A trio of ships from The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will feature designs and amenities driven by guest research, according to Douglas Prothero, managing director.

“Every element has driven by the guest,” he said. “The platform speaks to a different audience.”

Also different is the fact the start-up is using a single designer, Tillberg Design of Sweden, which has produced a casual and cohesive feeling, said Prothero, speaking at an industry event on Tuesday in Ft. Lauderdale.

He said there would be a casual elegance aboard.

“You might see a jacket (at dinner),” he noted.

The ships will be filled with many intimate spaces, he continued, but no casino or show lounge. There will be five dining venues, divided into smaller, intimate spaces.

The first 298-guest ship is due to arrive in late 2019, with two more ships following in early 2021 and 2022, respectively, although Prothero said the company was trying to speed up the deliveries of the second and third ships.

A new-to-cruise shipyard in Spain, Barreras Shipyard, will need to deliver on a high-level.

“We picked a shipyard based on a customized build experience,” Prothero added. “This was a yard that had experience in highly technical ships and does great steel work.”

Making sure all rooms have a balcony, suites on lower decks have been turned into duplexes with the top floor featuring the balcony.

Teasing 2020 deployment, the company specifically designed the ships to fit into the Great Lakes, where there has been a tremendous reception from the German market.

Prothero said he itineraries will go from The Ritz-Carlton Montreal (hotel) to The Ritz-Carlton Chicago.