While the mega-ships pack in the crowds, a new kind of floating palace just earned the travel industry’s highest honor. It’s not a hotel. It’s a yacht. And it’s now the only one of its kind on the planet.

For decades, the Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards have been the undisputed benchmark of luxury. To earn a Five-Star rating is to be declared “outstanding” and “virtually flawless.” It’s a title that hotels and restaurants chase for years. But on February 11th, 2026, when the 2026 awards were announced, a tectonic shift occurred in the world of high-end travel: a ship won the ultimate prize .

Marriott International’s Luxury Group absolutely dominated this year’s list, claiming a staggering 30 percent of the newly awarded Five-Star honors and adding 11 new distinctions to its portfolio . But the headline that grabbed my attention wasn’t about a hotel. It was about a vessel: the Ilma, the second ship in The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, which earned its first Five-Star distinction. In doing so, it became the world’s first and only Five-Star cruise ship.

Let that sink in. In an industry often associated with buffets, bingo, and balcony crowds, a Ritz-Carlton yacht has just been placed in a category entirely of its own. This isn’t cruising in the traditional sense; it’s “yachting.” The Ilma (which means “water” in Maltese) is designed to carry somewhere around 450 guests, offering a level of space and service that makes the massive 5,000-passenger vessels feel like floating cities.

In my view, this award signals something profound about the direction of post-pandemic luxury travel. It’s no longer enough to just be big or flashy. As Amanda Frasier, President of Ratings for Forbes Travel Guide, noted, the Luxury Group’s success comes from a “concerted approach of delivering authenticity” . Authenticity on a ship? That means ultra-high crew-to-guest ratios, suites designed like private residences, and itineraries that avoid the crowded mega-ports in favor of secluded coves and chic harbors.

Tina Edmundson, President of Luxury at Marriott International, framed the achievement around the human element. “Recognition from Forbes Travel Guide is an extraordinary honor,” she stated. “Luxury ultimately comes to life through the individual moments that shape each guest’s stay.” . On a ship like the Ilma, where the journey is the destination, those “individual moments” are magnified. It’s a butler remembering your preferred vintage of Champagne as you watch the sunset over the Aegean. It’s a shore excursion that feels like a private visit, not a cattle call.

This isn’t happening in a vacuum. We’re seeing luxury hospitality brands aggressively pivot to “experiential” travel. Just this week, we saw announcements of the Taj Hotels expanding into Sri Lanka with a massive beachfront wellness resort, and Emirates partnering with Explora Journeys for world cruises . But the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s feat is different. They didn’t just build a luxury product; they convinced the world’s most rigorous arbiters of service that a moving object at sea can deliver the same flawless experience as a centuries-old grand hotel in Paris.

For the ultra-wealthy traveler who has “done it all,” the Ilma now represents the new final frontier: five-star luxury that travels with you.

Summary

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Ilma has made history by becoming the first vessel to receive a Five-Star distinction from the Forbes Travel Guide, highlighting a major shift in luxury travel towards intimate, yacht-style experiences over traditional cruising. Marriott International’s Luxury Group dominated the 2026 awards, underscoring its commitment to service excellence and experiential travel. This milestone signals that for today’s discerning traveler, the highest form of luxury is no longer a static location, but a flawless journey.