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5 Things to Understand About Emerald Azzurra

Emerald Azzurra offers an upscale yacht experience in a relaxed, friendly environment. Photo: Dori Saltzman

Travel Market Report’s editor Dori Saltzman returned this weekend from a week onboard Emerald Cruises’ brand-new ocean-going yacht, Emerald Azzurra, the first of two the line has planned. Having sailed with Emerald on a river cruise, she was familiar with the line’s value-based sailing experience. But Emerald is marketing Emerald Azzurra as a luxury experience. So what would the experience be like?

Below are some of her observations and what travel advisors looking to sell the yacht to their clients should know.

Before we get into some of our observations, a few quick facts.

Emerald Azzurra is a 100-passenger yacht that has been sailing for a little less than two months. (On our sailing, there were 85 guests.)

The main highlights of the yacht are an aft marina, which, weather permitting, is opened when at anchor for swimming, kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding; an aft hot tub and a forward infinity pool; a small spa with facials, massages, and body treatments, along with a small fitness center; and two dining venues, the main La Cucina restaurant and a pool café.

Our itinerary was port-intensive. We had no day at sea, and port stops were usually three-quarters to a full day in length. We had one overnight in Corfu, Greece.

1. River Cruise Experience at Sea The biggest surprise regarding Emerald Azzurra was how much like a river cruise it is. Having sailed on dozens of ocean-going ships, including one that’s technically a yacht, I wasn’t sure what Emerald’s take on the concept would be. From the destination experience to the dining, lounge-based social life, and crew onboard, it felt very much like Emerald took its river cruise experience and placed it onto an ocean ship.

The overall vibe was friendly and laid-back. Just like an Emerald river cruise. There were few pretensions, no dress code, the crew was friendly from the captain to the room stewards, and there was very little formality – though we never were able to get the waiters to call us by our first names.

For the most part, the yacht docks in small ports within a short walk of the main town (just like on a river cruise). In ports where tendering is required, the tenders usually go straight to town. In some ports, a shuttle was available to go to a nearby beach. As with Emerald river cruises, there was at least one complimentary excursion in each port – again, just like an Emerald river cruise, except with two exceptions. In Parga and on Cephalonia Island, the only excursions on offer were extra fee, though there was a free shuttle to a nearby beach for anyone interested in Cephalonia. Only two ports had more than one complimentary excursion.

It’s clear that Emerald is still experimenting with its shore excursion offerings on Emerald Azzurra. Unlike on the rivers, fewer guests seem interested in shore excursions so not as many are offered, and several alternate options were canceled due to lack of interest (see below). Quite a few people seemed content to have a leisurely morning on the ship and explore on their own a bit later.

Dining onboard Emerald Azzurra is also river cruise style, with a small buffet for breakfast and lunch and one dinner seating starting at 7 pm after the evening’s presentation of the next day’s activities. There’s also a small café near the ship’s infinity pool, giving the ship a more ocean ship feel. The café was open for breakfast and lunch and offered the most delicious assortment of flatbread pizzas.

Also reminiscent of the river cruise experience is the lounge-based entertainment. A guitar player/singer was the main entertainment playing before and after dinner, though the cruise director hosted a few theme nights. Most drew a small crowd, including trivia night, name that tune, a deck party, and his one-man show. The most ocean cruise-like of the theme nights was a love and marriage show. The only true bust was karaoke, but that was the night before disembarkation when most people were packing up or going to bed early.

2. Upscale, Not Luxury Despite Emerald’s marketing promising a luxury experience, Emerald Azzurra isn’t really luxury. Don’t get us wrong. It’s upscale, friendly, and sometimes personalized but it’s not luxury. Occasionally long waits for dinner, no room service except for the top suites, being sent to the one open bar on deck 7 to get a cold drink after getting back from a particularly strenuous excursion rather than having one delivered, this is not luxury service. Neither is no sit-down service for breakfast and lunch.

With that said, at least one of the dining room servers remembered my Coke Zero drink preference within 24 hours, everyone knew our names and the lounge bartender occasionally came to us rather than wait for us to go to the bar as we were told we were supposed to do.

And the food was always spot-on. I can’t think of another cruise I’ve been on where I couldn’t find fault with a single meal I ate.

The ship, itself, feels luxurious, with a sleek shape that reminds one of nothing less than a Russian oligarch’s private yacht. Leather seating in the lounge, a hot tub and infinity pool, Missoni towels, plush robes with a hood, a jump-off-the-back marina, all invoke the exclusivity and luxury of the yachting lifestyle.

With such a luxurious feeling, the lack of all-inclusiveness, a hallmark of Emerald Cruises, feels a bit more noticeable. Many of the excursion options carried a fee. Drinks in the minibar cost extra, even if you have the premium drink package. We did get the impression that everyone onboard had the premium package though, as we never saw anyone ask for their cabin number when ordering a drink outside of lunch and dinner. It’s unclear if that inclusion is only for the yacht’s inaugural season pricing or something that will be included permanently.

Serviced laundry also costs extra, but the vast majority of guests took advantage of the DIY launderette, which was free.

Emerald Azzurra is distinctly upmarket, but if your clients are looking for the type of luxury where they don’t need to lift a finger, Emerald Azzurra may not be the right fit.

3. Younger, International Demographic We don’t know if it’s the word “yacht” or the warm-weather destinations that Emerald Azzurra visits, but the demographic onboard skews younger than what you usually find on river cruises. On our one-week sailing, the ages ranged from mid-30s to 80s, but most people were between their early 40s and mid-70s.

Cruisers are primarily English speaking with most coming from the U.K. On our sailing, there were only a handful of Australians, but Emerald often draws more. North Americans, most from the U.S., represented the second-largest group onboard our sailing.

We found that people grouped together more by geography than age, but everyone was friendly and we had conversations with at least half the 85 people onboard. It’s not easy being shy on a 100-passenger superyacht where most people want to meet and mingle. Let your introverted clients know that people are going to start conversations with them!

When considering which of your clients to offer Emerald Azzurra to, keep the younger age demographic in mind. The majority of those onboard wanted to get off and experience the destinations we visited. Most were relatively fit and not put off by lots of walking. (Being able to navigate stairs and get on and off tenders was essential for our Dubrovnik to Athens sailing.)

With that said, the ship does have elevator service to all decks, making the ship completely accessible. However, there’s no wheelchair access for tenders and just getting on and off the ship would be difficult for someone who can’t actually walk themselves up and down the gangway.

4. Active Vacationing Speaking of fit passengers, the Emerald Azzurra experience isn’t the best choice for the mobility-impaired or slow walkers – unless they’re okay with staying onboard and relaxing, which, to be fair, a decent number of guests on our sailing did opt for.

Excursions, however, range from moderate to strenuous. We’d estimated we climbed or descended at least 4,000 stairs over the course of the week’s cruise excursions. There are no slow walking tours or panoramic bus tours, but depending on how long the yacht is in port, you could probably arrange such a tour for your clients.

The “easiest” options were probably the shorter town center walking tours (like the one in Kotor) and the food-related tours like a mussel cooking demo and tasting near Ancient Butrint in Albania. But even that tour was immediately preceded by a moderate walking tour of ancient Roman ruins, part of which was uphill and all was over uneven stone pathways. A Greek cooking class with a local chef in Corfu was canceled for lack of interest, but that would have been relatively easy as well.

5. No Guarantees There are never guarantees in cruising, regardless of ship size. We almost missed one tender port because of weather but the captain was able to reposition the ship to a more sheltered cove. However, the same was sadly not true for the vast majority of extra fee tours. Of eight so-called DiscoverMore tours, five were canceled. One, that Greek cooking class we mentioned above, has yet to run at all, as they’ve found it impossible to meet the 20-person minimum. (Understandable on a 100-person ship!)

One our sailing, all but one was canceled for lack of interest (ie Emerald had minimums to meet, which they couldn’t); our extra-fee kayaking trip was canceled by the operator citing rain and swells, which never actually materialized. That left cruisers with very few choices of what to do in each port. In one port, there were actually no included tours and only one extra fee option.

According to the shore excursion manager on board, the low numbers of options reflect the lack of interest passengers have so far shown in group excursions. Some, she said, wait until the last minute to decide to join a tour, but by then it’s too late as tour providers usually need at least 24 hours to finalize details.

Depending on what your clients are interested in, helping them to plan an optional tour or activity may help elevate their destination experience.

And, for tender ports, remind clients not to have their hearts set on visiting them. They’re always weather dependent.

First Look at Brand New Emerald Azzurra Cruise Ship

I’m a big fan of Mediterranean cruising. Waking in new countries every day and enjoying the ever-changing views from the pool deck. Though the cruise industry is going through a difficult time right now, it hasn’t stopped them from steaming ahead on new builds.

Evergreen Cruises & Tours has released a new video showcasing the initial build of its new super yacht, Emerald Azzurra, together with an update on the the construction of Emerald Luna, the line’s newest Star-Ship.

Both Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Luna are set to launch in 2021.

Glen Moroney, owner and Chairman of the Scenic Group (of which Evergreen & Emerald Cruises are brands), says construction of the Azzurra is still on schedule, with the shipyard progressing their works on construction and pre-outfitting of hull blocks as expected.

“Whilst there are some delays in equipment delivery from Europe and China, we continue to work with the shipyard on how to minimise impact on delivery,” said Mr Moroney.

“The entire Emerald Yacht Cruises team are excited to see the project progressing and look forward to welcoming guests onboard this magnificent yacht as it begins cruising the Mediterranean in 2021.”

The Emerald Azzurra pool deck. Credit: Evergreen Cruises & Tours

The new 110-metre Emerald Azzurra is being built in Ha Long City (Vietnam), and will set sail from August 2021. She will embark on 47 itineraries throughout 2021 and 2022, exploring destinations including the Red Sea – Israel, Jordan and Egypt – and the Mediterranean – Greece, Croatia, Italy, France, Cyprus, Turkey, Malta and Spain.

With capacity set at just 100 guests, Emerald Yacht Cruises will offer guests an intimate experience both on board and on shore, with unrivalled access to smaller and quieter ports and harbours only small yachts can reach.

“Emerald Luna is progressing well and at this point, all construction and equipment delivery is on schedule,” said Mr Moroney.

“Emerald Luna will be the ninth ship in Emerald Waterways fleet after Emerald Harmony commenced cruising the Mekong in August 2019.”

Want to know more about the ships? Visit evergreentours.com.au

Chris Ashton

We're Chris Ashton and Simon Ceglinski, two Aussie travellers with a love of exploration and adventure, and the odd bit of luxury thrown in. We seek out street art, street food, and scuba diving wherever we go, and prefer the road less travelled over well-worn tourist paths.

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VIDEO: First look at Emerald Cruises' new superyacht, Emerald...

VIDEO: First look at Emerald Cruises' new superyacht, Emerald Azzurra

Emerald Cruises unveiled the first images of its new luxury superyacht, Emerald Azzurra , after her launch last month .

The 100-passenger superyacht is the first of two sisterships in the fleet - to be followed by Emerald Sakara (debuting in Seychelles) in 2023.

Boasting designer furnishings throughout, the pool deck has proven a popular site for guests to relax. Outfitted with Kettal lounge chairs Paola Lenti day loungers in cool tones complementing the infinity-style pool, the space also has a café serving healthy breakfast including smoothies and light-as-air flatbreads. Indoors, the Observation Lounge has a Dedon MBrace Wing Chair and footstool, along with sleek L’Object games like chess and tic tac toe for passengers to enjoy.

Of the 50 deluxe staterooms and suites, 88% feature private balconies, and each comes equipped with ESPA amenities and Missoni towels – the luxury line in the Elements Spa. The new superyacht has a guest laundry room with complimentary washers and dryers with detergent; laundry baskets, steamers, and irons, in addition to a full laundry service for a fee.

Setting sail for the first time from Aqaba-Petra (Jordan) last month, Azzurra features a luxurious small ship cruising experience to harbours only accessible to small yachts. The custom-built ship features various public areas such as a wellness center, which provides TechnoGym equipment and an infrared sauna - the first for a yacht of her size. The marina platform offers easy access to water sports like the use of SEABOBs and the latest in electric bikes from Gocycle.

Currently, Emerald Azzurra is sailing an 8-day "Mediterranean Enchantment" itinerary from Piraeus-Athens to Dubrovnik (ending on April 16). Fares for the 8-day "Mediterranean Enchantment" departing July 9th start from US$4505 per person with double occupancy. The voyage calls at Kefalonia Island (Argostoli-Fiskardo, Greece) , Parga (Greece) , Corfu Island (Kerkyra, Greece) , Sarande (Albania) , Kotor (Montenegro) .

First look: Emerald Azzurra, the first oceangoing yacht from Emerald Cruises

A cruise ship isn't my typical travel habitat. Instead, you'll usually find me trying to score award flights in Singapore Suites or figuring out when whale sharks will next be passing through La Paz for a friendly snorkel.

That's not to say I'm not intrigued by the ever-evolving panoply of amenities and activities cruise lines now offer, such as shipboard tattoo parlors , luxury spas and surf simulators . I just haven't gone out of my way to experience them.

However, when the opportunity arose to sail on Emerald Azzurra — the first oceangoing vessel from Emerald Cruises — I was on board, so to speak.

For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

To start, I was intrigued by the itinerary , running from Aqaba, Jordan, to Athens, Greece, which would take me to see several wonders of the ancient world.

Plus, the ship's small size (it accommodates just 100 passengers) and sleek design made it seem more like a high-tech yacht than a crowd-pleasing megaship. It even has a marina platform so passengers can snorkel, kayak and paddleboard right off the ship in certain destinations. Basically, it felt like my kind of cruise.

Here's what else my experience aboard Emerald Azzurra's second voyage entailed and what passengers can expect on future sailings.

A little background: From rivers to seas

Emerald Azzurra marks a new chapter for Emerald Cruises, which has been primarily a river cruise line since its founding in 2014. Emerald Cruises is part of Glen Moroney's Scenic Group, which also operates Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours.

My sailing was just the second for Emerald Azzurra, which was constructed in Vietnam's Ha Long Shipyard and delivered to Emerald in February of this year. Its maiden voyage took place in March on an itinerary titled, "Best of the Red Sea," ending in Aqaba where my fellow passengers and I would board.

Designed for an intimate guest experience, Emerald Azzurra is petite at 360 feet long, with six passenger decks and just 50 cabins. The scale, as well as its pronounced, aquadynamic prow, reminded me of nothing so much as a Russian oligarch's impounded yacht … minus the geopolitical implications, of course.

Emerald Azzurra is also representative of a new wave of luxurious yacht-like and expedition vessels that multiple lines are launching, including Silversea Cruises and the much-anticipated Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection . Emerald Azzurra and its forthcoming sister ship, Emerald Sakara, will carry just 100 passengers at most, however, which is around half the capacity of competitors' ships.

What's more, Emerald's sailings are priced more attractively than those on comparable vessels, starting below $4,000 per person on some itineraries. That's versus Mediterranean cruises from $6,800 per person with the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, for instance. Emerald's fares even include most excursions (there are a few optional DiscoverMORE experiences that require an extra fee). While you might not enjoy over-the-top amenities like butler service or on-demand caviar that some other luxury lines proffer, that price differential is likely to entice a fair number of prospective passengers who are price conscious but still desire a high-end experience.

Emerald Azzurra: Deck by deck

Although I enjoy fantastic flight experiences like Qatar Qsuites or Qantas business class , I still tend to see airplanes as simply a mode of transportation that gets you to your final destination.

On the other hand, a cruise ship feels more like a destination unto itself, sort of like a floating hotel, and I was eager to explore Emerald Azzurra's many features.

The guest decks run from levels 2 to 7, with the cabins spread across decks 3 to 6. Deck 3 is the "ground floor" of sorts, from which we would disembark and re-board at each port of call. It's where my fellow passengers and I were first welcomed aboard. We were shepherded past the reception desk and toward the bow into the bar and lounge area for COVID-19 tests and sparkling pineapple cocktails.

As we awaited our results, I scoped out the room, which was fitted with large booths and low tables on both sides for convivial gatherings over pre-dinner cocktails. Through the center, a hodgepodge of Saarinen-like tulip chairs, velvet ottomans and rounded loveseats were arranged in casual groupings around chrome-legged, marble-topped tables. Toward the far end, high Monarch-style stools flanked the cocktail bar.

The understated palette of silver and charcoal grays, limestone and taupe, along with the mirrored pillars and ceiling panels, gave the space a sophisticated but unstuffy ambiance that blended art deco and midcentury modern aesthetics with a splash of '70s glam thrown in.

Because some of the artwork and plants meant to decorate the walls had not arrived by our sailing, the room did look a little stark, but I imagine it felt a little livelier when those final touches arrived after my disembarkation.

Once we had our negative results, we were free to check into our cabins, enjoy a light buffet lunch at the main restaurant at the stern of Deck 3, La Cucina, or simply explore the ship.

Related: A beginner's guide to picking a cruise line

I took the opportunity to roam the decks for pictures while other passengers were settling in. I started at the Sky Deck on level 7, where there is a small outdoor bar and a jacuzzi at the front and various lounging and seating areas running along either side of deck. Other travelers were soon up here enjoying glasses of wine and beer while taking advantage of the sunshine.

Like the lounge, this area seemed a little bare, but it should be outfitted with a lush assortment of plants before long to give it a more garden-like feel.

From there, I took a set of stairs down to the pool deck at the back of level 6. There is a small infinity pool facing the stern with sun loungers, two round day beds and padded deep benches. Because the weather was not very warm during my trip and the crew actually had to drain the pool for some of the rougher parts of the sailing, I didn't actually use it, though I can imagine it'll be the place to hang on hot days this summer.

Just in front of the pool is the Aqua Café, which serves light bites, pastries and coffee throughout the day. We had lunch out here one sunny afternoon and it was delightfully warm and breezy.

Deck 5 comprises cabins (including the one I occupied). One level down from that, at the front of Deck 4, is an observation lounge that's kind of like a living room and library in one. Guests can serve themselves cappuccinos and other hot drinks from an espresso machine or fill up a glass with still or sparkling water, then settle into one of the cozy chairs with a travel or history book from the shelves. There are various games at the table, too, including chess and tic-tac-toe.

Back on Deck 3, I stopped by the reception desk to hand over my passport to the agents so they could take care of customs formalities at our upcoming ports. Heading toward the stern, I peeked into the small boutique that opens in international waters to sell items like Ray-Ban sunglasses, Frey Wille jewelry and Johnstons of Elgin cashmere scarves.

From there, it was a quick turn to the central axis of the ship, with a bank of two elevators and a stunning bifurcated staircase with glass balustrades, chrome railings and floating steps that hearkened to the grand staircases of golden age ocean liners.

The back half of this deck is taken up by the main restaurant, La Cucina, which serves buffet breakfast and lunch and a la carte dinner. Though our voyage was too cold and windy to take advantage of it, the restaurant has an expansive outdoor deck that should hopefully be open for dining under the stars while at anchor in the summer months, or for enjoying an early-morning coffee while steaming into port. You might also notice that the dining room looks slightly bare-bones, but more art and permanent tables are on the way (the crew reportedly raided the Amman Ikea store for temporary furnishings, including dining room tables, for this sailing).

For a ship this size, it felt like there were plenty of public areas in which to spend time, whether it was quietly reading in the observation lounge, sharing drinks with fellow travelers in the lounge, or finding a sheltered corner of the Sky Deck to take in the coastline as we approached various ports.

The cabin: Spare but elegant

Emerald Azzurra has 50 cabins, 44 of which have balconies .

Ocean-view rooms start at a mere 182 square feet and only have windows, while Balcony Suites, of which there are 36, range from a more sizable 285-306 square feet and have private balconies.

There are two larger Deluxe Balcony Suites with separate bedroom and living areas, two Terrace Suites with both a balcony and a private terrace, two Yacht Suites with their own large private terraces and two Owner's Suites, which measure up at 1,162-1,192 square feet including both indoor bedroom and living areas as well as large outdoor decks.

The specialty suites come with extra amenities that vary by category but include items like a welcome fruit platter and bottle of sparkling wine, a full minibar that's restocked daily, in-room coffee and tea-making accouterments and complimentary daily laundry.

I was lucky enough to be assigned one of the Terrace Suites and was immediately impressed by the size of both the interior space as well as the outdoor deck and the amount of natural light filtering in through the floor-to-ceiling glass doors on two sides of the cabin.

The outdoor furniture and pillows had not all arrived by the time of our sailing, so I stuck mostly to the lounge chair when enjoying the fresh air, but luckily the cabin itself was quite comfortable. I thought this was the biggest drawback of an early sailing — not being able to fully use the suite's terrace other than for a few minutes of sunshine here or there.

However, it appears that the outdoor furnishings arrived after my departure, and the line sent TPG an updated photo of the other Terrace Suite's deck to show what it should look like going forward.

You might notice a sloping wall to the side of the deck. That shields the terrace from a public staircase down to the third deck, which does cut down on the privacy, but I didn't see any passengers use it during our cruise, so I don't think that should dissuade anyone from booking this suite.

Much of the indoor footprint is taken up by the bed, which can be split into two twins, and is dressed in the same soft white, 600 thread-count linens you'll find on other Emerald and Scenic ships. You can also use a control to raise and lower the top portion of the mattress on either side.

To either side is a built-in set of shelves in light-colored timber for small items. There are also USB ports and power plugs plus a small, flip-out reading light. You'll notice a large empty space with a mirrored wall behind it between the bed and the balcony. After I disembarked, the crew met a shipment of furniture that included swivel chairs and footrests for the space, though it remained empty for my sojourn.

There is a work desk across from the bed, which also houses the minibar. The crew had left me a fruit platter with a dramatic glass cover plus a bottle of prosecco, though I was more interested in the electric kettle and the Illy espresso machine, which looked harder to use than it actually was. The cabin's phone, audio sets for our guided tours, carafes of water and two metal water bottles took up the rest of the desk.

Though small, the closet had enough space for all our hanging clothes and had several drawers for other apparel plus two bathrobes, two large umbrellas and a safe.

Across from it, the bathroom lies behind a mirrored door. Like many ship restrooms, this one is compact but efficiently laid out .

In addition to the toilet, there is a single sink, above which is a vanity that opens into a large cupboard and a smaller one for toiletries. Below it are drawers and shelves for more belongings as well as a provided hairdryer. The glass walk-in shower had both an enormous overhead rainfall showerhead and a higher-pressure hand-held one by Hansgrohe.

The tiling, which is made to look like deeply veined Calacatta marble, feels bright and clean and contrasts nicely with the colorfully patterned Missoni towels. What I appreciated most, however, were the upscale ESPA bath and skincare products the line stocks for guests to use, which are light on the skin and aromatic without being overpowering.

Although I wasn't able to snap photos of another passenger cabin , one traveler showed me hers in the Balcony Suite category. The interior felt just as large as the Terrace Suite thanks to some slightly different furnishings and placements, and the bathroom looked like my suite's, though the shower had just a single handheld shower head mounted on the wall.

Onboard amenities: Massages and a marina

I've already mentioned a few of Emerald Azzurra's amenities, like the top-deck jacuzzi and the rear-facing infinity pool. There is also a guest laundry where passengers can clean their own clothes, so passengers can pack light without worrying about running out of attire.

Deck 2 houses the ship's wellness area , which includes a gym equipped with Technogym cardio machines, some free weights and a multiuse weight machine. Passengers can also reserve private sessions for personal training, yoga, meditation and Pilates, ranging from $55 to $105.

There is a single-seat salon where guests can book manicures, waxes, eyebrow grooming, cuts and styling using Kitoko Arte products.

The spa has two treatment rooms and offers a range of treatments with ESPA products, such as the 60-minute intense regeneration facial for $175 and the 60-minute hot stone massage for $205, among other possibilities.

Though I did not personally indulge, my travel companion booked a combination massage and facial and practically melted into bed when he returned to the cabin that afternoon. I woke him up for an hour-long yoga session with the ship's personal trainer later that day (complimentary classes were available on several days of the sailing). After, we headed back to the spa for a 20-minute sit in the infrared sauna to loosen up.

One of Emerald Azzurra's main selling points, at least in my estimation, is that it has an onboard water sports marina of sorts.

Passengers will be able to enjoy more active pursuits such as snorkeling and kayaking in certain ports such as Korcula in Croatia and Parga in Greece (pending weather and final approval of the harbormaster, of course).

Though the itinerary I was on would not allow for this, I still got a tour of the equipment stowed down there, and some guests were able to borrow the complimentary Gocycle electric bikes in Kusadasi, Turkey. There was an active cycling tour offered in Rhodes, too, but that was after I had disembarked.

For travelers who, like me, need to keep up with a bit of work while on board, the ship offers free Wi-Fi and will eventually also feature premium, higher-speed packages for sale. The free version worked decently for things like emailing and internet browsing, but not quite well enough for uploading photos or videos. It also caused the television reception to cut out frequently, so hopefully, that will be fixed when the faster service comes online.

Dining and drinking: You won't go hungry

One of the elements of my cruise I was most impressed with was the culinary program . Although there is only one main restaurant plus the poolside cafe, the kitchen team kept things interesting throughout the cruise, with few repeats in the lunch buffets and the Mediterranean-inspired dinner menus.

Each day's breakfast buffet featured a variety of hot options including scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, different kinds of sausage and roasted mushrooms and tomatoes, plus a plethora of pastries, fresh fruit and various kinds of juices and smoothies.

Since I was in one of the specialty suites , I was also entitled to order breakfast as room service and took advantage of that on a few of the days when excursions started earlier. Like the buffet, the choices were extensive and included things like omelets, pancakes, waffles, bagels with smoked salmon and different coffee and tea selections.

At lunchtime, the servers would set out another wide-ranging buffet with mains such as seared filet of rockfish with beurre blanc; beef-lamb kofte with grilled halloumi; and herb-grilled chicken breast and shrimps in a creamy pumpkin sauce. There was also a small salad bar plus plenty of desserts like sorbet, ice cream, chocolate cake with raspberry drizzle and enormous cookies, including some excellent caramel toffee ones.

After a morning spent snorkeling in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, I spent the afternoon at Aqua Café and sampled some of the healthy flatbreads, including a Greek version with tomato, feta, onions and olive and another with lemon, ricotta and artichoke, both of which were flavorful and satisfying.

Dinner menus in La Cucina changed each evening and began with small dishes such as octopus-potato salad; tuna ceviche with mango, mint and lime; and shredded baked beets with apple and horseradish. Next would come a soup course, with choices such as sweet corn potage, hearty German lentil and smoked eggplant cream. There was always a pasta or risotto dish to share followed by a choice of a main course.

The standouts I tried included a succulent duck breast and leg confit with red cabbage praline; grilled beef tenderloin with black truffle butter and fondant potatoes; and filet of sole with tangy lemon-caper Sicilian sauce and ratatouille cream.

Even after all that food, I was always game for desserts like chocolate-passionfruit cake, a creamy deconstructed chocolate millefeuille and tiramisu.

For guests who favor consistency over novelty, there is also a roster of "always available" dishes that includes shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, spaghetti Bolognese, grilled salmon, chicken, steak and breaded eggplant.

The wines rotated each lunch and evening, too, with options like a Picpoul Blanc from the south of France, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Tempranillo from Spain's Ribera del Duero and a French Cote du Rhone.

I was on the premium spirits package, so drinks at the lounge and the Sky Bar were included as well, and the bartending team made a delicious old fashioned and great Negronis. We would drop by for a nightcap after dinner to hear the ship's guitarist play.

The one food-related downside to cruising is that you don't get many opportunities to sample the cuisine of the various destinations you visit. And while the menus on board the ship were excellent, I would love to see the kitchen team incorporate more "local" dishes onto the menu, such as falafel after a day in Jerusalem, for instance, or ful medames for breakfast before a visit to the pyramids in Egypt.

Itinerary highlights: Petra and the pyramids

Of course, I didn't spend all my time poking around the ship, especially on an itinerary as action-packed with sightseeing as this one.

Among the most rewarding days of the journey was the first full one, during which we remained docked in Aqaba. From there, we took buses two hours in each direction to visit the ancient Nabatean desert city of Petra, with its famous treasury building carved into a red rock face.

Two days later (with a stop in Sharm El-Sheikh in the meantime), we docked in Ain Sokhna, Egypt, and boarded buses for the trek around the outskirts of Cairo to see the pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx before a riverfront lunch in the city.

Cruising through the Suez Canal was an interesting experience that also provided some much-needed downtime, since we remained on the ship, and the next day brought us to Ashdod, Israel, from which we set off to explore the Old City of Jerusalem.

We spent another afternoon visiting ancient settlements along Cyprus's south coast before disembarking in Antalya, Turkey, which has a beautiful, pedestrianized old city chock full of Ottoman villas. The cruise went on to visit Kusadasi, Turkey, as well as Rhodes, Santorini and Athens in Greece.

Although many of the excursions required a substantial amount of time in transit, it felt more than worthwhile for the opportunity to see breathtaking wonders like Petra and the pyramids as well as to visit new (to me) places like Cyprus.

Being in the care of the ship's activities team also meant that customs processes, COVID-19 testing (in Israel) and my early disembarkation were all handled smoothly, with little to no effort on my part. Plus, since the excursions were included in the cruise fare, venturing out was that much more enjoyable.

One note on sailing for folks who are a little more motion-sensitive: Given Emerald Azzurra's relatively small size, you could feel the movement of the ship and some significant pitching in heavier seas. So, if you have issues with seasickness, you might want to consider whether a larger vessel might suit you better. This was also the reason the crew had to drain the infinity pool at one point since, otherwise, the water would have sloshed over onto the deck.

Working out the kinks

As you might expect from any early sailing on a new ship, there were a few kinks that Emerald will have to work out.

First and foremost was the fact that the ship didn't have all its permanent furnishings aboard when we embarked, including chairs and tables for the cabins' balconies, which, understandably, upset several of my fellow sailors. The crew's uniforms only arrived a day before I disembarked, too.

However, my contacts at the cruise line have told me that all the furniture is now aboard, assembled and set out, as is all the artwork and much of the greenery, so hopefully the experience on sailings going forward will feel more comfortable and consistent.

Although the Wi-Fi worked fine for my needs, hopefully, faster service will soon be available so that it will be easier to keep up with things back home or to research upcoming ports of call in detail by going online.

The excursions on my specific itinerary required a lot of time in tour buses and some fairly complicated logistics, some of which was related to COVID-19, and some of which was not. For instance, passengers were woken at 5 a.m. for COVID-19 tests to enter Israel on that day of the cruise due to changing conditions. A few days earlier, we sat on buses waiting to exit the port in Ain Sokhna en route to the pyramids for nearly 90 minutes as some snafu was ironed out. Both instances curtailed our time visiting the sights and certain activities had to be excised from the schedule. As the ship visits various ports again and again, though, hopefully, some of these rough patches will resolve into smoother sailing.

Finally, a few crew members tested positive for COVID-19 just two days into the sailing. They were isolated in the crew quarters, the crew was required to wear masks at all times after that, and passengers were asked to monitor their own health for any symptoms. Luckily, the crew members recovered, no one else fell ill and it did not impact our itinerary, but it could have been much worse had more people been exposed.

Though this is not unique to Emerald, it's something to be aware of if you intend to cruise with any line in the coming months.

Why I'd sail again

Logistical whitecaps aside, I wouldn't hesitate to cruise with Emerald again for a few reasons.

Even without all its furnishings, Emerald Azzurra was a stunner, with spacious, comfortable cabins, beautiful public areas and high-end touches like the full-service spa, Missoni textiles and ESPA products that made the experience feel luxurious .

My itinerary from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean included stops at fascinating sites. I'd be curious what some of the ship's Mediterranean itineraries — especially those that allow for use of the marina deck — are like.

More than anything, though, the service was truly excellent. Every crew member we interacted with was a pleasure to see and speak with every day, from the friendly staff at reception to the assiduous servers in the lounge and restaurant (as well as the ones who carefully toted our in-room breakfast to us), not to mention Martina, our cabin steward, who took care of everything from cleaning the stateroom to refilling our water carafes and stowing our luggage.

Many of them accompanied us on excursions and we enjoyed chatting with them at the sights and attractions we visited. Each of them knew all the passengers by name within a day or two, which also gave the experience a friendlier, more casual feel. I heard from many of my other passengers how impressed they were by the crew — so it wasn't just my experience.

The uniqueness of Emerald Azzurra, its intimate size and high-end amenities, the intriguing itinerary and the friendliness of the crew all combined to make this a memorable sailing, and one I would have no trouble recommending to others.

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Emerald Azzurra Cruise Review: Onboard Yacht Experience

Sailing on an Emerald Cruises yacht is fabulous. Our Emerald Azzurra Cruise Review will bring you onboard into the cabins, lounge area, top deck spaces (hot tub and pool included!), and dining spaces.

We’ll tell you what we loved about the ship , what to beware of before you book so you can have the best experience on Emerald Cruises yacht ships like us, and what to expect in terms of ship movement if you are concerned about motion sickness.

While we sailed on Emerald Azzurra, Emerald Sakara is a sister ship that is expected to be very similar to sailing on Azzurra. So whether your vacation calendar brings you onboard Emerald Azzurra or Emerald Sakara, this information will be vital to maximizing your trip enjoyment.

Disclosure: We thank Emerald Cruises for hosting us. This page may contain affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you click the link and proceed with a purchase at no cost to you , which helps keep our content free. We only recommend cruises, experiences, products, and services we personally use. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Emerald Azzurra Review Overview

You are in awe as soon as you see the ship come into view when you arrive at the port for embarkation. “Can you believe that's our ship?” is a sentiment many Emerald Azzurra guests share. The sleek, modern yacht is a beauty, and its multitude of features makes you fall further in love with the yachting lifestyle onboard.

We felt relaxed and well taken care of the entire time we sailed on Emerald Azzurra. There is a maximum of 100 passengers and 64 crew onboard. With a passenger-to-crew ratio like that, you'll surely feel attended to. The cruise was lovely, as were the other guests.

And truthfully, it didn't even feel like that many people were on board! Dan was only ever sharing the gym with one person. And I was in the infrared sauna solo more than once.

The food was outstanding, the drinks divine, and the scenery and itinerary phenomenal. There was always an evening activity planned that we could go to or skip, and we could do an excursion in the ports or explore on our own.

Our Top Picks for Emerald Azzurra Yacht Cruise Highlights

A few things really wowed us during our cruise:

Emerald Azzurra Yacht Cruise Experience Review with photos of a Sicilian town on the bottom and yacht in the ocean on top.

Emerald Azzurra Review: Common Areas and Spaces, Deck by Deck

There was a multitude of spaces onboard to enjoy, from bow to stern.

It's important to know what Emerald Cruises calls the decks on the cruise ship deck place in case you're trying to figure out what number the “Emerald Deck” is, for example:

Deck 2 : Wellness Deck
3 : Emerald Deck
4 : Observation Deck
5 : Panorama Deck
6 : Pool Deck
7 : Sky Deck

Below, we'll share what each deck contains.

Deck 2: Wellness Area (Fitness, Infrared Sauna, Elements Spa, and Beauty), Marina Platform, and Tender Boats

Wellness area.

The Wellness Area is home to Elements Spa, which has the following:

Marina Platform and Tender Boats

If you are interested in swimming in the ocean while the ship is moored or playing with the marina toys, the Marina Platform is where you'll want to be. It's also where you will go if you need to take tender boats to get to shore.

We didn't have the opportunity to experience the Marina Platform during our cruise because it was too cold to go in the ocean, and because we never moored; we were always docked next to land.

However, we've experienced the fun of one and water toys onboard other cruise ships, like Kontiki Expeditions , and know what a joy it is!

We also never needed to tender to shore. Thus, we didn't experience Emerald Azzurra's tender boats.

Deck 3: Reception, Amici Bar & Lounge, Boutique Azzurra, and La Cucina Restaurant

The reception area is a simple two-desk station with seating across from it in case you need to rest before embarking or disembarking the ship. Thanks to the minimal number of guests onboard, you never really had to wait to talk if you needed to talk to a crew member there.

Amici Bar & Lounge

The ship's main bar and lounge connect to the reception area. This multi-purpose room is, at first glance, the primary place to get beverages, whether at the self-serve coffee, tea, and water station area or the bar, tended by bartenders.

However, it's actually a multi-purpose area. Port talks are given here during the day, the future cruises sales desk is here, and it is an entertainment area at night.

Boutique Azzurra

A lovely on-board shopping boutique has mostly jewelry for sale with some apparel. It's open while sailing, with hours posted in the daily program.

La Cucina Restaurant

La Cucina restaurant is at the aft of the ship. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating allows guests to have options of where to dine, depending on the weather.

The beautiful space is decorated with a mixture of round and rectangular tables, booth seating and chairs, and some high tops. Assorted green foliage is placed around the interior dining room to make it an oasis.

Deck 4: Observation Deck and Laundry

Observation deck.

One of the most peaceful places on the yacht is the Observation Deck. This relaxing nook is located toward the bow of the ship. We suppose you could say it's the closest thing Emerald Azzurra has to a library or game room.

Most of the time, guests could be found quietly reading in the space's comfy chairs. Other times we saw some people playing cards there or on their computers.

There is also a coffee and water station in the Observation Deck, which is one of two onboard. The other is in the Amici Bar & Lounge on Deck 3.

Laundry Room

As avid travelers, we're often on the road for many weeks at a time. Yet, we're minimal packers. This is why having an incredible self-serve laundry room on a cruise ship is such a treat.

Luxury cruise ships often only have the option to send your laundry out for the crew to do. But a true luxury and treat is a laundry room like Emerald Azzurra has. It's indeed welcomed and such an asset onboard. There are several washers pre-loaded with detergent, dryers, an ironing station, and a steamer for guests to use.

We were glad that we happened to have dryer sheets with us because we like to use them in a dryer, and they don't have them onboard.

The laundry room even has a seating area, but it's easy enough to set a timer on your phone to remind you to switch your laundry over to the dryer or retrieve it when it's done. That way, you can enjoy the yacht while your clothes get clean, which is exactly what we did!

If you prefer, you can request your clothes be laundered. There is a bag provided in each stateroom closet with a laundry form.

Deck 5: Emerald Azzurra Aqua Pool and Cafe, and Navigation Bridge

Aqua pool and cafe.

What's a yacht without a pool? This great area is at the aft of the ship. The Aqua Cafe and Pool are right next to each other, which is convenient if you want to station yourself in the area for a few hours – drinks and snacks are at your disposal at the cafe.

What's also nice about this area is that some seating is covered and shaded from the sun, while others are not. This allows guests to choose from multiple seating areas based on their liking.

Yacht Navigation Bridge

A highlight of being on Emerald Azzurra is visiting the Navigation Bridge at your leisure. The officers and Captain were very welcoming and friendly, speaking to us for several minutes to explain the equipment.

A really cool time to visit the bridge, where there is an open-door policy and seating for guests to comfortably observe, is when the ship is docking. Below is a photo of the officers and Captain making sure the ship docks correctly in Naples, Italy.

Deck 6: Emerald Azzurra Hot Tub, Sky Bar, and Bathroom

Deck 6 has one of our favorite Emerald Azzurra onboard amenities: the hot tub. The oval-shaped hot tub can easily fit ten people. Surrounding areas provides comfort in the form of booth seating and lounge areas. Additional seating areas are scattered around deck 6 and provide intimate spaces to read, take a nap, or enjoy the sunshine.

The Sky Bar is on Deck 6. It was a convenient place to get drinks if we wanted to be outside; this area often had the best sweeping port views. It was also where a mixology class was taught while we were sailing one day.

For guests' convenience, a bathroom with a shower is located on this deck for rinsing off after a dip in the hot tub before going back to your room.

Emerald Azzurra Staterooms

Emerald Azzurra has 50 staterooms, including two of each of the following suite categories for a total of eight onboard suites: Owner's Suites, Yacht Suites, Terrace Suites, and Deluxe Balcony Suites.

We outline the square footage of the different staterooms here , and you can view the architectural layout of the room on the Emerald Cruises website .

All staterooms on Emerald Azzurra have balconies except for the six Oceanview Staterooms at the forward of the ship on deck 3. There are eight suites onboard.

We were in room 404, a Balcony Suite on Deck 4.

Our bedroom had a king-size bed, a love seat, and a chair with a small table that perfectly fit a computer, iPad, or drink. There was also a desk we could work out where the Quiet Voxe devices for tours were and the cruise ship phone. Small reading lights next to each side of the bed were adjustable so you could angle them to your liking.

Next to that were light switches for the room so you could shut the room lights once you were cozy in bed, ready to sleep, a USB port, and outlets.

You don't need an outlet converter for your plugs to work on Emerald Cruises; they've smartly designed their outlets to fit multiple countries' electrical prongs. However, depending on your plans and hotels, you may need one before or after your cruise.

Our favorite European outlet converter

➤ This European seven-in-one travel plug converter is the favorite we've ever owned.

We bought one to start and quickly regretted not buying two the first time. Do yourself a favor and buy the two-pack from the get-go.

We loved the shelves on each side of the bed as well as the headboard that created more shelving. Emerald Cruises smartly designed this area: the top of the headboard was depressed, so it created a small safety guard around whatever items you placed there. That way, they wouldn't roll off if the ship tilted. Emerald Azzurra is a moving ship, after all.

Closet Storage and Drawers

We were awestruck by how much storage space there was in our stateroom. We could hardly fill it up! There was plenty of hanging space in the closet, special pull-out drawers for plenty of pairs of shoes, closet drawers for clothes, and more drawers in the dresser near the mini-fridge.

There was also an umbrella in the closet and a digital safe. We appreciated that Emerald Cruises provided a laundry basket too. This was helpful for us because we took advantage of doing our laundry ourselves in the onboard laundry room . After a week of cruising, we simply took the basket to the washers and dryers for one last wash before disembarking.

Our bathroom was spacious, with an abundance of storage space. Pull-out drawers and a vanity mirror opened to reveal additional storage in two compartments. That's where I placed my toiletries that were in my Stasher bag .

One side of the cabinet had plenty of shallow-depth shelves with an outlet inside. The other part of the mirror had a slender section that opened to reveal additional storage. The compartments mimicked the width of the drawers beneath the sink, where there was more storage. (Storage, upon storage, and more storage!)

Hand lotion and liquid hand soap were next to the sink.

The shower was luxurious and as warm or cold as you wanted the temperature. It had a removable shower head to hand-hold it, and the ship provided shampoo, conditioner, and body gel. There was also a shower rail inside if you needed to hold onto something should the ship become a little rocky. (Which happens with any yacht cruise ship.)

We want to note that we had to beware of the water leaking out of the bottom of the shower. It was slippery, and we quickly learned to use the floor mat towel to soak up the water that had left the shower and somehow stretched to the bathroom door.

We thought it may have just been our cabin, but we realized it wasn't unique to our room when a fellow passenger revealed she had the same water-running issue on the bathroom floor after showering. That aside, the bathroom was still great.

The balcony was a highlight of our Emerald Azzurra yacht stateroom.

We cruised in March, when it's a bit colder on the Mediterranean Sea than during peak summer season. However, we couldn't resist putting on long sleeves to enjoy a coffee outside, especially given how utterly comfortable the balcony seats were! They were sincerely the most comfortable balcony seats we'd ever sat on.

The cabin steward removed the cushions each evening and placed them in the room so they wouldn't get wet overnight. This was perfect for us because it meant they were dry each morning, ready to use.

In-Room Drinks and Snacks

Regardless of category, all staterooms on Emerald Azzurra have a coffee machine and tea kettle. We never used ours because the coffee machine on deck 4 was right near our stateroom. We preferred hopping over there for morning coffee, but it was a nice option to have in-room if we change our minds.

There were also two bottles of water that the steward refilled daily. Nevertheless, there were water stations near the coffee machines if we ran out or wanted carbonated water.

We had a miniature fridge in our room that we hardly opened because we simply went to the nearest bar if we wanted beer, wine, or mixed drinks.

Small jars of snacks in the room – like wasabi peas and nuts – were priced per jar at an additional cost. We go into detail about snacks, drinks, and food onboard here .

Onboard Entertainment

There was a nightly activity onboard every day. For instance, there were two nights of trivia (a crowd favorite). Another evening our Cruise Director, who went to school for musical theater, sang for the guests.

One special night, while docked in Sicily, a traditional Sicilian dance and singing group came onboard to entertain. It was fabulous! These close-up enrichment programs are part of why we love luxury, small-ship cruising.

Time of Year to Sail

We sailed on Emerlad Azzurra through the western Mediterranean Sea from the end of March into the first week of April. There were disadvantages to traveling this time of year on board the yacht and advantages to the timeframe in port.

Disadvantage onboard: The only real drawback to sailing in late March and early April – which is true for pre-season and post-season shoulder times – is using the exterior spaces. We were incredibly lucky with gorgeous weather in Europe every day in the 60s, with the sun shining. That said, it's always cooler on the water.

Despite the sun, which we were grateful for, it was often way too cold outside to enjoy Emerald Azzurra's outdoor spaces. This was especially true when the ship was sailing when the wind made the temperature colder than when it was docked.

A couple of days when we were docked, the weather allowed us to have lunch on the outside terrace of La Cucina restaurant. On the Pool Deck and Sky Deck, some guests bundled up and snuggled under towels to relax on one of the lounge chairs in the sunshine.

We went in the hot tub, but it was too chilly to enjoy for more than 15 minutes. And we were not brave enough to test the pool temperature, but it sure looked gorgeous! We know that even an indoor pool is cold on small ships from experience, like sailing on Emerald Sky . Braving the outdoor pool was not in the cards this trip!

Next time we book an Emerald Azzurra or Emerald Sakara yacht cruise, we will wait a couple more weeks to sail so we can fully enjoy the hot tub and pool if we're traveling in Europe. Alternatively, if you want to sail during early spring or fall, it's a great time to cruise the Caribbean.

Pro in ports: It was so nice to be visiting before peak season in ports. Inevitably, tourists flock to Mediterranean regions during summer. This includes places like Greece, Croatia, Italy, and nearby countries.

Best time to Vacation on Emerald Cruises Yachts

Best time of year for mediterranean cruises.

In our opinion, the best time of year to sail on Emerald Azzurra or Emerald Sakara in Europe is late April to early May, before peak tourist season in the Mediterranean. Or alternatively, fall from the last week of September to early October in that area.

Best Time of Year for Caribbean Cruises

The great thing about Caribbean cruise itineraries with Emerald Cruises is that they only offer itineraries in this region of the world during ideal times to sail the Carribean Sea. Generally speaking, they offer Caribbean yacht cruises from November through March.

Emerald Azzurra Itineraries

Emerald Cruises offers plenty of itineraries aboard their yachts. You can vacation in Europe like we did and sail on the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas. You can also sail the Americas on a Caribbean yacht cruise or one in Central America. To maximize your sea days, choose a Transatlantic sailing.

Caribbean and Central America

Explore destinations from the Grenadines to St. Vincent and Barbados in the Caribbean with Emerald Cruises yachts. Head to St. Barth's on an Eastern Caribbean itinerary, stopping at St. Lucia, Antigua, and Martinique.

Explore Costa Rica and Panama's lush and adventure-filled port towns in Central America.

Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea

Discover historic towns and iconic city centers throughout Europe as you travel from port to port in the lap of luxury. Can you imagine pulling into port on a yacht in Nice, France?! Envision it, and then book your cruise to make it a reality!

Emerald Cruises yachts sail the French and Italian Rivieras on the Mediterranean. They also cruise along the Adriatic Sea, visiting Croatia and Italy before ending in France.

Alternatively, uncover Greek and Italian destinations as we did on an Ionian Sea itinerary.

Emerald Azzurra Ionean Sea Adventure

Our Mediterranean journey on Emerald Azzurra was a dream come true. We knew Emerald Cruises would take us to the best ports (including some we never heard of until this cruise) and have wonderful tour guides. Both turned out to be true.

Some of our favorite ports on the itinerary included Athens and Cephalonia in Greece and Sicily's charming city of Taormina.

Athens, Greece

We embarked on our Ionean Sea Adventure at the Port of Piraeus, which is a 15-minute drive from Athens. We came in a few days early so we could enjoy the city and learn more about Greek culture and history.

It was a joy to be able to visit the Acropolis, eat plenty of Greek salad, olives, and seafood, and drink Greek Mythos beers.

Couple in front of the Greek Acropolis in Athens.

Cephalonia, Greece

Some of the most stunning water and coastline we've ever laid eyes on, anywhere, was in Cephalonia during our Emerald Azzurra cruise.

Gratitude overflowed when the bus made a special stop at a viewpoint to see Myrtos Beach. The milky turquoise blue water changes depending on the day's sunlight, yet our guide told us it's also breathtaking. Words could never adequately describe the view.

We were also treated to a short rowboat ride in Melissani Cave, with jaw-dropping jewel-toned water. It was like we were looking through topaz gemstones that shimmered in the sunlight.

Taormina, Sicily

Taormina is a coastal town that has incredible views of the Mediterranean. Not to mention, it was the location of season two of HBO's famous hit show, White Lotus. It was so much fun to be able to recognize the streets of Taormina that Dan and I saw in one or two of the episodes and see the outside of the White Lotus hotel in person.

The city has Roman roots and plenty to admire regardless of HBO fandom.

Far beyond our White Lotus thoughts was experiencing the city's energy for a few hours during an included walking tour organized by Emerald Cruises. Emerald Azzurra was docked at a Sicilian port nearby in Catania. Buses drove us 70 minutes north to Taormina.

The Taormina excursion was seamless, and we learned so much during our walking tour, which included tickets for a guided tour through the Ancient Theater of Taormina (Teatro Antico di Taormina). Without our guide, we would never have understood the meaning and legend behind the Sicilian ceramic heads or about Etna, the island's active volcano.

Our favorite part of our visit was the free time we had. We were grateful this was a schedule option, and we were still able to meet up with the group to take the bus back to the yacht. If you visit Taormina, getting “lost” in the streets and passageways there is a must. We had the best of the tourism world between our free time and guided tour.

Civitavecchia, Italy

It was such a dream to end our cruise in Civitavecchia, which is close to Rome. We decided to extend our vacation to explore this famous city on our own for a few days. It was easy to do thanks to the awesome location of our disembarkation port, just a quick train ride from Rome.

We saw all the hits, from the Colosseum and Palatine Hill, Victor Emmanuel II Monument in Piazza Venezia, to the Trevi Fountain. We also ate all the classics, from Cacio e Pepe to Pizza, which is how we know firsthand how on par the Emerald Azzurra pasta dishes are with the creations of Roman chefs !

Couple in front of a monument in Piazza Venezia in Rome, Italy with Italian flags waving next to the landmark in the distance.

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Included Excursions On Itineraries

Emerald Cruises includes an excursion option for their guests in most ports. On their yachts, there are options to pay for additional excursions as part of their DiscoverMORE programming.

For example, if you're in Sicily, you may have the opportunity to do a unique Godfather tour, visiting the movie's local filming locations for an additional fee per guest.

However, you don't have to do an excursion at all. One of the great things about the yacht cruise is that it takes you to incredibly pedestrian-friendly ports. If you get off the ship and want to explore on your own, you can.

You can also opt to ride one of the ship's “Gocycle” bikes at your leisure, included in the cruise fare. These state-of-the-art electric bicycles cost $5,499 each on Gocycle's website! So if you have ever wanted to test one out, it's a great opportunity to do so.

Ship Movement

When you sail on a yacht cruise ship , you feel the movement more than a river cruise ship , yet likely less than a sailboat or sailing cruise ship . This is why we always travel with anti-nausea solutions , including medication, motion sickness patches, Blisslets, and Non-Drowsy Dramamine or Bonine.

Motion Sickness Fixes

Blisslets anti-nausea wristbands for sea and motion sickness in striped white and blue.

There were times when we hardly felt the ship's movement while sailing and other times when the water was a bit rougher, which affected us more.

But you'll enjoy the ship more when you're sailing if you're equipped with the right medications should motion sickness creep up on you. The Captain did a great job of doing his best to avoid rough routes and provide as smooth a cruise as possible, yet no matter how you slice it, when you cruise on a yacht, you'll be on an ocean contesting with Mother Nature.

Emerald Azzurra Yacht Cruise Cost

One of the best things about sailing on Emerald Azzurra is the cost. You get to feel like a celebrity on a yacht for a minimal cost! Emerald Cruises provides amazing value, just like their river cruises , regardless of whether you're on their river or yacht cruises.

The cruise line does not nickel and dime you. Nearly everything is included in your cruise fare unless you want to add DiscoverMORE excursions or upgrade to a drinks Platinum Package.

Airport transfers, port fees, taxes, and gratuities are included, as well as things like soft drinks, beer, and wine with lunch and dinner. Wifi is included onboard, as is the use of all the marina toys, including SEABOBs, paddleboards, and kayaks.

Cruises start from $3,675 per person or $7,030 per couple.

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Emerald Azzurra review: a superyacht cruise on Croatia’s Adriatic coast

With chic cabins, a fleet of e-bikes and an infinity pool, the first ocean-going ship for emerald cruises makes a bold statement.

The Emerald Azzurra off Cres Island, Croatia

T he haunting sound of choral music drifts across the main square in Korcula. It’s Sunday and the whole population of the old town is in church. There’s an aura of peace; it’s early season and already shimmeringly hot, but only a few tourists potter around the galleries. Cats snooze on sun-warmed steps. The water is still too cold for swimming, but a group of kayakers and paddleboarders make their way across the glassy bay, not a ripple in sight.

There’s only one cruise ship in town — ours, the tiny Emerald Azzurra. Carrying only 100 passengers, the Emerald Azzurra barely makes an impact on this sleepy place. And it’s small enough to dock right outside the walls of the old town.

The compact size of our ship and its sleek superyacht lines are a constant topic of conversation during my week in Croatia and Italy, sailing from Dubrovnik to Venice. Even when we encounter another ship of modest proportions, it’s met with horror and derision by my fellow passengers, who are congratulating themselves on their spacious balcony cabins, cool infinity pool and top-deck cocktail bar.

Omis, on the Dalmatian coast south of Split

At present there’s very little in the cruising world that compares to the Emerald Azzurra. This is the first custom-built ocean-going ship for Australian-owned Emerald Cruises, which until now has focused on river cruising. The ship has a slick design, with a long, slender bow and sharply raked decks. Cabins are like chic hotel rooms, high-ceilinged and done out in tasteful greys and taupes, while the light-filled Amici lounge — the main gathering place — is a cool, if slightly 1970s vision of chrome, marble, squashy leather loungers and lush banks of greenery.

You’d expect a ship like this to be madly expensive, but Emerald’s selling point is that it’s a step down in cost from the poshest lines — among them Silversea, Seabourn and SeaDream Yacht Club — and its own sister line, Scenic, which also operates a swish superyacht.

The service is friendly but you won’t have a butler; would you really need one when there are already 68 crew to care for 100 passengers? The food is excellent, but you’re not downing vats of caviar and there’s no lobster or foie gras. Instead, I tucked into dishes including delicate potato and leek crepes, grilled sea bass and tender chicken breast with lemon risotto.

Decent Croatian wines are generously poured with lunch and dinner, but you have to pay extra for spirits — or buy a rather costly drinks package of £45 per person per day, which is a lot of cocktails, given that you could get an Aperol spritz for £6.40, or an espresso martini for £8.

A pool on the ship, which also features spacious balcony cabins and a top-deck cocktail bar

Hikes or walking tours are included in most ports, but you can pay for more adventurous outings, which range from about £80 to £116 per person. There’s free yoga and Pilates, access to a smart water sports platform from which you can kayak, swim or paddleboard, and a fleet of e-bikes.

I was so impressed with the bike I tried that I googled it, half-fancying having one at home. I was shocked to see that it cost £3,400 — one of many signs that no expense has been spared in kitting out this ship. Another was the abundance of jauntily patterned Missoni Home robes for use by the infinity pool and hot tub. Everybody wanted a robe, which I found online for an impressive £250 apiece, although some of the men on board did look as though they were channelling Hugh Hefner in theirs.

Having become hooked on the somewhat trashy reality TV show Below Deck during lockdown, I was delighted to embrace the superyacht lifestyle myself. Lazy breakfast, a flat white on deck and a wander or cycle round whatever gorgeous town we happened to be docked in.

● Best Croatia tours: 19 excellent trips ● The ultimate luxury villas in Croatia

Back for a dip in the infinity pool and sunbathe on the “bunny pads” — the big, padded platforms either side of the pool. Martinis at sunset, dinner, chillout music on deck from Mark Reyes, the ship’s singer and guitarist. One night the cruise director, Dean, played DJ and everybody danced under the stars on the Sky Deck, going wild to the Killers with happy abandon because there were no teenagers to roll their eyes.

Even though it was early in the season, Croatia was hot. I’d brought my partner, David, along for the ride and we wandered around a sweltering Dubrovnik before whiling away a deliciously lazy afternoon drinking wine and picking at a platter of local cheese and air-dried ham in a sunlit square.

In Split, we joined a two-hour hike up Marjan Hill, a headland that flanks one side of the city. The climb up took us past giant agave plants, scented pines and masses of scotch broom, aflame in its bright yellow spring colours. From the top, the whole city stretched out below; the terracotta-roofed centre giving way to 1970s apartment blocks. Ferries buzzed back and forth from the islands, and craggy limestone hills lined the horizon.

Back down in town, early-season crowds were already packing out the ancient alleys of Diocletian’s Palace, the magnificent and still-inhabited Roman palace complex that dominates the heart of Split. We descended into the cool gloom of the substructure, the old Roman foundations and cellars, for a klapa performance, laid on by Emerald just for our group.

Klapa is the Croatian answer to Portugal’s fado, a male a capella group singing harmonies of love, life and loss, all the more melodic in the otherwise silent warren of ancient columns and empty chambers.

We borrowed a couple of the ship’s e-bikes in Zadar and cycled around the enormous bay, speeding past marinas, fishing boats and leafy waterfront parks. To cool off, we paddled in the still-chilly Adriatic on the steps by the Sea Organ, which emanates sounds not unlike whale song every time a wave splashes against the quay, forcing air through holes in the concrete. It’s a dreamy and meditative experience, sitting in the sun, feet in the water, listening to the “music” and gazing out to the distant Kornati islands.

Krka National Park, where we paid £84 each for an excursion, is a place of such lush beauty that it feels like an enchanted setting in a Disney fairytale. This is where the Krka river tumbles over dozens of travertine rock shelves on the final stages of its journey to the sea. Wooden boardwalks lead through sun-dappled trails under pine and fig trees, water cascading at every turn into pools of deep turquoise, or tumbling in shallow streams over mossy rocks through the trees. There’s life everywhere: dragonflies in iridescent sapphire blue, and butterflies in shades of speckled orange and bright yellow. A large frog was clinging to a leaf in a glass-clear pool, croaking loudly, while birds sang in the trees.

Rovinj, an enchanting walled town on the Istrian peninsula, was our last port and came all too soon. We wandered through a maze of smoothly cobbled alleyways, the heady scent of summer jasmine in the air, to St Euphemia, the hefty Baroque basilica that dominates the town.

Across the rooftops and old pastel-coloured houses, the Emerald Azzurra sat serenely, right next to the old town. People were walking along the quayside and gazing up at it in wonder, their mouths agape. And then I strolled back to “my” yacht and floated on my back in the infinity pool, under a deep blue sky, for one last time.

Sue Bryant was a guest of Emerald Cruises. Seven nights’ full board costs from £3,711pp on a cruise from Dubrovnik to Venice, departing on June 10, 2023, including flights, drinks with meals, tips, wi-fi, and some excursions ( emeraldcruises.co.uk )

A small-ship cruise around Mykonos, Santorini, Hydra and Delos

Emerald Releases 2023 Itineraries on New Ship Azzurra

April 1, 2021

Emerald Cruises has unveiled the 2023 program for its new 100-guest ocean-going luxury super yacht, the Emerald Azzurra.

According to a brochure, the yacht’s first voyages will be to the Black Sea on two new itineraries, plus a collection of popular Adriatic, Mediterranean and Red Sea cruises.

The new 15-day Mykonos, Gallipoli & Essence of the Black Sea itinerary sails from Athens to Istanbul and calls at Mykonos, Çanakkale, Bartin, Sinop, Trabzon (all Turkey), Batumi (Georgia), Sochi (Russia), Odesa (Ukraine), Sulina (Romania), Varna and Nessebar (both Bulgaria) en route. Prices start from $10,994 per person departing Aug. 5, 2023, with early bird savings of up to $2,132 per couple.

The 22-day Discover the Greek Islands, Turkey & the Black Sea itinerary is an extension of Mykonos, Gallipoli & Essence of the Black Sea with additional ports of call in Patmos (Greece), Kuşadasi, Bodrum (both Turkey), Rhodes and Amorgos (both Greece).

The cruise line said that the extra days are filled with guided city and historical site tours, including a hike to the Monastery of St. John on Patmos, and a folklore show in Amorgos, complete with local delicacies. Prices start from $15,872 per person departing July 29, 2023, with Super Earlybird savings of up to $4,896 per couple.

“With strong demand for the Emerald Azzurra’s inaugural 2022 season, we are pleased to release 2023 dates so guests can plan ahead. Gallipoli is a huge attraction for the Australian and New Zealand market so we expect these new itineraries to sell quickly,” said Emerald Cruises’ Director for Sales, Marketing & Product, Angus Crichton.

The Emerald Azzurra is sent to launch in January 2022, becoming Emerald’s first custom-built ocean superyacht.

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The New Cruise Trend: Emerald Cruises’ Intimate, Stylish Superyachts

From private terraces to small ports and harbors, “emerald azzurra"—and soon “emerald sakara"—are the chic, at-sea experiences of your dreams..

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The New Cruise Trend: Emerald Cruises’ Intimate, Stylish Superyachts

The grand “Emerald Azzura” at sea

If you think you know what to expect when it comes to ocean travel, think again. Following several recent explorations in the Red Sea, Emerald Azzurra —the groundbreaking superyacht from Emerald Cruises (recognized for its award-winning river cruises)—will deliver guests the balance of total relaxation and authentic onshore adventures that the cruise line is known for while heading to ports of call across the Aegean, Adriatic, and Mediterranean seas.

With routes designed to offer experiences that mix culture, history, and cuisine, each journey is always enriching. Visits to ancient wonders (like the Pyramids of Giza and Ephesus) combined with quaint ports and islands like Rhodes and Patmos make it possible to experience everything the high-style yet laid-back yachting lifestyle offers on this one-of-a-kind vessel without owning a ship yourself.

Emerald Azzurra reimagines the yacht cruising world by pairing personalized service with innovative design and luxury amenities like expansive suites, a spa, and fresh, Mediterranean-inspired dining. The ship delivers all this while also satisfying health and wellness enthusiasts with tours through the EmeraldACTIVE program, a fully-equipped gym, and e-bikes. And with a capacity limited to 100, guests relish the ample space aboard the six-deck yacht. As a result, each traveler can look forward to an intimate experience with carefully curated programming free of crowds and long lines. Here’s a look at more of the yacht’s exclusive offerings.

Enjoy modern luxury at sea

Reminiscent of what you might find at an elegant resort or hotel, this ocean liner boasts clean, contemporary design, unparalleled service from a knowledgeable crew, fine dining and beverage options, and a range of other first-class amenities. The well-appointed ship includes fine bedding and Egyptian cotton linens, complimentary Wi-Fi, a Sky Bar with a spa pool, a heated infinity pool, expansive views of the horizon, and nightly entertainment by an onboard musician and Cruise Director. Complemented by once-in-a-lifetime excursions at each destination, don’t be surprised if you want to move in.

The Sky Deck

Dig into fresh, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. Crafted by a master chef, each meal at La Cucina Restaurant features locally sourced dishes and sommelier-paired wine, beer, and soft drinks. With multiple spots for dining, head to the back of the restaurant to soak in the ocean breeze from the large La Cucina Terrace or have a nightcap in the plush Amici Lounge.

Unwind at sea. Equipped with a spa, sauna, hairdresser, and workout facility with TechnoGym equipment (treadmills, rower, elliptical machine, free weights, and a full-body workout station), guests on the yacht won’t have to leave their self-care routines at home. Indulge in a massage or facial, take a dip in the infinity pool, enjoy the infrared sauna, book a one-on-one yoga or Pilates session, or get a few coaching tips during a personal training session. Then cool down with a daily rotating selection of fruit smoothies and energy juice shots available in La Cucina restaurant and at Aqua Café.

Dive into adventure. During each cruise, there are plenty of opportunities to experience the ocean through catered water sports and other activities that bring you closer to the natural world. Board a Zodiac to search for marine life, snorkel above a coral reef, and kayak your way through a sunny cove.

The heated infinity pool

Easy ocean access. Getting in and out of the water couldn’t be simpler thanks to a marina platform, available at select ports, that’s specially built for swim stops and watersports. Think paddle boarding or kayaking around Croatia’s mysterious sea grottos and snorkeling with the assistance of motorized SEABOBs through the vibrant color reefs of Rhodes—there’s even a flotation platform.

Explore coastal gems. The excitement doesn’t end on land. Emerald Azzurra’s touring options are handpicked by expert journey designers to include off-the-beaten-path shore excursions. Guests looking for self-guided exploration can hop on one of the lightweight e-bikes from Gocycle to take a thrilling ride through these fascinating ports of call. From the French Riviera to the Croatian coast to the Greek Islands and Turkey, meet locals from ancient communities, set out on a guided tour of historic landmarks and cultural highlights, and venture into bustling port cities and quaint seaside villages.

The fleet of Gocycle e-bikes on “Emerald Azzurra”

Discover your home away from home

Spacious and accommodating, Emerald Azzurra was created with the utmost comfort in mind. Its sleek and modern aesthetic incorporates designer furnishings throughout and recalls the most lavish superyachts. Throughout your voyage, you’ll find an abundance of thoughtful, innovative details that place this ship in a design category that’s all its own.

Posh accommodations. Forget claustrophobic portholes—this craft’s entry-level cabins feature picture frame windows and 88 percent have a balcony or terrace. Choose from a variety of stylish suites and staterooms with pillow menus and individual climate control. All guest accommodations are outfitted with Smart TVs and serve as a personal retreat from the onboard excitement. Unwind with access to international satellite TV, daily programming, and nautical positioning, all available at the click of the remote. Come bedtime, turn down any bright lights and rely on night-lit bathrooms to guarantee a restful night’s sleep.

The comfort of common spaces: Head to the stylishly appointed Observation Lounge and pour a warm drink at the coffee station, take a seat in one of the Dedon MBrace Wing Chairs, and gather with new friends around sleek L’Object games such as chess and tic tac toe. The yacht also features a guest laundry room equipped with complimentary washers and dryers, steamers, irons, ironing boards, and laundry baskets.

Generously sized dining areas. With more than twice the average dining space per guest than on other yachts of its size, Emerald Azzurra provides ample room to enjoy your meal in privacy or with newfound friends without the feeling of being crowded. Don’t forget to grab a cocktail at the Sky Bar while you watch the stunning Mediterranean sunset.

Sister yachts “Emerald Azzurra” and “Emerald Sakara”

Experience the yacht life

Sometimes the best things come in “small” packages. Stretching an impressive 360 feet in length, Emerald Azzurra is larger than your typical yacht, but it’s also petite enough to offer distinct advantages over big cruises. And Emerald Cruises will soon offer more opportunities and more places to revel in the intimate experience. With sister yacht Emerald Sakara joining the fleet in early 2023, Emerald Cruises will take its signature service to a brand-new destination, the Seychelles, on an eight-day itinerary in the Indian Ocean–before heading to the Red Sea and Mediterranean.

Just like Emerald Azzurra before, the new yacht’s custom size will also allow it to reach quaint ports and harbors that are typically only accessible by chartering a small boat, providing guests the opportunity to explore some of the most jaw-dropping coastal destinations that are unavailable to most travelers. Whether you’re admiring Cycladic architecture on the secret Greek hideaway of Amorgos, sampling the sights and sounds of the Italian Riviera, or—soon—island-hopping along the shimmering turquoise waters of the Seychelles, you’ll be able to get the most out of each location you visit.

Low dunes and seagrass frame one of Amelia Island’s serene beaches.

New Company, New Superyacht: Emerald Yacht Cruises First Build is Luxury

A new 110m superyacht is under construction for Mediterranean cruises and small village access and will launch in July 2021.

Australian company, Emerald Cruises, has two jewels in its portfolio and just accumulated a third. The first is Emerald Waterways which is the river cruise division. Her ocean adventuring sister is called Emerald Cruises. Emerald Cruises is expanding with a new niche line called Emerald Yacht Cruises and is not wasting any time with her first ocean going superyacht, Emerald Azzurra in build already.

The inaugural steel cutting ceremony was held on 7 th Dec 2019, with the 110 metre yacht’s hull and machinery now being constructed at the Ha Long Shipbuilding Company in Ha Long City, Vietnam, with the interior fit-out to be directly managed by the Emerald Cruises project team.

Why a Yacht Division?

Scenic Group is the overarching company that retains all the Emerald brands and Company Chairman and Owner Glen Moroney explained the story behind the new brand. The decision to introduce a superyacht to the Evergreen/Emerald Cruises brand followed a successful period of chartering vessels in Croatia. The Adriatic Coast had been a hit with passengers and the charters had sold well. There was an issue though, and it lay with the charter vessel being used for the season.

“The problem was that the experience doesn’t live up to what we’d like to deliver, either for Emerald or for Scenic. And the reason for that is certainly not the destination, it’s just the ship,” Moroney said. He cited the charter vessel’s small capacity of 36, an inefficient 1:4 crew to guest ratio, a lack of modern facilities, and above all, space. A lack of stabilisers also meant the previous charter vessel, MV Adriatic Princess, was unable to access some ports.

Customers were not complaining, regardless, the company looked at what could be done. “The experience promises a lot, and the destination is fantastic and people are enjoying themselves. And then once again, stupid us, we think we can do a little bit better,” the Scenic Group boss quipped.

Launching in July 2021, and 110m in length, Emerald Azzurra will be able to access smaller, more off-the-beaten-track ports that other cruise ships are too large for allowing guests to enjoy a more authentic experience in small towns and villages.

The superyacht will still visit all the major ports such as Rome (Civitavecchia) and Barcelona, but will dock in the centre of smaller ports, such as Bonifacio, Corsica; Port Vendres, France; Fiskardo, Greece; Port Ercole, Italy and Piran, Slovenia. In these ports, guests will be free to explore the town at their leisure with no set itinerary, and fresh produce will be sourced from local markets and served on-board the yacht. Emerald Azzurra will also feature a marine platform for paddle boarding and snorkeling, three tenders and two zodiacs for shore excursions.

Moroney says further “It’s a modern interpretation of ships in that class at the moment that are 20 to 25, and even 30 years old, or smaller ships that are not able to access the ports or have the modern amenities or the size of the cabins. I’m certain you’ll find it extremely popular.”

Onboard Emerald Azzurra

Contemporary in design and decor, Emerald’s first ocean vessel will feature 50 spacious balcony staterooms and suites. A significant proportion (88%) of the staterooms on Emerald Azzura will offer balconies with views. Cabins will range from the 18-square-metre lead-in Oceanview Stateroom (without balcony), to the 28-square-metre Balcony Suites, 60-square-metre Terrace and Yacht suites and the top-of-the-line 111-square-metre Owner’s Suite.

But it’s not just about luxurious cabins and large space. Emerald Azzurre’s appeal is also about the other amenities on the ship.

From the top of Emerald Azzurra we have Deck 7 (Sky Deck) Featuring a spa pool and the Sky Bar.

Deck 6 (Pool Deck) this will be the attention-grabber with an infinity-edge pool and café. This level also has the coveted two Owners Suites aft and two Deluxe Balcony Staterooms port and starboard.

Deck 5 (Panorama Deck) Location of the yachts Navigation Bridge up front and the two generous Terrace Suites located aft.

Deck 4 With the Observation Lounge at the bow of the ship, observation room, open viewing area and guest laundry.

D eck 3 (Emerald Deck) Horizon Bar & Lounge, The Terrace, Gift shop and Reflections Restaurant which offer 130 seats indoor and a further 48 seats in a terrace manner on the surrounding deck.

Deck 2 (Wellness Deck) Guests will enjoy a well-equipped gym, state-of-the-art sauna, indulgent spa, hairdressers and is also the location of the marina platform.

Fares for Emerald Yacht Cruises sailings will include waiter-served dining at dinner; breakfast and lunch buffets stocked with locally sourced ingredients; complimentary sommelier-paired wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, all on-board gratuities, transfers to and from the airport, port charges, and all taxes.

Bookings for Emerald Azzurre is now available for 2021-2022 voyages. For additional information about Emerald Yacht Cruises, visit Emerald Yacht Cruises online.

Hublot’s New Watch for Fans of the UEFA Champions League

Limited Edition MB&F Yellow Gold LM Perpetual Calendar Watch Revealed

Breitling releases Premier B09 Chronograph in a new burgundy color, limited to 250 pieces.

Breitling’s latest addition to the Premier Collection has flown relatively under the radar and is a limited edition B09 Chronograph in burgundy limited to 250 pieces.

First introduced in 1943 by Willy Breitling, the “everyday elegant” design of the Premier collection pays homage to three generations of inventors – Léon, Gaston & Willy Breitling – and embodies Breitling’s legacy of inventing the modern Chronograph.

Encased in a 40mm steel case, the new Premier B09 Chronograph features a burgundy colored sunburst dial with Arabic numerals and complementary brown chronograph subregisters in line with the heritage feel of the Premier collection.

Additional rectangular chronograph pushers and design details such as grooves on the case sides, open sapphire case backs and vintage-inspired hands complete the elegant Premier aesthetic.

Powered by Breitling’s in-house B09 movement offering a power reserve of 70 hours, the new Breitling Premier B09 Chronograph Burgundy comes on a brown alligator strap and is limited to 250 pieces priced at US$8,400 each.

IWC Unveils New Portofino 39 Chronograph Trio

The IWC Shaffhausen Portofino family has expanded with the addition of the new 39 Chronograph edition in three new colors.

For over 30 years, IWC’s classic Portofino Collection has represented the laid-back lifestyle of the Mediterranean and is distinguished by its classic round case and uncluttered dial of the “pocket-watch-style wristwatch.”

Now IWC Shaffhausen has released the Portofino as a 39mm chronograph edition with three new colors: a silver-plated dial with gold hands and markers on a black alligator strap, a green dial with a green alligator strap and a black dial, and gold hands/markers on a brown alligator strap.

Enclosed in a polished stainless steel 39mm case, the Portofino 39 features an elegantly clean dial with delicate leaf-shaped hands and two smaller chronograph sub-dials displaying a 30 minute counter and a seconds subdial.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by IWC Schaffhausen (@iwcwatches)

Along with the chronograph stopwatch functions, the Portofino 39s hacking seconds function also gives the wearer the ability to stop the second’s hand when the crown is pulled out to help synchronize time with a second watch.

Powering the Portofino 39 Chronograph is IWC’s 79350 self-winding movement (based on the modified Valjoux 7750) which offers a 44-hour power reserve.

The all-new IWC Schaffhausen Portofino 39 Chronograph Collection is currently available online with prices starting at $5,900.

Hublot Makes a Splash With New Big Bang Unico Summer

Hublot is making a splash with the new turquoise new big bang unico summer edition available in select mediterranean retail stores this summer..

Hublot is celebrating the warmer weather with the creation of a new turquoise-colored unisex Big Bang Unico Summer edition.

Made with a 42mm aluminum case, the lightweight Big Bang Summer uses anodized satin-finished and polished aluminum to create a modern colored material that guarantees longevity and protects it from scratches.

Powered by the UNICO caliber HUB1280 offering a 72-hour power reserve, the new Big Bang Unico Summer features an oscillating seconds clutch, a chronograph friction system with ball-bearing adjustment, and a column wheel that is visible through the dial.

Equipped with Hublot’s patented interchangeable “One Click” attachment system, the Big Bang Unico Summer comes with two turquoise-colored straps: a Velcro strap with matching stitching and matching sports buckle and a natural rubber strap with deployant clasp made with turquoise anodized aluminum with an engraved logo.

Sharing on the inspiration for the new Big Bang Unico Summer, Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe says, “What I love most when traveling is the amazement of the return, wrote Stendhal. This enchantment of the journey that we bring back with us transforms us a little, for the better… And even if daily life has not really changed on our return, our eyes being open to other horizons is enough to lend it new colour.”

“Right from its beginnings, Hublot has adopted a future-focused approach to watchmaking, sparking trends through the many patents it has filed for its innovations. The Big Bang Unico Summer embodies the beauty of our summer experiences. We wanted to give you another shade for this year, to let you relive these magic moments any time you want.”

Priced at US$20,900, the new unisex Hublot Big Bang Unico Summer is limited to 200 pieces and will be available online at hublot.com and in the Mediterranean boutiques in Capri, Forte dei Marmi, Mykonos, Ibiza, Bodrum, Saint-Tropez, and Monaco.

Harrison Eisgaard Reveals New 417ft Expedition Yacht Concept

Lamborghini reveals countach lpi 800-4 revival, porsche & manthey racing collab on limited edition 911 gt2 rs clubsport 25, pagani to reveal huayra bc pacchetto tempesta at monterey car week 2021, heesen’s project altea launches as my ela, ferrari launches new fashion line at maranello factory, life size lego lamborghini sián fkp 37 built with 400,000 pieces, aston martin x girard perregaux collab on $146,000 limited edition tourbillon watch, new hublot big bang unico sorai ii draws attention to rhino conservation.

Emerald Azzurra

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Emerald Sakara coming in 2023 as sister-superyacht to Emerald Azzurra

Post date: Sep 28 2021

Date: Sep 28 2021

By: Travelweek Group

VANCOUVER — Emerald Cruises has announced the build of a second superyacht, Emerald Sakara , which will be welcomed to the brand’s yacht cruising fleet in 2023.

Emerald Sakara – a Sanskrit mantra meaning ‘thoughts become things’ – will join sister-superyacht Emerald Azzurra sailing the Med, Adriatic, Red and Black Seas.

The company says the addition of a second yacht adds additional capacity to keep up with the strong demand for the brand’s ocean-going itineraries, which saw Black Sea sailings sell out within two weeks of being released, despite the pandemic.

The launch of the 100-guest Emerald Sakara will also introduce a new destination for Emerald Cruises – the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. Emerald Sakara’s maiden voyage, the eight-day Tropical Charms of the Seychelles itinerary, will explore Port Victoria (Mahé Island), Sainte-Anne Island, Cousin Island, Praslin Island, Grande-Soeur Island, Curieuse Island, La Digue Island and Aride Island.

Construction is underway on the new 110-metre-long Emerald Sakara in Ha Long City, Vietnam, with the steel already cut. Like Emerald Azzurra, 88% of Emerald Sakara’s 50 cabins will have balconies. Emerald Sakara will also boast more space per guest than similar vessels of its size. Amenities will include a large infinity pool, spa, gym and marina platform with paddleboards, snorkelling equipment and more. Emerald Cruises’ inclusive pricing comprises all onboard meals, complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks at lunch and dinner, as well as a number of excursions and on board activities.

Emerald Sakara is expected to launch in Q1 2023, with bookings on sale starting today, Sept. 28, 2021.

“We’ve received enormous interest in yacht cruising since announcing the launch of Emerald Azzurra, and we’re thrilled to be able to announce the building of our second luxury superyacht, Emerald Sakara. The yacht’s name is Sanskrit for the idea of ‘thoughts becoming things,’ and refers to the philosophy that positive thoughts can manifest into reality. We love this idea, which underscores Emerald Cruises’ brand promise of making our guest’s dreams of taking a luxury yacht vacation for an exceptional value come to life,” says David Winterton, Global Director of Brand & Marketing, Emerald Cruises.

“Just like we did eight years ago on the rivers, we are bringing our own style of innovative and contemporary cruising to the world’s celebrated oceans, and we cannot wait to welcome guests on board our two superyachts to explore some of the world’s most incredible regions with them,” he added.

Emerald Sakara is the 11th vessel in the Emerald Cruises fleet, joining nine river cruising Star-Ships and Emerald Azzurra, which is due to commence sailing on Jan. 28, 2022 with the eight-day ‘Best of the Red Sea’ itinerary.

Digital brochures are available at emeraldcruises.ca .

Tags: Emerald Cruises, Lead Story

Our luxury yachts

Discover our pair of award-winning luxury yachts, Emerald Azzurra & Emerald Sakara.

yacht cruising experience
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A new way to cruise

Join us on board our brand-new luxury yachts, as we explore everything that they have to offer. Get some sun on the Pool Deck or even go for a dip. Enjoy a bite in one of our eateries, and experience complete relaxation in the Elements Spa^. ^At additional cost

Introducing our groundbreaking yachts.

Why sail on an Emerald Cruises luxury yacht?

At Emerald Cruises, your enjoyment comes first. Every aspect of our superb yachts is designed around you, from the contemporary accommodation and social spaces to our crew’s attentive level of service. Sail with small cruise ship experts.

Award-winning luxury

Our fleet of yachts are boutique floating hotels that provide guests with luxurious surroundings, a wealth of amenities, and unique innovations such as the spectacular Marina Platform and state-of-the-art infrared sauna.

An Emerald Cruises yacht sailing in the blue waters of Calvi, Corsica, France

Small ship yacht cruising expertise

Emerald Cruises specializes in providing a small cruise ship experience. You’ll notice how a limited number of guests, an excellent staff-to-guest ratio, and the purpose-driven design and layout of our yachts offer you a comfortable and luxurious yacht cruise experience.

Two plush chairs and a footstool sit in a lounge with large windows in front of them. A TV and bookshelves sit behind them.

In the heart of the action

Our luxury yachts are custom-designed to sail into smaller ports and harbors. This allows our fleet to dock in the heart of fascinating port towns, meaning you’ll enjoy a more in-depth cruise that takes you closer to the action.

An aerial shot of an Emerald Cruises yacht docked in the heart of Bonifacio, Corsica, France

Contemporary suites & staterooms

Escape to your private sanctuary of serenity. With our range of suites and staterooms, there’s a cabin option to suit all preferences and budgets, whether you need plenty of space to stretch out or you’re longing for a cozier accommodation.

A large and spacious cabin on board an Emerald Cruises yacht cruise with double aspect sliding doors leading to a balcony and terrace

A wealth of generous inclusions

Your yacht cruise should also provide complete peace of mind. This is why we cover port charges, all meals on board with accompanying beverages, complimentary Wi-Fi, and cover all gratuities on board and onshore. You’ll also benefit from a first-class English-speaking crew, and enjoy excursions led by knowledgeable, local guides.

Flatbread loaded with toppings on a table next to a glass of white wine, with the bottle of wine just to the side

Our yacht fleet

Emerald azzurra, emerald sakara.

Emerald Kaia - Just Announced

Red sky with an Emerald Cruises yacht sailing in Calvi, Corsica, France

Discover fine dining on board

Enjoy the most delectable dishes in the opulent surrounds of the La Cucina Dining. Let the tastes of freshly sourced ingredients on your palate, and enjoy complimentary beverages with each meal.

Unwind or catch up with friends in our onboard social spaces

From the chilled and relaxed vibe of the Amici Bar & Lounge to the open-air surrounds of the Pool Deck and the serene Observation Lounge, you’ll find plenty of spaces on board to enjoy the company of new-found friends or to take a moment for yourself.

Explore our innovative yachts

Take in stunning vistas from the Observation Deck. Swim under the sun in the infinity-style Aqua Pool or take a leisurely dip in the Spa Pool. Unwind in the innovative infrared sauna and, on selected days, enjoy swim stops off the Marina Platform.

Find your sanctuary of serenity

The suites and staterooms on board our yachts are modern sanctuaries with inspired décor and contemporary designs. Enjoy all the amenities you’d expect from a world-class hotel including luxury ESPA toiletries, Wi-Fi, and a queen or twin-sized bed.

Discover exciting destinations across the world

Blue-domed church of Santorini, Greece on a bright sunny day, with light cloudy sky and deep blue sea

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COMMENTS

Superyacht Emerald Azzurra Handed Over by Vietnamese Shipyard
Emerald Azzurra preparing to depart Vietnam (Emerald Cruises) Published Feb 9, 2022 8:53 PM by The Maritime Executive. The new luxury, yacht-style cruise ship Emerald Azzurra completed ...
Emerald Azzurra Itinerary, Current Position, Ship Review
The 2022-built Emerald Azzurra cruise ship is a superyacht with max passenger capacity 100. This is the first of two newbuilds in the Emerald Cruises fleet, as well as the company's first ocean-going vessel - followed by the sisterships Sakara (2023) and the larger Kaia (2026).. Azzurra is Vietnam-built (constructed by HLS-Halong Shipbuilding Company in Ha Long City).
5 Things to Understand About Emerald Azzurra
We had one overnight in Corfu, Greece. 1. River Cruise Experience at Sea. The biggest surprise regarding Emerald Azzurra was how much like a river cruise it is. Having sailed on dozens of ocean ...
Emerald Azzurra Review
Following in its wake, sister brand Emerald Cruises launched its own oceangoing product — superyacht Emerald Azzurra — in early 2022, ushering in a new era for the cruise line. The ship's ...
First Look at Brand New Emerald Azzurra Cruise Ship
The new 110-metre Emerald Azzurra is being built in Ha Long City (Vietnam), and will set sail from August 2021. She will embark on 47 itineraries throughout 2021 and 2022, exploring destinations including the Red Sea - Israel, Jordan and Egypt - and the Mediterranean - Greece, Croatia, Italy, France, Cyprus, Turkey, Malta and Spain.
VIDEO: First look at Emerald Cruises' new superyacht, Emerald Azzurra
April 12, 2022 , Cruise Industry. Emerald Cruises unveiled the first images of its new luxury superyacht, Emerald Azzurra, after her launch last month. The 100-passenger superyacht is the first of two sisterships in the fleet - to be followed by Emerald Sakara (debuting in Seychelles) in 2023. Boasting designer furnishings throughout, the pool ...
First look: Emerald Azzurra yacht cruise
The cabin: Spare but elegant. Emerald Azzurra has 50 cabins, 44 of which have balconies. Ocean-view rooms start at a mere 182 square feet and only have windows, while Balcony Suites, of which there are 36, range from a more sizable 285-306 square feet and have private balconies.
Inside the New Superyacht Emerald Azzurra
December 1, 2021. Emerald Cruises has published computer-generated imagery of the interior areas of its first custom-built superyacht, the Azzurra. The new imagery provides a first look at the Pool and Pool Café, which features designer Missoni towels, Paola Lenti chairs and a gelato bar. The Sky Bar on the Sky Deck will allow guests to sip ...
Introducing Emerald Azzurra
Emerald Azzurra. Built: 2021; Length:110 m / 361 ft. Weight: 5300 gt. Passengers: 100 Crew:68. Decks: 7 (decks with cabins - 4) Cabins50. This beautiful superyacht is built Shipbuilder Halong Shipbuilding Company (Ha Long City, Vietnam). She is classified as a Mega Yacht, and is owned by Scenic Group (Australia) and operated by Emerald Yacht ...
Ocean Ship Emerald Azzurra, First Yacht From Emerald Cruises, Makes its
The first ocean yacht from Australian-owned Emerald Cruises, Emerald Azzurra, makes its maiden voyage in the Red Sea. ... In this case, on Emerald Azzurra's 11-day sailing to Egypt, Israel, Turkey ...
Emerald Azzurra Cruise Review: Onboard Yacht Experience
The sleek, modern yacht is a beauty, and its multitude of features makes you fall further in love with the yachting lifestyle onboard. We felt relaxed and well taken care of the entire time we sailed on Emerald Azzurra. There is a maximum of 100 passengers and 64 crew onboard. With a passenger-to-crew ratio like that, you'll surely feel ...
Emerald Azzurra review: a superyacht cruise on Croatia's Adriatic coast
With chic cabins, a fleet of e-bikes and an infinity pool, the first ocean-going ship for Emerald Cruises makes a bold statement. The Emerald Azzurra off Cres Island, Croatia. Sue Bryant. Sunday ...
The Yacht Life: Cruising Aboard Emerald Azzurra
The yacht-like pool aboard Emerald Azzurra (Photo: Colleen McDaniel) If you've dreamed of sailing on your own private yacht but perhaps lack the funds to do so, this is about as close as you'll get. Emerald Azzurra maxes out at 100 guests, but at 5,300 gross tons, the passenger-to-space ratio is a very comfortable 53. That means, even when the ...
Emerald Releases 2023 Itineraries on New Ship Azzurra
April 1, 2021. Emerald Cruises has unveiled the 2023 program for its new 100-guest ocean-going luxury super yacht, the Emerald Azzurra. According to a brochure, the yacht's first voyages will be to the Black Sea on two new itineraries, plus a collection of popular Adriatic, Mediterranean and Red Sea cruises. The new 15-day Mykonos, Gallipoli ...
What It's Like to Sail On Emerald Cruises' New Superyachts
With sister yacht Emerald Sakara joining the fleet in early 2023, Emerald Cruises will take its signature service to a brand-new destination, the Seychelles, on an eight-day itinerary in the Indian Ocean-before heading to the Red Sea and Mediterranean. Just like Emerald Azzurra before, the new yacht's custom size will also allow it to reach ...
Emerald Azzurra Sets Sail
Take a closer into the Emerald Cruises superyacht cruising experience: https://bit.ly/3oJXuRh Our brand-new superyacht, Emerald Azzurra, has completed her fi...
Emerald Azzurra the 110m Luxury Cruise Superyacht
Launching in July 2021, and 110m in length, Emerald Azzurra will be able to access smaller, more off-the-beaten-track ports that other cruise ships are too large for allowing guests to enjoy a more authentic experience in small towns and villages. Emerald Azzurra will spend a lot of time in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas.
Ocean Cruises aboard the 100-Passenger Emerald Azzurra
Emerald Azzurra. Build your ideal trip. Call 1.406.541.2677. Emerald Azzurra, a luxury superyacht added to the Emerald Cruises fleet in 2022, sets sail with unparalleled style as the first ocean-going cruise ship of the brand. The magnificent 110-meter vessel is lavishly appointed, with six sweeping decks, deluxe amenities, and 50 beautifully ...
Emerald Sakara in 2023 as sister to Emerald Azzurra
Emerald Cruises has announced the build of a second superyacht, Emerald Sakara, which will be welcomed to the brand's yacht cruising fleet in 2023. ... Like Emerald Azzurra, 88% of Emerald ...
A look at Emerald Cruises' second luxury yacht, Emerald Sakara
Passengers aside, there was quite a lot riding on Emerald Azzurra when it launched in 2022. As Emerald Cruises' first-ever luxury ocean cruising yacht, Emerald Azzurra represented a new stream for the company, which has built its glowing reputation in river cruising. Given Emerald Cruises' pedigree as a part of Scenic Group, however, the luxury element of the 100-passenger Emerald Azzurra ...
Our Luxury Yachts
Our yacht fleet. Revel in the small yacht cruise experience, and journey into the heart of port towns. A limited number of guests ensures you have plenty of space to unwind on board. Our boutique yachts have been designed for you; join us on board to discover relaxed luxury. Emerald Azzurra.
Emerald Azzurra Itineraries Cruises
See Emerald Azzurra's 2024 to 2025 schedule and popular upcoming cruise itineraries on Cruise Critic. Explore destinations to start your Emerald Azzurra cruise planning. Find a Cruise
Find Emerald Azzurra Cruises (with Prices)
Find Emerald Azzurra Cruises: Find and plan your next Emerald Azzurra cruise with Cruise Critic's Cruise Finder Tool