The Italian shipbuilder T. Mariotti has obtained a contract to build a brand-new luxury yacht cruise ship that is being marketed as the first resort at sea. Luxury hotel and resort operator Aman Group and cruise line Cruise Saudi have formed a partnership called Neptune Co. to commission the construction of a cruise ship. With this move, Aman joins the ranks of the other high-end hotel chains that have recently entered the cruise sector.

The companies claim that their product is the first of its kind in the ultra-luxury resort at-sea market, filling a gap in the high-end hospitality industry.

The length of the cruise ship will be around 183 metres, weighing about 23,000 tonnes. There will be just 50 suites, each with a balcony. When the project was initially revealed 15 months ago, the firms stated the ship would include a variety of dining options, including an informal all-day restaurant and international dining alternative options, as well as a relaxed club and bar and an Aman-style luxury spa with a Japanese relaxation garden. Two helipads and a beach club in the ship’s rear are among the ship’s other guest facilities.

Once completed in 2026 and long into the future, the ship will have its first dual-fuel power capable of exceeding present environmental regulations, according to Mariotti. Mariotti, which has been in the shipbuilding business for quite some time and is well-known for constructing luxury cruise ships like those used by Seabourn Cruise Line, claims it will employ its extensive knowledge of such vessels and draw on the services of a wide range of local suppliers and subcontractors.

Marco Ghiglione, Managing Director of T. Mariotti, said, “It is an honour to work with Aman, the premier player in luxury hospitality.” We are excited to bring our expertise in designing and constructing high-end vessels to bear on this exciting new endeavour that promises to revolutionise how people experience travelling by water. This exemplifies once again how ‘Made in Italy’ is able to meet the needs of the most particular clients throughout the globe”.

Since its inception in 1988, with the opening of its first hotel in Phuket, Aman has become an industry leader among luxury hotel and resort brands worldwide. The company now manages 34 properties in 20 different countries, and international destinations include France, Italy, China, India, and Indonesia.

Founded to expand the Saudi Arabian cruise and tourist industries, Cruise Saudi has the support of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia as a stakeholder. The corporation has stated in the past that it hopes to have five active cruise ports in the country and more than one million cruise passengers by 2028.

This month has seen the announcement of not one but two “ultra-luxury resort at sea” concepts, the first being Accor’s Orient Express Silenseas, which is currently under construction and will set sail in 2026 as part of the company’s new Orient Express Cruises brand, and the second being Project Sama.

Both Aman and Accor are following in the footsteps of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, which launched Evrima, its first cruise ship, last year. Project Sama is also the newest development for Cruise Saudi, funded by the Public Investment Fund, and aims to position the kingdom as a cruise destination.