cabins — and expectations must be set accordingly.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection offers all-suite accommodation designed by Tillberg Design with superyacht aesthetics. Evrima’s entry-level Terrace Suites start at approximately 300 square feet with private terraces. Ilma and Luminara expand proportions further, with top categories exceeding 1,000 square feet. Every suite features a private outdoor space, marble bathroom, and residential design. The space-per-guest ratio on Ilma is the highest at sea.

Star Clippers accommodation is compact and nautically themed. Cabins on Star Clipper and Star Flyer range from approximately 97 to 226 square feet, with most in the smaller range. Royal Clipper’s cabins range from similar dimensions, with the Owner’s Suites at approximately 226 square feet offering the most space. There are no lifts on any vessel. Cabins feature portholes rather than picture windows or balconies. The décor is traditional maritime — polished wood, brass fittings, and functional rather than luxurious furnishings. Prospective guests must understand these trade-offs: compact cabins, steep stairs, and the possibility of the ship heeling under sail.

The gap is not subtle. Ritz-Carlton’s entry-level suite is larger than Star Clippers’ largest accommodation. But the comparison misses the point of each line’s philosophy. Ritz-Carlton’s suites are designed for living in — guests spend significant time in their private spaces. Star Clippers’ cabins are designed for sleeping in — guests spend their days on deck, in the rigging, on the bowsprit net, or in the water. If cabin quality is a priority, Ritz-Carlton is the only choice. If the cabin is merely where you sleep between days spent sailing under canvas, Star Clippers’ compact quarters are entirely fit for purpose.

Pricing and value

The pricing comparison reveals the widest gap in any yacht-category pairing — and both lines deliver genuine value within their respective markets.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection prices seven-night Mediterranean voyages from approximately USD $5,000 to $8,000 per person for entry-level suites, with the per-diem working out to roughly AUD $1,200 to $2,000 per person per night inclusive of dining, premium beverages, Wi-Fi, and gratuities. Higher suite categories escalate substantially.

Star Clippers prices seven-night Caribbean or Mediterranean voyages from approximately USD $1,200 to $2,500 per person for standard cabins, with the per-diem working out to roughly AUD $250 to $450 per person per night inclusive of meals. Adding beverages, Wi-Fi, and gratuities brings the total to approximately AUD $350 to $600 per person per night — still a fraction of Ritz-Carlton’s all-inclusive rate.

For Australian travellers, international flights add AUD $2,000 to $4,000 per person regardless of which line is chosen. The flight cost is proportionally far more significant for a Star Clippers booking — potentially doubling the cruise-only cost — while representing a smaller fraction of a Ritz-Carlton total. A seven-night Star Clippers Mediterranean voyage with flights might total AUD $5,000 to $7,000 per person. A comparable Ritz-Carlton voyage with flights might total AUD $12,000 to $18,000 per person. The gap reflects genuinely different products, and both represent fair value within their respective categories.

Spa and wellness

The wellness philosophies could not be more different — one offering a full resort spa, the other offering the ocean itself.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection provides full-service spas across all three yachts — treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms, and modern fitness centres with the standard Ritz-Carlton spa menu. Ilma’s spa is particularly spacious. The marina platform provides active wellness through kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming.

Star Clippers has no spa in any conventional sense. Wellness comes from the physical activity of sailing — hauling lines, climbing the mast, lying in the bowsprit net suspended over the waves. Royal Clipper’s watersports marina deploys kayaks, paddleboards, snorkelling gear, water skis, and sailing dinghies. The fitness offering is the ship itself — the rigging, the deck, and the open sea. A small exercise area may be available, but it is not the point.

For travellers who expect massage treatments, facials, and a steam room, Ritz-Carlton delivers without compromise. For travellers whose idea of wellness is climbing a mast at sunrise, swimming off the stern at anchor, and falling asleep exhausted after a day under canvas, Star Clippers delivers an active, ocean-engaged experience that no spa can replicate.

Entertainment and enrichment

Neither line is a floating theatre, but the evening philosophies differ dramatically — polished sophistication versus organic, crew-led maritime culture.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection offers live acoustic musicians, pianists, and small ensembles in a luxury hotel lounge atmosphere. No casino, no production shows, no cruise director. Enrichment is destination-focused. The social energy is polished and understated.

Star Clippers makes the ship itself the entertainment. The sail-handling demonstrations, mast-climbing opportunities, and celestial navigation lessons are the enrichment programme. Evenings feature crew talent shows, local musicians who board in port, and the organic social energy of a small group of travellers sharing an extraordinary experience. The bowsprit net at the prow — where passengers stretch out over the waves — is the ship’s favourite gathering spot. There is no casino, no formal entertainment, and no pretension. Entertainment is whatever the ocean and the crew provide that evening.

The distinction is fundamental. Ritz-Carlton curates an atmosphere. Star Clippers creates one organically from the sailing itself. For travellers who want quiet sophistication and cocktail-lounge ambiance, Ritz-Carlton delivers. For travellers who want the camaraderie of shared adventure and the romance of a tall ship at sea, Star Clippers delivers something no amount of curation can manufacture.

Fleet and destination coverage

Both lines operate three-ship fleets, but the vessels and destinations differ substantially.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection operates three superyachts: Evrima (149 suites), Ilma (224 suites), and Luminara (226 suites). The fleet covers the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Northern Europe, Central America, and Alaska (new for 2026). All are purpose-built modern vessels with identical service standards.

Star Clippers operates three tall ships: Star Clipper (170 guests), Star Flyer (170 guests), and Royal Clipper (277 guests). The fleet sails the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia. The ships’ shallow draft and sailing capability allow access to small harbours, anchorages, and island coves unreachable by motor yachts of any size. Southeast Asian itineraries from Phuket and Singapore represent a destination unique to Star Clippers in this comparison.

For Australian travellers, Star Clippers’ Southeast Asian deployment is notably more accessible — Phuket is approximately nine hours from Sydney, and Singapore is a direct flight from multiple Australian cities. Ritz-Carlton’s broadest appeal for Australians may be the Alaska programme aboard Luminara, offering an alternative to mainstream Alaskan cruising. Neither line sails in Australian waters.

Where each line excels

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection excels in:

• Ultra-luxury standards. Purpose-built superyachts, the highest space-per-guest ratio at sea, suites with private terraces, and residential design by Tillberg. The physical product has no peer in the yacht category.
• Culinary ambition. Five restaurants including S.E.A. with a three-Michelin-star culinary director. The dining programme exceeds what any tall ship can deliver.
• All-inclusive simplicity. Dining, premium beverages, Wi-Fi, and gratuities included without packages or surcharges. The voyage is cashless.
• Marriott Bonvoy integration. Points, elite nights, and status recognition for travellers in the Marriott ecosystem.
• Accessibility for non-cruisers. Half of guests have never cruised before. The hotel-like experience removes barriers for luxury travellers new to the sea.

Star Clippers excels in:

• Authentic tall-ship sailing. The only fleet of working square-rigger tall ships carrying passengers. Wind power up to eighty per cent of the time. Crew hand-raise and trim sails. The sailing is real, participatory, and thrilling.
• Hands-on adventure. Guests haul lines, climb masts, learn celestial navigation, and lie in the bowsprit net. No other line offers this level of active participation in the sailing of the vessel.
• Value. Per-diem pricing at a fraction of Ritz-Carlton’s rate, with excellent cuisine and well-priced wines. The most accessible entry to tall-ship sailing available.
• Cosmopolitan atmosphere. A genuinely international passenger mix of European, American, and Australian travellers, many of whom are sailors. More than half return within a year.
• Southeast Asian itineraries. Phuket and Singapore deployments offer destinations not covered by Ritz-Carlton’s fleet and more accessible from Australian gateways.
• Environmental credentials. Recognised as the World’s Best Green Cruise Line, with wind power reducing fuel consumption substantially.

Standout itineraries for Australian travellers

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Ilma: Mediterranean (7-10 nights, 2026) — The highest space-per-guest ratio at sea exploring the western and eastern Mediterranean. Five dining venues, all-inclusive programme, and quieter harbours. The most polished ultra-luxury Mediterranean experience. Fly via Singapore, Dubai, or London.

Luminara: Alaska (2026 inaugural season) — Superyacht luxury in Alaska at 226 suites. Intimate by Alaskan standards, with scenic cruising and smaller ports. A genuinely differentiated Alaskan experience. Connect via Vancouver from Australian gateways.

Evrima: Caribbean (7-10 nights, winter) — The most intimate Ritz-Carlton yacht (149 suites) in warm Caribbean waters. The Grenadines and Central American coast. Marina platform in tropical anchorages. Fly via the United States.

Star Clippers

Royal Clipper: Mediterranean (7-14 nights, summer) — The five-masted full-rigged ship under sail through the western Mediterranean, Amalfi Coast, Corsica, and Greek islands. At 277 guests, Royal Clipper is the world’s largest full-rigged sailing ship — a genuine maritime spectacle. The watersports marina deploys in warm Mediterranean waters. Fly to Rome, Venice, or Athens from Australian gateways via the Middle East or Singapore.

Star Clipper or Star Flyer: Southeast Asia (7-14 nights, various seasons) — Four-masted barquentines sailing from Phuket or Singapore through the Andaman Sea, Malaysian islands, and Indonesian archipelago. The most accessible Star Clippers itinerary from Australia — Phuket is roughly nine hours from Sydney, Singapore even shorter. Tropical waters, hands-on sailing, and remote island anchorages.

Star Clipper or Star Flyer: Caribbean (7-14 nights, winter) — Tall-ship sailing through the Windward and Leeward Islands, with the crew raising canvas daily and the bowsprit net providing front-row seats to the voyage. Swimming, snorkelling, and beach barbecues complement the sailing. The purest Caribbean tall-ship experience available.

Ship-by-ship recommendations

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Evrima (149 suites, 2022) — The most intimate yacht. Choose for Caribbean itineraries and the closest-to-intimate Ritz-Carlton experience. Upgrade from the studio-style entry-level Terrace Suites for genuine suite living.

Ilma (224 suites, 2024) — Cruise Critic’s Luxury Ship of the Year. The most spacious and polished vessel with the highest space-per-guest ratio at sea. Choose for Mediterranean itineraries.

Luminara (226 suites, 2025) — The newest yacht, debuting Alaska in 2026. Choose for the newest hardware and inaugural Alaska season.

Star Clippers

Royal Clipper (277 guests) — The five-masted full-rigged flagship and the world’s largest sailing ship of her type. Three pools, a watersports marina, and the most spacious accommodation in the fleet (Owner’s Suites at 226 square feet). Choose for the most spectacular sailing vessel afloat and the broadest onboard facilities. Mediterranean itineraries showcase the ship at her best.

Star Clipper (170 guests) — Four-masted barquentine offering the more intimate of the two smaller ships. Choose for Southeast Asian itineraries from Phuket, where the smaller size accesses remote anchorages and the tropical setting maximises water sports.

Star Flyer (170 guests) — Sister ship to Star Clipper with identical specifications. Choose by itinerary and season. Caribbean deployments deliver the classic tall-ship sailing experience in warm trade-wind conditions ideal for sailing under canvas.

For Australian travellers specifically

Neither line has a substantial Australian presence, though the practical implications differ given the vastly different price points.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection benefits from the Marriott International infrastructure. Australian Bonvoy members — from stays at The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne, W Brisbane, Westin Perth, and the broader Marriott network — earn points and elite night credits at sea. The global reservations system and brand recognition simplify booking. The guest mix is international, with a growing proportion of non-American travellers.

Star Clippers draws a cosmopolitan mix that already includes a notable Australian contingent — Australians are accustomed to long-haul travel and are natural fits for the adventurous, international atmosphere aboard. Booking through specialist cruise agents — including Pan Australian Travel — is recommended, as the line’s European headquarters may not provide Australian-specific flight routing and transfer advice.

The Southeast Asian accessibility factor matters for Star Clippers. Phuket is approximately nine hours from Sydney — roughly half the travel time required for Mediterranean or Caribbean embarkation. Singapore is even closer. For Australian travellers choosing Star Clippers, the Southeast Asian programme offers the shortest journey to embarkation. For Ritz-Carlton, all embarkation ports require 20-plus hours of travel from Australia.

Both lines represent excellent options for different types of Australian travellers. The Ritz-Carlton guest values brand recognition, modern luxury, and hotel-standard comfort. The Star Clippers guest values adventure, sailing heritage, and the authenticity of a working tall ship. The overlap is minimal, and both deliver precisely what they promise.

The onboard atmosphere

The atmospheric gap between these lines is the widest in the yacht-category comparison series.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection feels like a floating five-star boutique hotel. Wide corridors, hushed public spaces, superyacht design, and anticipatory service from a near one-to-one crew. The guest profile is younger than expected — couples in their 40s and 50s — with many first-time cruisers drawn by the hotel brand. The dress code is casually elegant. The social energy is sophisticated, polished, and deliberately understated.

Star Clippers feels like a tall-ship adventure. The creak of timber, the snap of canvas, the heel of the ship under sail. Life centres on the deck — the bowsprit net, the rigging, the helm. The guest profile is active couples aged 40 to 65, many of whom sail their own boats. The dress code is relaxed to the point of barefoot on the sun deck. The social dynamic is immediate and bonding — shared adventure creates friendships rapidly. Evenings are informal, crew-led, and shaped by the day’s sailing.

For travellers who want serene luxury where every detail is anticipated, Ritz-Carlton delivers impeccably. For travellers who want to feel the wind, climb the mast, and share a drink with the crew after a day under sail, Star Clippers delivers an experience that no luxury superyacht can replicate. The choice is not about quality — it is about what kind of traveller you are.

The bottom line

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Star Clippers are not competitors. They are different answers to different questions about what travel should feel like, and the fact that both carry fewer than 300 guests on intimate vessels is the beginning and end of their similarity.

Choose The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection for the pinnacle of modern ultra-luxury at sea. Choose it for purpose-built superyachts, Michelin-pedigree dining across five restaurants, suites with private terraces, and an all-inclusive fare that eliminates every spending decision. Choose it for Marriott Bonvoy loyalty that rewards Australian hotel guests with points and status at sea. Choose it for the feeling of a floating Ritz-Carlton property designed to convert luxury hotel loyalists into yacht enthusiasts. Accept the premium pricing, the absence of sailing heritage, and the curated atmosphere that prioritises polish over spontaneity.

Choose Star Clippers for the most authentic tall-ship sailing experience available to passengers anywhere in the world. Choose it for 36,000 to 56,000 square feet of canvas raised by hand, for the opportunity to haul lines and climb masts alongside trained square-rigger sailors, and for the thrill of a vessel travelling under wind power eighty per cent of the time. Choose it for outstanding value, a cosmopolitan passenger mix, and the Southeast Asian itineraries accessible from Australian gateways in under ten hours. Accept compact cabins, the absence of lifts and stabilisers, the possibility of heeling under sail, and entertainment that depends on the ocean and your fellow travellers rather than a programme director. For the traveller who considers these trade-offs features rather than flaws, Star Clippers delivers something irreplaceable — and at a fraction of Ritz-Carlton’s price.

The traveller who books both — a Ritz-Carlton Mediterranean for the superyacht experience and a Star Clippers Caribbean for the tall-ship adventure — will discover that intimate cruising contains multitudes, and that 277 guests under billowing sails and 224 guests in a floating hotel are not merely different holidays but different ways of being alive on the ocean.