Mexico’s largest hotel and resort conglomerate has announced the launch of a Mexican cruise line.

With its new Vidanta Cruises, Nayarit-based Grupo Vidanta now has travel operations on both land and sea.

The company told a ceremony in Mexico City this week that it has invested 2.7 billion pesos (US $139 million) in the 153-meter Vidanta Elegant.

The ship will carry up to 298 passengers in its 149 cabins and suites and offer a crew-passenger ratio of 1-1 instead of the usual 1-5 in order to ensure a private and exclusive experience for customers.

The Vidanta Elegant has six public decks equipped with a wide range of gourmet restaurant options, 11 bars and lounges, a virtual reality area, a spa and gym, several Jacuzzis and an open-air swimming pool on the top deck.

Grupo Vidanta vice-president Iván Chávez highlighted the launch as a historic moment for the national travel industry.

“For the first time in history, Mexicans will be able to board a luxury cruise in their own country. It’s outrageous that to take a luxury cruise we [currently] have to get on a plane and fly to another country, only to board a ship that much of the time takes us back to visit our own coastline.”

He said Vidanta will apply its 45 years of experience in the luxury resort business to a sea-going vacation experience.

The company plans to begin offering cruises in the fall.

It will operate out of Vidanta’s resort in Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, and give travelers the option for a cruise and resort vacation.

Grupo Vidanta operates luxury resorts in seven destinations in Mexico.

Source: El Sol de México (sp), Travel Weekly (en)