Starboard Luxury Debuts Dedicated Retail Spaces for Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, and Piaget on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Newest Superyacht, Luminara

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 22, 2025--

Starboard Luxury, the luxury division of Starboard Group, in collaboration with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, has debuted dedicated retail spaces for Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, and Piaget aboard the fleet’s newest yacht, Luminara. These luxury retail offerings represent first-at-sea experiences for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and feature an array of exquisite jewelry, Swiss timepieces, and accessories expertly curated by Starboard Luxury.

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“Starboard Luxury is honored to bring together four of the world’s most renowned luxury brands—Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, Piaget, and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection,” said Stacy Shaw, Senior Vice President, Luxury & Resorts, Starboard Group. “This collaboration marks another expansion of our incredible partnership with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection as we continue to create unparalleled luxury shopping experiences at sea.”

Aboard Luminara, guests can browse thoughtfully curated collections of Swiss timepieces from Cartier and IWC, including selected IWC models that have never before been offered at sea, as well as a distinguished selection of fine jewelry and Swiss watches from Piaget. Starboard Luxury has also created an array of bespoke experiences to highlight the respective brands’ exceptional craftsmanship and timeless elegance. During each voyage, guests may learn about the history, heritage, and unique product offerings of each of the three brands, and enjoy personalized services such as private viewings, in-suite appointments, and private shopping sessions with expert brand ambassadors.

“Welcoming Cartier, IWC, and Piaget aboard Luminara reflects our ongoing commitment to creating exceptional, meaningful experiences at sea,” said Ernesto Fara, President, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. “Through our continued collaboration with Starboard Luxury, we’re able to bring guests closer to some of the world’s most respected luxury maisons — names that share our dedication to quality, craftsmanship, and heritage.”

Starboard Luxury has also assembled an exclusive assortment of luxury and artisanal products, ranging from often-overlooked essentials to celebratory indulgences and versatile items for the voyage and beyond. The Boutiques aboard Luminara feature collections recognized for their quality and design, thoughtfully suited to The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s relaxed yachting atmosphere and distinct clientele. Travelers will discover designer fine jewelry, resortwear, cashmere knits, personal and home accessories, vintage luxury handbags and accessories, and unexpected gifts, many inspired by the incredible destinations the yacht will visit across the Mediterranean, Asia-Pacific, and Alaska.

Fine jewelry selections include diamond, sapphire, and 18K gold designs from Greek designer Ileana Makri, Italian-crafted gold statement pieces from French designer Lauren Rubinski, and a special collection from Sydney Evan that includes a first-at-sea debut of the brand’s fine jewelry collection for men. Luminara also features limited-edition jewelry from 64Facets, unique pieces from Nakard crafted with high-quality gemstones and precious metals, and handcrafted selections from Moritz Glik, including items created with the designer’s distinctive Kaleidoscope Shaker™ technique.

Featured accessories include one-of-a-kind vintage Hermès Birkin and Kelly bags, originally created as custom orders for top collectors, and sustainable, cruelty-free Stella McCartney handbags made with innovative leather alternatives. Guests may also browse handmade, limited-edition embroidered clutches from Olympia Le-Tan and statement jewelry from Oscar de la Renta.

The introduction of Luminara also presents an exclusive collection of co-branded Lululemon and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection apparel for men and women, never before offered at sea. Additional offerings featuring The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s elegant logo include luxury travel apparel from Anatomie and Peter Millar, as well as lovable plush lions from Jellycat.

Guests can also discover an exquisite assortment of women’s resortwear from brands known for their sophisticated global appeal, such as Italy’s Max Mara and Forte Forte, alongside vibrant designs from Milan-based La DoubleJ. Luminara showcases a unique selection from Colombia-born luxury womenswear designer Johanna Ortiz, as well as men’s vacation and swim apparel from Britain’s Orlebar Brown.

Luminara, the third superyacht in The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, debuted on July 3, 2025. The yacht will sail the Mediterranean on its inaugural voyages in 2025 before expanding to itineraries in the Asia-Pacific region later this year and Alaska in summer 2026.

ABOUT STARBOARD LUXURY

Starboard Luxury partners with the most admired and desired luxury vacation brands on land and at sea to introduce retail concepts, products, and experiences exclusively designed for sophisticated travelers on holiday. Highly curated assortments and bespoke experiences are tailored to each partner’s brand DNA and guest profile to fully integrate shopping into the vacation in an authentic and natural way. Starboard Luxury travels to more than 1,000 ports of call with our cruise partners in the ocean, yacht, and expedition segments of luxury cruising, featuring exclusive and unique goods and experiences that are highly focused on local artisans and the destinations visited.

Starboard Luxury proudly collaborates with Azamara Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Mitsui Ocean Cruises, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours & Silversea Cruises. A division of Starboard Group, Starboard Luxury is the only standalone division within vacation retail dedicated to the unique needs of the luxury segment.

Starboard Luxury Debuts Dedicated Retail Spaces for Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, and Piaget on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Newest Superyacht, Luminara

Starboard Luxury Debuts Dedicated Retail Spaces for Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, and Piaget on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Newest Superyacht, Luminara

Starboard Luxury Debuts Dedicated Retail Spaces for Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, and Piaget on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Newest Superyacht, Luminara

NEW YORK (AP) — Reviving a campaign pledge, President Donald Trump wants a one-year, 10% cap on credit card interest rates, a move that could save Americans tens of billions of dollars but drew immediate opposition from an industry that has been in his corner.

Trump was not clear in his social media post Friday night whether a cap might take effect through executive action or legislation, though one Republican senator said he had spoken with the president and would work on a bill with his “full support.” Trump said he hoped it would be in place Jan. 20, one year after he took office.

Strong opposition is certain from Wall Street in addition to the credit card companies, which donated heavily to his 2024 campaign and have supported Trump's second-term agenda. Banks are making the argument that such a plan would most hurt poor people, at a time of economic concern, by curtailing or eliminating credit lines, driving them to high-cost alternatives like payday loans or pawnshops.

“We will no longer let the American Public be ripped off by Credit Card Companies that are charging Interest Rates of 20 to 30%,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Researchers who studied Trump’s campaign pledge after it was first announced found that Americans would save roughly $100 billion in interest a year if credit card rates were capped at 10%. The same researchers found that while the credit card industry would take a major hit, it would still be profitable, although credit card rewards and other perks might be scaled back.

About 195 million people in the United States had credit cards in 2024 and were assessed $160 billion in interest charges, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says. Americans are now carrying more credit card debt than ever, to the tune of about $1.23 trillion, according to figures from the New York Federal Reserve for the third quarter last year.

Further, Americans are paying, on average, between 19.65% and 21.5% in interest on credit cards according to the Federal Reserve and other industry tracking sources. That has come down in the past year as the central bank lowered benchmark rates, but is near the highs since federal regulators started tracking credit card rates in the mid-1990s. That’s significantly higher than a decade ago, when the average credit card interest rate was roughly 12%.

The Republican administration has proved particularly friendly until now to the credit card industry.

Capital One got little resistance from the White House when it finalized its purchase and merger with Discover Financial in early 2025, a deal that created the nation’s largest credit card company. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is largely tasked with going after credit card companies for alleged wrongdoing, has been largely nonfunctional since Trump took office.

In a joint statement, the banking industry was opposed to Trump's proposal.

“If enacted, this cap would only drive consumers toward less regulated, more costly alternatives," the American Bankers Association and allied groups said.

Bank lobbyists have long argued that lowering interest rates on their credit card products would require the banks to lend less to high-risk borrowers. When Congress enacted a cap on the fee that stores pay large banks when customers use a debit card, banks responded by removing all rewards and perks from those cards. Debit card rewards only recently have trickled back into consumers' hands. For example, United Airlines now has a debit card that gives miles with purchases.

The U.S. already places interest rate caps on some financial products and for some demographics. The Military Lending Act makes it illegal to charge active-duty service members more than 36% for any financial product. The national regulator for credit unions has capped interest rates on credit union credit cards at 18%.

Credit card companies earn three streams of revenue from their products: fees charged to merchants, fees charged to customers and the interest charged on balances. The argument from some researchers and left-leaning policymakers is that the banks earn enough revenue from merchants to keep them profitable if interest rates were capped.

"A 10% credit card interest cap would save Americans $100 billion a year without causing massive account closures, as banks claim. That’s because the few large banks that dominate the credit card market are making absolutely massive profits on customers at all income levels," said Brian Shearer, director of competition and regulatory policy at the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator, who wrote the research on the industry's impact of Trump's proposal last year.

There are some historic examples that interest rate caps do cut off the less creditworthy to financial products because banks are not able to price risk correctly. Arkansas has a strictly enforced interest rate cap of 17% and evidence points to the poor and less creditworthy being cut out of consumer credit markets in the state. Shearer's research showed that an interest rate cap of 10% would likely result in banks lending less to those with credit scores below 600.

The White House did not respond to questions about how the president seeks to cap the rate or whether he has spoken with credit card companies about the idea.

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., who said he talked with Trump on Friday night, said the effort is meant to “lower costs for American families and to reign in greedy credit card companies who have been ripping off hardworking Americans for too long."

Legislation in both the House and the Senate would do what Trump is seeking.

Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., released a plan in February that would immediately cap interest rates at 10% for five years, hoping to use Trump’s campaign promise to build momentum for their measure.

Hours before Trump's post, Sanders said that the president, rather than working to cap interest rates, had taken steps to deregulate big banks that allowed them to charge much higher credit card fees.

Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., have proposed similar legislation. Ocasio-Cortez is a frequent political target of Trump, while Luna is a close ally of the president.

Seung Min Kim reported from West Palm Beach, Fla.

President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, Friday, Jan. 9, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

FILE - Visa and Mastercard credit cards are shown in Buffalo Grove, Ill., Feb. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)