Vidanta Cruises Creating a New Category of Luxury Cruising

October 7, 2018 by Kamlesh Kumar - The Good Men Project

Grupo Vidanta has made a name for itself as a connoisseur of luxury real estate ventures, such as Grand Luxxe, The Grand Mayan and other string of luxury resorts located throughout Mexico. Headquartered near the Bay of Banderas, south of the Baja Peninsula, the real estate conglomerate includes an airport, a private construction company, and several entertainment venues, including the Cirque du Soleil Theater, the Los Cabos Ultimate Entertainment District, and a soon-to-be immersive experience known as The Parks. Most recently, Grupo Vidanta is rumored to be close to launching Mexico’s first luxury cruise line, Vidanta Cruises. An inside source reveals that the company’s first ship will make short, three- to fourteen-day voyages from its home port, with curated onshore adventures interspersed throughout each voyage. This will give participants a chance to explore elements of Mexico’s history, culture, and cuisine, in addition to the onboard luxuries.

Expert shipwrights in Europe and Mexico are meticulously redesigning the 15.4-ton ship to ensure that it’s the pinnacle of luxury on the seas. According to an inside source, the interior design favors clean lines and modern, minimalistic furnishings. Each room has been given its own customized palette to suit its specific location and function. Walls and windows have been designed to optimize natural light, shade, and shadow, as well as to provide “frames” for every picture-perfect view.

Initial reports indicate that accommodations will include 149 cabins of various sizes and levels of luxury, ranging from the comfortable to the opulent. These include the Corridor Stateroom, the Window Stateroom, the Window and Balcony Stateroom, the Four-Window Stateroom, the Four-Window and Balcony Stateroom, the Balcony Stateroom, the Balcony Stateroom Deluxe, and the Imperial Suite. The last of these is complete with a bedroom, a bathroom, a dining room, a lounge, and a long balcony for indoor and outdoor entertaining.

Six sophisticated spaces have been allocated for wining and dining, with a supplement of ten coffee bars and lounges located throughout the ship. All of them will serve gourmet foods and boutique beverages, such as handcrafted coffees and cocktails. The main restaurant features elegant décor, while the upper restaurant and all-day food court are more laidback and casual. The show lounge and cocktail bar evoke a sense of mystery that contrasts pleasantly with the bright playfulness of the main pool area and upper sun deck. Chic coffee bars and lounges will provide additional refreshments on all decks, while the spa will soothe the senses with its carefully selected colors, patterns, and textures.

All of these features will provide many opportunities for guests to enjoy their vacations in whatever manner they choose. The private rooms are ideal for relaxing or entertaining on a small to medium scale, while the public spaces create an atmosphere that’s perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and socializing with fellow voyagers. The onshore excursions provide additional occasions for mixing, mingling, and making new friends or simply exploring the beauties of Mexico, up close and personal.

Friendly, professional staff will provide a high level of customer service on every deck. The ship is capacious enough to accommodate 250 employees, in addition to the guest cabins and staterooms. This will allow a 1.5 guest-to-staff ratio aboard the vessel to ensure a highly personalized level of service in every part of the ship.

Vidanta Cruises is perfect for those who wish to combine the luxury of Grupo Vidanta’s famed resorts with the intimacy of a more exclusive getaway. The cruise liner has been designed to allow people to ditch the crowds and tourists and set sail on an exciting nautical adventure that leaves them feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Updates on Vidanta Cruises Indicate a New Type of Luxury Cruise in the Making

By Atanu Shaw @AtanuShaw on October 03 2018 10:06 PM - International Business Times

The cruising yacht market is making big waves in the luxury cruising industry, as it is aniche that features a few major players of the hospitality business that aretaking boutique cruiseship vacations to a new level. Grupo Vidanta, aleader in high-end luxury tourism and resorts, is redefining this business model with a ship set up more like a mega yacht than a traditional boutique cruise ship. The word around the marinas is that Ritz-Carlton also is rolling out its first of three ships in 2020, putting Vidanta in good company.

While there is not yet a lot ofreliable information circulating about Grupo Vidanta’s anticipated entry into the boutiquecruiseline market, reliable sources have indicated that the resort giant’s plunge will be spectacular if the rumors are on par with reality. The company has yet to announce any formal plans of thenewly formed Vidanta Cruises, but that is not keeping industry pundits from trying to uncoverdetails about the company’s debut and news on its first ship,the Vidanta Elegant. It is likely that, if anything, the gossip is understated. After all, this is Mexico’s first luxury cruise line, and it is being rolled out by the country’s top luxury property and resort developers who knows exactly how to cater to discriminating travelers.

Recently leaked information states that Grupo Vidanta acquired an existing ship at hull value and completely stripped it. The company plans to make the hull brand new and perform new cruise construction throughout the rest of the ship. This looks to be a completely new vessel for all intents and purposes. Vidanta Cruises’ maiden vessel will also benefit from the work of the design team; a renowned team of yacht architects and interior and exterior designers are planning some extraordinary details for this first ship. The boutique ship will provide an unprecedented level of intimacy for passengers with spatial public areas and thoroughly luxurious lodgings on par with what clients of Vidanta have come to expect from their 5-star resorts. Preliminary data indicates about 149 cabins, which should make them about 80% larger than the previous rooms.

The first ship of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection also boasts 149 plus-sized luxurious cabins, open public areas, and a bevy of restaurants, lounges, and bars, which are above and beyond the amenities found on traditional, smallcruise ships. It compares favorably to the Scenic Eclipse and the Crystal Endeavor, two additional competitors in this exclusive market. The formidable competition should play well to cruising enthusiasts as well as travelers who charter private yachts. It is an exciting time for the industry as there is a lot of focus on these new developments.

These smaller-sizedcruise ships with mega-yacht features are capable of being docked at smaller ports thanthe larger cruise ships. This adds significant value to travelers seeking highly personal experiences since Vidanta Cruises will now be able to reach and dock in areas previously at arm’s length for traditional cruise lines. Their clientele will be able to discover uninhabited coves and other areas off the beaten path, providing them a level of experience unparalleled in Mexico.

For the most part, Grupo Vidanta has remainedquiet about its ongoing development of the Vidanta Cruises brand, preferring to let the end results speak for itself. There have been no formal statements from the company, and officials have declined to comment for this article. However, reliable sources have indicated that there will be six dining spaces and ten bars and lounges throughout the 153-meter ship. The outdoor swimming pool and spa will be twice the size as expected on a boutiquecruise ship as well. Additionally, with a 250-member crew aboard, there will be nearly one crew member per passenger ratio to ensure premium service is provided around the clock.

Grupo Vidanta is seeking to acquire more similar-sized cruise ships for the future expansion of this business model to include more destinations.The first ship for Vidanta Cruises will have work done at Europe’s best shipyards, but more interestingly, will include construction in Mexico so the company can ensure the final product is on par with their exacting standards they’ve become known for.

The company plans to introduce its official marketing campaign for Vidanta Cruises in the next couple of months. The organization’s bold initiative into the cruise line industry is in addition to its recent foray into entertainment with Mexico’s first resident Cirque du Soleil show at its Vidanta Riviera Maya resort, along with the glitzy grand opening of its unique shopping and dining concept created together with Hakkasan Group at Vidanta Los Cabos. It is good to report that the work in progress is sailing along smoothly.