Overview

Caldwell Vineyard Wine Cruise

Join John and Joy Caldwell—among Napa Valley’s most notorious vintners—for a week-long exploration of Italy and Croatia aboard the Ritz-Carlton’s newest boutique uber-luxury yacht.

Caldwell Vineyard is a legacy winery rooted in rebellion, resilience, and extraordinary wine. With a history that includes revolutionizing North American vineyards by smuggling French clones into California, building the most genetically diverse vineyard in North America, and producing wines with a 100-point winemaker, their story is as interesting and juicy as the wines they create. Stands to reason someone’s making a documentary about it….

A trip designed explicitly for the joy of discovery, pleasure, and meaningful connection—between place, wine, food and each other.


All Aboard

The Ritz-Carlton’s luxury yacht, ILMA, redefines modern cruising. Designed to accommodate only 448 guests, this boat balances generous open spaces with intimate scale with 1:1 guest-to-crew ratio, ensuring personalized attention throughout your voyage.

Expect elegant suites, expansive decks, and a choice of refined restaurants to match the grandeur of the journey. It’s a perfect blend of extravagance with comfort, beauty, and presence.


It’s A Wine Cruise Afterall…

In addition to land-based adventures designed to impress even the most jaded and well-traveled among us, JFC and Joy will host a series of intimate, curated wine events with plenty of free-form, unstructured time to break bread, raise glasses, and share ideas with people who love wine, and life, as much as they do.

    Vintner Welcome Reception as we set sail from Venice, featuring the treasures          John and Joy find during their pre-cruise travels around Italy.

   Vintner Tasting Seminar, led by John (a.k.a. JFC) featuring a selection of wines         he’s chosen to showcase the similarities and differences between their Napa roots         and Italian inspirations.

   Caldwell Vintner Dinner, a multi-course, foodgasmic journey of their wines (and       a few surprises) with plenty of unfiltered storytelling

  Vintner Farewell Reception…


Pre-Cruise Wine Treasure Hunting Trip 

Anyone who’s met Joy Caldwell knows she doesn’t mess around or compromise on the details, especially when it comes to culinary adventure. So, in addition to Ritz Carlton’s excursions (which you’ll want to reserve soon because they book up fast), John and Joy are curating an informal Pre-Cruise Itinerary of their own outside Venice and the Dolomites that will include Michelin-starred restaurants, wine tastings, and off-the-radar places they’re eager to explore.

Guests can opt in or chart their own path—no pressure, no presets. Details available upon booking the cruise.


 

Program Highlights:
  • Personally escorted by Caldwell Vineyards Proprietors, John & Joy Caldwell
  • Private onboard events including welcome reception, wine hour, and Winemaker’s Dinner featuring Caldwell Vineyard wines
  • F&WT optional 5 or 3-night pre-cruise Venice & Verona land program curated exclusively for Caldwell Vineyard guests
  • F&WT included wine-themed shore tours in select ports – coming soon!
  • Early Booking Bonus: $300 Shipboard Credit per suite if booked by July 31, 2025
Includes:
  • Luxury suite accommodations, each with private terrace overlooking the ocean
  • Access to a Personal Concierge in all suite categories
  • Legendary Ritz Carlton service
  • Free pre-paid gratuities
  • Beverages both in-suite and throughout the yacht
  • Complimentary in-suite bottle of Möet & Chandon Champagne upon arrival
  • Multiple dining venues plus 24-hour in-suite dining
  • Michelin-inspired, fine dining SETA SU ILMA restaurant (fee applies, reservation required)
  • Onboard entertainment and enrichment
  • Wi-Fi
  • Marina-style platform with access to non-motorized watersports while at anchor

 

Register Now
  • Cruise Line

    Ritz Carlton Yachts

  • Ports of Call

    Venice to Rome

Experts

John & Joy Caldwell

Proprietors, Caldwell Vineyards

Itinerary

To & From:  Venice to Rome
Dates: June 1 – 10, 2026
Length: 9 Nights
Ship: ILMA

May - June 27 - 1
2016
Venice, Italy

SAVE THE DATES!  F&WT Optional 5-night or 3-night pre-cruise Venice & Verona land program.  Estimated release date: October 2025

June 1
2026
Venice, Italy
Embark Ship
Depart 7:00 PM
June 2
2026
Trieste, Italy
Arrive 8:00 AM
Depart 9:00 PM

F&WT Onboard Event: Caldwell Vineyard Vintner Welcome Reception

June 3
2026
Opatija, Croatia
Arrive (Anchor) 8:00 AM
Depart 7:00 PM
June 4
2026
Split, Croatia
Arrive 8:00 AM
Depart 7:00 PM

F&WT Onboard Event: Caldwell Vineyard Vintner Wine Seminar & Tasting “Crljenak Kastelanski vs Zinfandel”

June 5
2026
Kotor, Montenegro
Arrive 8:00 AM
Depart 11:00 PM
June 6
2026
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Arrive (Anchor) 8:00 AM
Depart 9:00 PM
June 7
2026
At Sea

F&WT Onboard Event: Caldwell Vineyard Vintner Dinner

June 8
2026
Taormina (Naxos), Sicily
Arrive (Anchor) 8:00 AM
Depart 5:00 PM
June 9
2026
Sorrento, Italy
Arrive (Anchor) 8:00 AM
Depart 5:00 PM

F&WT Onboard Event: Caldwell Vineyard Vintner Farewell Reception

June 10
2026
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
Disembark Ship AM

Per Person Pricing

Category/DescriptionDouble Occupancy
TS / Terrace Suite$15,525
TMS / Terrace Mid Suite$16,125
SS / Signature Suite$21,325
SMS / Signature Mid Suite$22,525
GS / Grand Suite$30,125
VS / View Suite$35,925
LS / Ilma Suite$41,925
CS / Concierge Suite$65,225
OS / Owners Suite$76,925

REQUEST PRICES FOR SINGLE/TRIPLE OR CATEGORY NOT LISTED.

PRICES ARE PER PERSON, BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY, AND INCLUDE SHIPBOARD ACCOMMODATIONS, $520 pp PORT TAXES(subject to change), MOST ONBOARD MEALS, GRATUITIES, UNLIMITED BEVERAGES ABOARD THE YACHT,  F&WT SHORE EXCURSIONS IN SELECT PORTS, HOST WINES SERVED DURING ONBOARD WINE PROGRAM EVENTS AND LIMITED TRAVEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES. PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE ROUNDTRIP AIR AND TRANSFERS, F&WT’s OPTIONAL LAND PROGRAMS AND SHORE TOURS, CRUISE LINE SHORE EXCURSIONS, TRAVEL INSURANCE, OR ALL ITEMS OF A PERSONAL NATURE. F&WT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CORRECT PRICING ERRORS OR OMISSIONS. PRICES WILL NOT INCREASE AFTER DEPOSIT RECEIVED, EXCEPT FOR FUEL SURCHARGES AND ANY TAXES, CHARGES OR LEVIES IMPOSED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

About The Ship

ILMA

Click Here for ship’s deck plan

Inaugural Sailing: Sept. 2024    Capacity: 448 Guests      Tonnage: 46,750

With the highest ratio of space per guest at sea, Ilma features just 224 airy, light-filled suites, all with private terraces.  Five restaurants, six bars and a wine vault offer culinary experiences to please every palate.  The yacht’s aft Marina includes expansive spaces where you can dine alfresco while admiring the seascapes or enjoy watersports directly from the yacht.

From elegant specialty restaurants to casual poolside eateries, the dining venues onn boar dIlma are sure to please every palate.  Two award-winning chefs have collaborated to create innovative menus, inspired by local cuisines.

Terrace Suite

Signature Suite

Seta Restaurant

Memori Restaurant

The Bar

The Living Room

Sun Deck

Pool

Pool

Marina

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