Fresh from a summer debut that made waves among A-listers and the elite, Luminara – the latest jewel in The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s crown – has emerged as a floating sanctuary of design, light and, indeed, luxury. At 242 metres, this third addition to the fleet is a statement of intent: high design, high seas and high emotion.
The name Luminara, derived from the Latin for ‘light,’ is no accident. Toronto-based studio CHAPI Design was tasked with shaping the yacht’s public areas – and in doing so, Tatiana Sheveleva and her team delivered to create an atmosphere that flows throughout the yacht.
Image credit: Edgardo Contreras
“Luminara is the vessel where light becomes language,” she said. “Every curve, texture and material was selected for its beauty and how it interacts with sunlight, moonlight and the shifting reflections of the sea.”
Indeed, light dances through the vessel—from morning shimmer across stone finishes to the golden evening glow bouncing off burnished metals. CHAPI’s vision leans into spatial storytelling and artisanal depth. The forms are sculptural, the materials tactile, and the tones whisper rather than shout. From the serene Art Bar to moments of hush in the spa and library, these spaces stir a quiet emotional resonance rarely found in marine interiors.
Yet Luminara is no solo act. Lighting alchemy comes via dpa lighting, whose nuanced choreography shifts from bright and open by day to sensual and subdued by night.
Image credit: Edgardo Contreras
“Creating the atmosphere of a luxury residence of the highest quality reflecting The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s ethos was key,” notes Deeksha Surendra of dpa lighting. “We wanted to enhance the quality of the design, the materials, the art – every detail – through intentional, layered lighting.”
This orchestrated illumination changes with the day’s rhythm, culminating in low-lit decks that invite guests to stargaze with champagne in hand.
The vessel’s holistic vision is a collaboration of global masters: spatial flow is shaped by AD Associates, the ship’s engineering and sleek silhouette by France’s Chantiers de l’Atlantique, with Finnish studio Aivan on design. The result? A harmonious interplay of proportion, elegance and oceanic soul.
Onboard, there are 226 meticulously designed ocean-view suites – each with a private terrace. There’s an expanded marina, The Ritz-Carlton Spa®, and a wine vault that nods to the brand’s heritage.
Launched on July 3, 2025, Luminara completes a trilogy that began with Evrima in 2022 and Ilma in 2024. Where Evrima introduced the concept and Ilma expanded it, Luminara refines it to an artform.
CHAPI Design’s interiors are invitations to pause. Undulating forms echo coastal landscapes, reflective accents channel sea and sky, and every detail – from hand-selected stone to bespoke joinery – pulls guests into a more sensory state of being.
The design of Luminara absorbs through changing horizons, where every line, texture, and contour is meticulously crafted to evoke emotion. It’s a living masterpiece – breathing, pulsating and gliding with an effortless, refined grace that redefines luxury on the water.
Main image credit: Edgardo Contreras
