Portsmouth is one of the most densely populated cities in Southern England, and is unusual as most of its built-up area occupies Portsea Island, linked to the mainland by road and rail bridges. Although there is a Roman fort at nearby Portchester, occupied later by the Saxons and Normans, there was no settlement on the site of Portsmouth at the time of the 1086 Domesday Book. The town developed in medieval times and received its first charter in 1194 from King Richard I; soon afterwards it became a major naval base. It has the world’s oldest dry dock, and is home to several famous ships, including HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose, raised from the Solent in 1982. Portsmouth remains an important naval base and is home to a large proportion of the British service fleet. The waterfront area is now dominated by the Spinnaker Tower, 560 feet high, the United Kingdom’s tallest building outside London. Other things to see in the city include the house where Charles Dickens was born, and the City Museum, which contains a permanent exhibition devoted to another famous writer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who lived in the town.
Once a northern defense post against Irish raiders, Holyhead later became best known as a ferry port for Ireland. The dockside bustle is not matched by the town, however, which maintains just a small population. Nonetheless, thousands of years of settlement have given Holyhead rich historical ruins to explore, with more in the surrounding hiking friendly landscape.
From world-class attractions and sports to legendary music, Liverpool offers old-world charm with modern sophistication, underpinned by a rich cultural history.
Trendy stores, a booming cultural life, fascinating architecture, and stylish restaurants reinforce Glasgow’s claim to being Scotland’s most exciting city. After decades of decline, it has experienced an urban renaissance uniquely its own. The city’s grand architecture reflects a prosperous past built on trade and shipbuilding. Today buildings by Charles Rennie Mackintosh hold pride of place along with the Zaha Hadid–designed Riverside Museum.Glasgow (the “dear green place,” as it was known) was founded some 1,500 years ago. Legend has it that the king of Strathclyde, irate about his wife’s infidelity, had a ring he had given her thrown into the river Clyde. (Apparently she had passed it on to an admirer.) When the king demanded to know where the ring had gone, the distraught queen asked the advice of her confessor, St. Mungo. He suggested fishing for it—and the first salmon to emerge had the ring in its mouth. The moment is commemorated on the city’s coat of arms.The medieval city expanded when it was given a royal license to trade; the current High Street was the main thoroughfare at the time. The vast profits from American cotton and tobacco built the grand mansions of the Merchant City in the 18th century. In the 19th century the river Clyde became the center of a vibrant shipbuilding industry, fed by the city’s iron and steel works. The city grew again, but its internal divisions grew at the same time. The West End harbored the elegant homes of the newly rich shipyard owners. Down by the river, areas like the infamous Gorbals, with its crowded slums, sheltered the laborers who built the ships. They came from the Highlands, expelled to make way for sheep, or from Ireland, where the potato famines drove thousands from their homes.During the 19th century the population grew from 80,000 to more than a million. And the new prosperity gave Glasgow its grand neoclassical buildings, such as those built by Alexander “Greek” Thomson, as well as the adventurous visionary buildings designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and others who produced Glasgow’s Arts and Crafts movement. The City Chambers, built in 1888, are a proud statement in marble and gold sandstone, a clear symbol of the wealthy and powerful Victorian industrialists’ hopes for the future.The decline of shipbuilding and the closure of the factories led to much speculation as to what direction the city would take now. The curious thing is that, at least in part, the past gave the city a new lease of life. It was as if people looked at their city and saw Glasgow’s beauty for the first time: its extraordinarily rich architectural heritage, its leafy parks, its artistic heritage, and its complex social history. Today Glasgow is a vibrant cultural center and a commercial hub, as well as a launching pad from which to explore the rest of Scotland, which, as it turns out, is not so far away. In fact, it takes only 40 minutes to reach Loch Lomond, where the other Scotland begins.
Trendy stores, a booming cultural life, fascinating architecture, and stylish restaurants reinforce Glasgow’s claim to being Scotland’s most exciting city. After decades of decline, it has experienced an urban renaissance uniquely its own. The city’s grand architecture reflects a prosperous past built on trade and shipbuilding. Today buildings by Charles Rennie Mackintosh hold pride of place along with the Zaha Hadid–designed Riverside Museum.Glasgow (the “dear green place,” as it was known) was founded some 1,500 years ago. Legend has it that the king of Strathclyde, irate about his wife’s infidelity, had a ring he had given her thrown into the river Clyde. (Apparently she had passed it on to an admirer.) When the king demanded to know where the ring had gone, the distraught queen asked the advice of her confessor, St. Mungo. He suggested fishing for it—and the first salmon to emerge had the ring in its mouth. The moment is commemorated on the city’s coat of arms.The medieval city expanded when it was given a royal license to trade; the current High Street was the main thoroughfare at the time. The vast profits from American cotton and tobacco built the grand mansions of the Merchant City in the 18th century. In the 19th century the river Clyde became the center of a vibrant shipbuilding industry, fed by the city’s iron and steel works. The city grew again, but its internal divisions grew at the same time. The West End harbored the elegant homes of the newly rich shipyard owners. Down by the river, areas like the infamous Gorbals, with its crowded slums, sheltered the laborers who built the ships. They came from the Highlands, expelled to make way for sheep, or from Ireland, where the potato famines drove thousands from their homes.During the 19th century the population grew from 80,000 to more than a million. And the new prosperity gave Glasgow its grand neoclassical buildings, such as those built by Alexander “Greek” Thomson, as well as the adventurous visionary buildings designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and others who produced Glasgow’s Arts and Crafts movement. The City Chambers, built in 1888, are a proud statement in marble and gold sandstone, a clear symbol of the wealthy and powerful Victorian industrialists’ hopes for the future.The decline of shipbuilding and the closure of the factories led to much speculation as to what direction the city would take now. The curious thing is that, at least in part, the past gave the city a new lease of life. It was as if people looked at their city and saw Glasgow’s beauty for the first time: its extraordinarily rich architectural heritage, its leafy parks, its artistic heritage, and its complex social history. Today Glasgow is a vibrant cultural center and a commercial hub, as well as a launching pad from which to explore the rest of Scotland, which, as it turns out, is not so far away. In fact, it takes only 40 minutes to reach Loch Lomond, where the other Scotland begins.
Dublin is making a comeback. The decade-long “Celtic Tiger” boom era was quickly followed by the Great Recession, but The Recovery has finally taken a precarious hold. For visitors, this newer and wiser Dublin has become one of western Europe’s most popular and delightful urban destinations. Whether or not you’re out to enjoy the old or new Dublin, you’ll find it a colossally entertaining city, all the more astonishing considering its intimate size.It is ironic and telling that James Joyce chose Dublin as the setting for his famous Ulysses, Dubliners, and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man because it was a “center of paralysis” where nothing much ever changed. Which only proves that even the greats get it wrong sometimes. Indeed, if Joyce were to return to his once-genteel hometown today—disappointed with the city’s provincial outlook, he left it in 1902 at the age of 20—and take a quasi-Homeric odyssey through the city (as he so famously does in Ulysses), would he even recognize Dublin as his “Dear Dirty Dumpling, foostherfather of fingalls and dotthergills”?For instance, what would he make of Temple Bar—the city’s erstwhile down-at-the-heels neighborhood, now crammed with cafés and trendy hotels and suffused with a nonstop, international-party atmosphere? Or the simple sophistication of the open-air restaurants of the tiny Italian Quarter (named Quartier Bloom after his own creation), complete with sultry tango lessons? Or of the hot–cool Irishness, where every aspect of Celtic culture results in sold-out theaters, from Once, the cult indie movie and Broadway hit, to Riverdance, the old Irish mass-jig recast as a Las Vegas extravaganza? Plus, the resurrected Joyce might be stirred by the songs of Hozier, fired up by the sultry acting of Michael Fassbender, and moved by the award-winning novels of Colum McCann. As for Ireland’s capital, it’s packed with elegant shops and hotels, theaters, galleries, coffeehouses, and a stunning variety of new, creative little restaurants can be found on almost every street in Dublin, transforming the provincial city that suffocated Joyce into a place almost as cosmopolitan as the Paris to which he fled. And the locals are a hell of a lot more fun! Now that the economy has finally turned a corner, Dublin citizens can cast a cool eye over the last 20 crazy years. Some argue that the boomtown transformation of their heretofore-tranquil city has permanently affected its spirit and character. These skeptics (skepticism long being a favorite pastime in the capital city) await the outcome of “Dublin: The Sequel,” and their greatest fear is the possibility that the tattered old lady on the Liffey has become a little less unique, a little more like everywhere else.Oh ye of little faith: the rare ole gem that is Dublin is far from buried. The fundamentals—the Georgian elegance of Merrion Square, the Norman drama of Christ Church Cathedral, the foamy pint at an atmospheric pub—are still on hand to gratify. Most of all, there are the locals themselves: the nod and grin when you catch their eye on the street, the eagerness to hear half your life story before they tell you all of theirs, and their paradoxically dark but warm sense of humor. It’s expected that 2016 will be an extra-special year in the capital, as centenary celebrations of the fateful 1916 Easter Rising will dominate much of the cultural calendar.
Cork City’s nearby harbor district has seen plenty of history. Cork Harbour’s draws include Fota Island—with an arboretum, a wildlife park, and the Fota House ancestral estate—and the fishing port of Cobh.
Amsterdam combines the unrivaled beauty of the 17th-century Golden Age city center with plenty of museums and art of the highest order, not to mention a remarkably laid-back atmosphere. It all comes together to make this one of the world’s most appealing and offbeat metropolises in the world. Built on a latticework of concentric canals like an aquatic rainbow, Amsterdam is known as the City of Canals—but it’s no Venice, content to live on moonlight serenades and former glory. Quite the contrary: on nearly every street here you’ll find old and new side by side—quiet corners where time seems to be holding its breath next to streets like neon-lit Kalverstraat, and Red Light ladies strutting by the city’s oldest church. Indeed, Amsterdam has as many lovely facets as a 40-carat diamond polished by one of the city’s gem cutters. It’s certainly a metropolis, but a rather small and very accessible one. Locals tend to refer to it as a big village, albeit one that happens to pack the cultural wallop of a major world destination. There are scores of concerts every day, numerous museums, summertime festivals, and, of course, a legendary year-round party scene. It’s pretty much impossible to resist Amsterdam’s charms. With 7,000 registered monuments, most of which began as the residences and warehouses of humble merchants, set on 160 man-made canals, and traversed by 1,500 or so bridges, Amsterdam has the largest historical inner city in Europe. Its famous circle of waterways, the grachtengordel, was a 17th-century urban expansion plan for the rich and is a lasting testament to the city’s Golden Age. This town is endearing because of its kinder, gentler nature—but a reputation for championing sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll does not alone account for Amsterdam’s being one of the most popular destinations in Europe: consider that within a single square mile the city harbors some of the greatest achievements in Western art, from Rembrandt to Van Gogh. Not to mention that this is one of Europe’s great walking cities, with so many of its treasures in the untouted details: tiny alleyways barely visible on the map, hidden garden courtyards, shop windows, floating houseboats, hidden hofjes(courtyards with almshouses), sudden vistas of church spires, and gabled roofs that look like so many unframed paintings. And don’t forget that the joy lies in details: elaborate gables and witty gable stones denoting the trade of a previous owner. Keep in mind that those XXX symbols you see all over town are not a mark of the city’s triple-X reputation. They’re part of Amsterdam’s official coat of arms—three St. Andrew’s crosses, believed to represent the three dangers that have traditionally plagued the city: flood, fire, and pestilence. The coat’s motto (“Valiant, determined, compassionate”) was introduced in 1947 by Queen Wilhelmina in remembrance of the 1941 February Strike in Amsterdam—the first time in Europe that non-Jewish people protested against the persecution of Jews by the Nazi regime.
Natural light streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Owner’s Suite, illuminating the interior of up to 1,033 square feet. The contemporary living area includes an in-suite bar for hosting cocktail hour before enjoying dinner with friends in the dining area — or alfresco on the expansive private terrace. After sunset, unwind under the stars in the terrace’s whirlpool spa and indulge in a soothing outdoor shower before heading inside to retire. The bedroom welcomes you to a sanctum of repose, complete with a custom king bed and spacious walk-in wardrobe, and the marble bath includes a modern shower, soaking tub, double vanity and a powder room that can be accessed conveniently from the foyer.
OWNERS SUITE
MAGNIFICENT OCEAN VIEWS
SPACIOUS SUITE ACCOMMODATIONS
PERSONALIZED SERVICE AND AMENITIES
ACCOMMODATIONS
Bed & Bath
Suite Features
Size
SERVICES AND AMENITIES
Spacious indoors and out, the Concierge Suite offers up to 786 square feet of interior area and a private terrace of up to 409 square feet. The bedroom includes a generous walk-in wardrobe and dressing area as well as a marble bath with a double vanity, walk-in shower, soaking tub and an enclosed powder room accessible from the foyer. Sunlight casts a warm glow through the floor-to-ceiling glass in the bedroom and living room, which both open onto the terrace so you can step out to take in the views. The interior and outdoor spaces each feature an elegant dining area and a comfortable living area with a plush sofa, perfect for entertaining guests or enjoying a romantic evening for two.
CONCIERGE SUITE
MAGNIFICENT OCEAN VIEWS
SPACIOUS SUITE ACCOMMODATIONS
PERSONALIZED SERVICE AND AMENITIES
ACCOMMODATIONS
Bed & Bath
Suite Features
Size
SERVICES AND AMENITIES
The Ilma Suite embraces the ever-changing vistas along the horizon with an expansive private terrace of 291 to 301 square feet. Sunbathe with a traveling companion on the dual chaise lounges or curl up with a bestseller on the comfortable outdoor sofa. Host friends for dinner with a seaside harbor as a backdrop when you dine alfresco on the terrace or view the tableau through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the indoor dining area. Within up to 657 square feet of interior space, the cozy bedroom retreat features a luxurious king bed, spacious closets, and a modern shower system in the bath, which may also include a separate soaking tub.
ILMA SUITE
MAGNIFICENT OCEAN VIEWS
SPACIOUS SUITE ACCOMMODATIONS
PERSONALIZED SERVICE AND AMENITIES
ACCOMMODATIONS
Bed & Bath
Suite Features
Size
SERVICES AND AMENITIES
Within the View Suite interiors of up to 689 square feet, dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows in the living area and bedroom connect you to the surrounding seascapes. Step from the bedroom onto your private terrace of up to 205 square feet, where fresh sea breezes and scenic views await. After an alfresco breakfast, prepare for your day in the spacious marble bath featuring a double vanity, modern soaking tub and separate shower. The walk-in wardrobe and dressing area in the bedroom provide ample space to ready yourself for the day’s exploration. When evening comes, invite friends to join you in the dining area of your suite, which may also include a separate powder room for your guests.
VIEW SUITE
MAGNIFICENT OCEAN VIEWS
PERSONALIZED SERVICE AND AMENITIES
ACCOMMODATIONS
Bed & Bath
Suite Features
Size
SERVICES AND AMENITIES
With 560 square feet of interior luxury plus a private terrace of up to 199 square feet, the Grand Suite has all the comforts of home and then some. Host friends for dinner at the stylish dining table for four and enjoy after-dinner drinks and conversation in the spacious living area. When it’s time to retire, open the double doors onto your bedroom retreat, which includes dual walk-in wardrobes, and enjoy a relaxing soak in the marble-clad tub before drifting off in the comfort of the custom king bed. Each morning, sip an espresso on your terrace as you take in the view of the enchanting destination you’re about to explore.
GRAND SUITE
MAGNIFICENT OCEAN VIEWS
SPACIOUS SUITE ACCOMMODATIONS
PERSONALIZED SERVICE AND AMENITIES
ACCOMMODATIONS
Bed & Bath
Suite Features
Size
SERVICES AND AMENITIES
The welcoming entry corridor of the Signature Suite leads to an intimate dining area for two, where you can enjoy a delicious meal at any time of day or night. Then take in a movie from the plush sofa in the living area, or from the custom king bed in the spacious bedroom that features a second television. The bath offers the convenience of a double vanity for couples, a walk-in shower and a soaking tub, perfect for unwinding after adventures ashore. The ample 409 square feet of interior space is complemented by a private outdoor terrace of up to 151 square feet, where a comfortable lounger is equally suited to sunbathing or stargazing.
SIGNATURE SUITE
MAGNIFICENT OCEAN VIEWS
SPACIOUS SUITE ACCOMMODATIONS
PERSONALIZED SERVICE AND AMENITIES
ACCOMMODATIONS
Bed & Bath
Suite Features
Size
SERVICES AND AMENITIES
The airy interiors of the Terrace Suite offer 294 square feet of comfort, and just beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the namesake private terrace provides up to 108 square feet overlooking the sea.
This personal oasis includes a custom king bed, an ample wardrobe and a separate sitting area for curling up with a good book. The marble bath features luxurious amenities by Diptyque Paris, a modern shower system and a double vanity — ideal when sharing the space with a companion. Wake each morning to fresh coffee from the in-suite espresso machine and conclude each day with a nightcap from the mini-bar, while a Suite Ambassador attends to your wishes in the moments in between.
TERRACE SUITE
MAGNIFICENT OCEAN VIEWS
SPACIOUS SUITE ACCOMMODATIONS
PERSONALIZED SERVICE AND AMENITIES
ACCOMMODATIONS
Bed & Bath
Suite Features
Size
SERVICES AND AMENITIES
The thoughtful design of the spacious main restaurant creates a warm, welcoming ambiance that balances a sense of privacy with the desire for social connection. Both traditional and innovative, the breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes showcase the fresh local ingredients and seasonal cuisines of the destinations that Ilma explores, with menus ever changing like the tides of the sea.
Join friends at a private enclave within Tides for an exclusive dining experience. The stylish and inviting ambiance of Dining Privée provides the perfect setting for celebratory dinners and other special events. Reservations are required, and an additional fee applies.
In collaboration with Chef Fabio Trabocchi, Seta Su Ilma, named after the Italian word for “silk,” offers a contemporary interpretation of Italian cuisine, nodding to regional flavors. Savor fresh seafood, perfectly grilled steak and handmade pasta — each course impeccably paired with a fine wine. Accompaniments like freshly baked bread, cold-pressed olive oils, and seasonal truffles complete an elegant Italian dining experience worthy of a Michelin star. Reservations are required, and an additional fee applies.
From sashimi to tempura to Wagyu beef dishes, Memorī offers contemporary interpretations of authentic Japanese cuisine. With sleek angles and textural accents, the vibrant space centers around the sushi bar at the heart of the restaurant, while also offering ample seating at comfortable tables indoors and alfresco.
Comfortable and stylish, The Living Room greets you with fresh coffee, tea, pastries and other sweet and savory treats each morning. As the day progresses, the bar pours premium cocktails, fine wines and champagne, and a live pianist sets the mood. Each evening this becomes the perfect spot to enjoy canapés and an aperitif before dinner — and then return afterward for late-night dancing.
When you wish to dine in the comfort of your suite or on your private terrace, our All-Day Dining menu offers a variety of selections from the onboard restaurants. Later in the evening, a Late-Night Dining menu is available.
At the Beach House, bright, airy interiors flow into an expansive outdoor pool deck, creating an effervescent setting for enjoying Pan-Latin cuisine alongside craft beers, bold wines, and an elevated tequila selection. The menu, developed in collaboration with James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Mina, is inspired by the bold, fire-born flavors of South and Central America while highlighting ingredients from the Caribbean with light, refreshing shareable bites, such as grilled meats, seafood, and ceviche. Located on Deck 5.
From exclusive sportswear and branded apparel to jewelry and leather goods, The Boutique offers enticing options to shoppers. In select ports, your shopping experience is further enhanced by collaborations with local artisans who come on board to showcase their bespoke offerings.
A tranquil open-air retreat on Deck 9 forward, The Observation Terrace offers comfortable chaises and sofas for sunbathing or socializing while taking in the panoramic views. Cool off with a frozen cocktail, spritzer or ice cream treat from the bar, and enjoy attentive deck service offering chilled misting and iced towels.
A softly lit enclave furnished in rich leathers and dark walnut timbers, this cozy lounge is named for its state-of-the-art humidor showcasing fine tobaccos that include an exceptional collection of hand-rolled cigars by Davidoff. Settle into a plush armchair and sip a premium cognac or a well-aged Macallan single-malt whisky.
Right at the water’s edge, the Marina offers space for lounging as well as direct access to the sea for kayaking, paddle boarding and other watersports. Just steps above, the expansive Marina Terrace serves cool refreshments, such as handcrafted cocktails, frozen sorbet and chilled fruit brochettes, with a backdrop of dramatic seascapes.
Listen to the gentle lap of waves while reclining on a massage table, savoring a therapeutic spa treatment from the private terrace of one of our treatment rooms. Inspired by the destinations we visit and curated to fulfill your needs, our treatments feature the finest ESPA products to awaken the senses, refresh the body and renew the spirit. Arrive early, stay a while and drift away into relaxation aboard your oasis at sea.
With panoramic views from high atop the yacht, Deck 10 is home to Ilma’s large Main Pool, with tanning ledges and spacious sundecks for lounging and The Pool Bar serving refreshing drinks. This lively space is also an entertainment hub for sail-away parties, themed events and movies under the stars. A few decks down, the Beach House not only serves delicious Latin-inspired cuisine but also features the aft Infinity Pool, where views from a comfortable chaise stretch as far as the horizon.
The Fitness Studio is home to a health and wellness program that integrates fitness and spa with lectures and nutrition that can be customized for each guest. From personal training to sunrise yoga and mat Pilates, each voyage has opportunities to maintain a healthy lifestyle. With a selection of machines such as bikes, rowers and ellipticals as well as free weights and other equipment, guests can take their regular exercise routine onboard.
The Salon offers a variety of beauty and hair services including manicure and pedicure treatments, hair consultations, cutting, styling and blow drying. Next door at The Barber, gentlemen can enjoy a close shave or invigorating facial before heading ashore to explore the port feeling refreshed and revitalized.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection welcomes families traveling the world together. Ritz Kids® is an educational and fun-filled program that encourages children to explore the world around them. Enhanced services are available during holidays and summer months.