MIAMI — Sea Cloud Cruises is set to be acquired by The Yacht Portfolio, the company behind The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

Sea Cloud operates a fleet of three masted, full-rigged luxury tall ships; the 64-passenger Sea Cloud, the 94-passenger Sea Cloud II and the recent new-build 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit.

The acquisition not only expands The Yacht Portfolio’s presence in the luxury cruise sector, but also creates an opportunity to expand its relationship with Marriott International beyond The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and gives Marriott International the opportunity to enter the cruise industry through its other luxury brands, notes Douglas Prothero, CEO of The Yacht Portfolio.

“Sea Cloud offers such a unique, environmentally-friendly experience in the cruise space, which aligns well with our continued focus on building a strong portfolio of niche luxury brands,” says Prothero. “We look forward to completing a transaction with the Sea Cloud team and supporting the brand’s next phase of growth in the luxury cruise space.”

Timothy Grisius, Global M&A and Real Estate Officer at Marriott International, added: “We are excited about the transaction between The Yacht Portfolio and Sea Cloud and look forward to the opportunity to collaborate further with The Yacht Portfolio to bring our luxury accommodations to sea.”And Hermann Ebel, Managing Director of Sea Cloud Cruises, says: “We are pleased that The Yacht Portfolio will strengthen Sea Cloud’s market position. The course is set for many more years of successful international marketing and the foundation is laid for further company and fleet growth.”

Sea Cloud’s HQ will remain in Hamburg, Germany.