Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection announced a delay of 4+ months for the 3-ship fleet's first vessel - Azora, and those passengers who were supposed to have their inaugural voyage in February 2020.
Guests who were booked on one of the canceled sailings are now offered:
- a full refund credited back to the original form of payment within 2 weeks
- a full refund of any air/hotel change fees incurred.
On top of that, the cruise company is offering a discount of 20-30% on future voyages for those who reschedule and book a 2020 or 2021 cruise. The percentage discount is based on when travelers reschedule by:
- 30% for those who rebook by October 31, 2019
- 25% for those who rebook by March 31, 2020
- 20% for those who rebook by September 30, 2020.
In mid-August, there were reports that the cruise line had been officially informed that the newbuild would not be ready in time.
Construction is allegedly delayed by months. The project is costing EUR 50 million more than expected (EUR 290 million rather than EUR 240 million). The cruise vessel is currently under construction at Barreras Shipyard in Vigo Spain.