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EMERALD SEAS Lloyds Ships Holdings

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A General Description of Motor Yacht EMERALD SEAS

This motor yacht EMERALD SEAS is a superyacht of well proportioned proportions. This 32 metre (105 foot) luxury yacht was made at Lloyds Ships Holdings in 1983. EMERALD SEAS used to be named the project or yacht name Lady Barbara; Ineke Iii; Hakim Iii. Superyacht EMERALD SEAS is a beautiful yacht that is able to sleep as many as 10 guests on board and has around 5 professional crew. The naval architecture office whom authored this yacht's design work with respect to the yacht is Lloyds and Fratelli Benetti.

Construction & Designing with respect to Luxury Yacht EMERALD SEAS

The yacht's wider design collaboration came from Lloyds and Fratelli Benetti. The technical naval architecture intellectual property are the creation of Lloyds. Australia is the country that Lloyds Ships Holdings built their new build motor yacht in. After her official launch in 1983 in Brisbane she was afterwards passed over to the happy owner after sea trials. Her core hull was built out of aluminium. The motor yacht superstructure component is made mostly from aluminium. With a beam of 7 m / 23 feet EMERALD SEAS has reasonable room. A shallow draught of 2.23m (7.3ft) selects the number of overall ports she can enter, taking into account their particular depth. She had refit maintenance and changes undertaken by 1997.

M/Y EMERALD SEAS Engines & Speeds:

This ship contains two capable GARDNER main engine(s) and can accelerate to a stately maximum speed underway of approximately 12 knots. The engine of the ship gives 230 horse power (or 169 kilowatts). Her total HP is 460 HP and her total Kilowatts are 338. EMERALD SEAS is propelled by twin screw propellers. For stabalisers she was supplied with Naiad. Regarding thrusters she utilises Jaden. This yacht’s supine cruise speed is 10 knots which enables a range of 3000.

Superyacht EMERALD SEAS Accommodation:

Apportioning volume for a limit of 10 welcome guests overnighting, the EMERALD SEAS accommodates everyone in luxury. The boat has room for circa 5 expert crew members to operate.

A List of the Specifications of the EMERALD SEAS:

Miscellaneous Yacht Details

Marine Air is the air-con used to regulate the temperature. EMERALD SEAS features a teak deck.

EMERALD SEAS Disclaimer:

The luxury yacht EMERALD SEAS displayed on this page is merely informational and she is not necessarily available for yacht charter or for sale, nor is she represented or marketed in anyway by CharterWorld. This web page and the superyacht information contained herein is not contractual. All yacht specifications and informations are displayed in good faith but CharterWorld does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the current accuracy, completeness, validity, or usefulness of any superyacht information and/or images displayed. All boat information is subject to change without prior notice and may not be current.

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SS Emerald Seas from the 1980's

By Dave & Julie , July 12, 2004 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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Dave & Julie

Does anyone remember if the SS Emerald Seas was a NCL ship? She sailed Carribean cruises in the 1980's. I'm piecing together our old cruises and trying to determine which ones were with NCL. Thanks.

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From Simplon Postcards web site.

--------------------

La Guardia - President Roosevelt - Atlantis - Emerald Seas

A strange looking ship at all stages of her career, the Atlantis was originally built as the wartime troopship General W.P.Richardson. She was rebuilt after the war as the American Export Lines' La Guardia, for services from the US to the Mediterranean. She was not a success, being very expensive to operate, and after further trooping to Korea, and a period as Hawaiian Textron Lines' Leilani, she was sold to American President Lines as the President Roosevelt.

In 1970 she was bought by Chandris Lines who cut her down to two decks above the waterline before completely rebuilding the upper hull and superstructure. She began cruising out of New York as Atlantis, but was again found to be too expensive to operate, and was sold to Eastern Steamship Lines as Emerald Seas in 1972, with their Ariadne moving to Chandris Lines in exchange to become their Bon Vivant. Eastern Steamship Lines, became Eastern Cruise Lines, then Admiral Cruise Line, both times with changes in funnel colours. Admiral Cruise Line were acquired by Royal Caribbean, who disbanded the company and disposed of the older ships, including the Emerald Seas, in 1992. She has since operated as a hotel ship in various ports since, including a short spell in Lisbon for their Expo'98 as the Ocean Explorer I.

zimmerjulie

The Emerald Seas, of Admiral Cruises, was my very first cruise ship. I was hooked from that first weekend.

Apparently she has been sailing in some capacity or another for most of the time since the 80's. She was in consideration to be a "hotel ship" for the Athens Olympics, but is not going to be doing that, after all. There was a great picture of her (as well as all the other cruise ships in the harbor that the poster visited) on the old format "What ever happened to..." forum. I don't know if it has been moved over here, or if it is still readable at the old site.

Although she has a different name and I could not find her by the picture captions, when scrolling through, I recognized her right away.

Seems that her cruise ship life may be coming to an end soon. I will always have the best of memories of the Emerald Seas!!!

I know what you mean. My wife and I will always have the best of memories of the Emerald Seas. We had only been married a few years when we took our first cruise. It was the SS Emerald Seas from Miami to Nassua and we had a wonderful time.

Next week we're cruising the NCL Star to Alaska as a belated 25th wedding anniversary celebration and nostalgia has kicked in as we think back to that first voyage. Time sure flys when you're having fun!

Thanks for the informative posts on the NCL Star.

Enjoy the Star and Alaska! As you know if you read my review, we had a wonderful time.

SS Emerald Seas was my first cruise ship also. A few weeks ago I looked up information on her to see if she was still cruising. I was sad to find out that earlier this year she was scraped. On August 8 we will sail on the Adventure; she is a far cry from the Emerald Seas!

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

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This New Yacht Is Sailing to Gorgeous, Lesser-known Ports in the Caribbean Sea — and I Was on Board With 'Below Deck's' Chef Ben

Emerald Cruises' new Emerald Sakara ship brings guests to smaller ports in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, with an onboard marina and the occasional Bravo-lebrity.

Paul Brady is the news director at Travel + Leisure and the brand's expert on cruise travel. He has been covering the travel industry for more than 15 years for outlets including Condé Nast Traveler , Skift , and The Huffington Post .

The Staterooms

Bars and restaurants, where emerald sakara sails, shore excursions, amenities and entertainment, family-friendly offerings, accessibility.

Paul Brady/Travel + Leisure

With a couple dozen guests looking on, chef Ben Robinson was showing how to slice and dice a fresh red snapper. “You kind of feel him — but you don’t fondle him,” said Robinson, the fan favorite from the Bravo reality show Below Deck, who’s always ready with a quip. As he pulled a perfect filet off the bone, he explained how to salt the fish and that there’s no more important relationship than the one you have with your fishmonger. “My advice is to always be friendly,” he noted. “I like to support my mom-and-pop [businesses]. If you become familiar with them, they’ll say, ‘Hey, I got this in this morning.’”

The cooking demo, which also featured a ceviche how-to and tips on knife sharpening, was one of many “Chef Ben” moments on my trip aboard Emerald Sakara . It’s the newest 100-passenger vessel from Emerald Cruises, which launched in the fall of 2023, a sibling vessel to the Emerald Azzurra .

During an eight-day voyage in March from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, the reality personality was definitely one of the star attractions. Robinson spent several evenings in the galley, creating special dishes such as a panko-crusted veal striploin stuffed with pesto.

He also hosted a well-attended Q&A about his life in the kitchen — and spent plenty of time connecting with fans, many of whom booked the trip specifically to chop it up with Below Deck alum.

“We definitely booked because of Ben,” said Shannon Welnel , a Montana-based travel advisor who had lots of praise for his cuisine — and the yacht-like atmosphere on board the 100-passenger ship. Other guests I spoke with admitted they hadn’t seen much Below Deck, but were intrigued by the chance to chill with a Bravo-lebrity.

Emerald Sakara

• With a max of just 100 passengers, Emerald Sakara feels at times like a private yacht, with no lines and no crowds, and outstanding service from a highly experienced crew.
• Minimalist rooms recall the stripped down aesthetic of Miami Beach or Mykonos, Greece, with pops of color from Missoni Home accents and a sleek-yet-functional bathroom with plenty of storage space.
• While this small ship has but one restaurant and one poolside cafe, there’s plenty of choice when it comes to meals, whether you’re hitting the breakfast or lunch buffet or choosing from the dinner menu.
• The onboard marina, which is open in favorable weather conditions, offers watersports and swimming off the stern of the ship.
• Easy to understand and mostly inclusive pricing covers meals, beverages at mealtime, many tours, and surprisingly speedy Wi-Fi.

The intimate-ship vibe was also one reason the chef wanted to hop aboard. “This definitely has more of a yacht vibe than any other [ship] I've been on,” Robinson told me one afternoon. “A hundred passengers is not a lot,” he said. “I've been on boats with 2,500 passengers, and you really do feel like you're anonymous. But here, the service is great, and you really are treated as an individual and someone important. And you kind of lose that on the big boats.”

While Robinson doesn’t have immediate plans to join another Emerald cruise, he told me that there were plenty of parallels between his life on megayachts and what the Sakara offers its guests. “It’s been incredible,” he said.

I had to agree. The Sakara certainly has much to offer, both in spite of its smaller size and because of it. While it’s available to book by the cabin, like any cruise ship, it still manages to feel at times like a private yacht, particularly when it sails to less-commonly visited ports such as Culebra, on Puerto Rico, or St. Bart’s. In the latter, we dropped anchor near Eric Schmidt’s yacht, Whisper , and had the whole day to explore the glitzy island and its capital, Gustavia. (After a drive around in the morning, I managed to catch the beautiful sunset from the lovely little Shell Beach, right in town.)

“The benefit of being on a small cruise ship like this one is that we can enter small ports and areas where others can’t,” said Robert Kuznin, the captain of Sakara , who previously worked with several cruise lines, including Paul Gauguin, Seabourn, and Virgin Voyages. “For example, when we dropped anchor in Esperanza Bay,” he explained about our stop at the island of Vieques, “there were only two meters under the keel — and that was the shallowest I’ve ever been!”

Courtesy of Emerald Cruises

The ability to go places that larger ships can’t was also on display one morning on St. Kitts, one of the final stops of my trip. It was still early in the morning, but already four mega-ships were docked in Basseterre, the island’s capital. Instead of tying up next to them on the busy cruise pier, we dropped anchor just off the beach in South Friar’s Bay, a long sweep of sand in the island’s southern reaches. There were no crowds to contend with, no paperwork hassles, no touts offering dodgy cab rides. A five-minute tender ride to the beach was all it took to meet our local guide. Time from leaving the breakfast buffet to our first stop? About 25 minutes. Even the most efficient mega-ship would struggle to make that happen — and they can’t drop anchor right off the one of the best beaches on the island. 

Other moments aboard Sakara felt like something out of Below Deck . One afternoon, I made my way to the yacht’s marina, a platform at the stern stocked with lounge chairs, refreshments, and water toys such as a floating trampoline and inflatable sea kayaks. I jumped off the stern into the Caribbean and then tried out the ship’s Seabob, a floating gadget that’s like a cross between a Jet Ski and an electric scooter.

As I continued my joy ride, I could see another vessel anchored just north of us. Turns out, it was David Geffen’s private yacht , Rising Sun . Of course, we were there first.

Here’s a closer look at all the amenities of the Emerald Sakara , which sails seasonally in coastal waters in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean Sea.

Laurent BENOIT/Courtesy of Emerald Cruises

Welcome to your starship: the stripped down, white-and-gray cabins on Sakara feel sci-fi chic, particularly when the accent lighting is switched on. They’re also, thankfully, spacious and super functional, with ample storage space (including a safe), a small minibar, a coffee station, and a clever headboard built-in that’s a great spot for your charging devices and water bottle. Most of the 50 rooms and suites have verandas; ocean-view staterooms are the exception. Bathrooms are just big enough, with plenty of storage, and are stocked with Espa products and a hair dryer. My cabin, 421, was a 300-square-foot balcony suite toward the aft of the ship on deck four: I never once heard noise from the surrounding cabins or in the hallway, though I did occasionally notice sounds and vibrations from the vessel, something that is common on even the largest of ships. A note on power plugs: my stateroom had U.S.-style outlets throughout as well as USB-A charging ports on either side of the bed, a nice touch.

Because Sakara is smaller than most cruise ships, it can’t compete on sheer volume of bars and restaurants. Still, the food on board is solid. La Cucina is the only true dining room, with both indoor and outdoor seating; it has somewhat limited hours compared to the round-the-clock dining options on bigger vessels. That being said, I certainly didn’t go hungry: a breakfast buffet is complemented by traditional à la minute options such as omelets and pancakes; lunch is also buffet style with a carving station. Dinner is more restaurant style, with options from an ever-changing daily menu plus always available classics such as Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, grilled salmon, and spaghetti bolognese on offer. (Many dietary restrictions and preferences can be accommodated.)

On my voyage, chef Robinson put together several special plates, including what might’ve been the best dish of the week: a sesame-crusted seared yellowfin tuna with celeriac puree. The Below Deck star also put together a panko veal striploin roulade one night and, another evening, offered a citrus-cured hamachi with, in a touch of molecular gastronomy, “mango spheres.” Elsewhere on board, a poolside cafe, Aqua Café, has quick bites like burgers and flatbreads, as well as sweets and coffee pulled from a Cimbali espresso machine. The cocktails served in the Amici Lounge and the Sky Bar were consistently excellent, mixed by a talented team of pros who’ve previously worked on Seabourn ships and in some of Dubai’s top hotels. One weaker spot was the selection of wine on board: pours at mealtimes are included, but they didn’t rock my boat. A short list of “chairman’s wines,” available at extra cost, included a couple by-the-bottle finds such as 2013 vintage Cristal ($650) and some mid-tier Bordeaux and Burgundy options.

Paul Brady/Travel + Leisure

Though small, this ship isn’t an expedition yacht. Rather, it’s specifically designed for warm-weather coastal cruising, meaning it spends the lion’s share of its time in places such as the Caribbean and, in the Northern Hemisphere’s summer months, the Mediterranean. My trip aboard was spent entirely in the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, where passages between ports were short and the seas were often calm. (We did occasionally encounter some swells of up to two meters, or 6.6 feet. I saw many guests wearing medicated patches to prevent motion sickness throughout the trip.) Sakara typically spends a season of several months in a given region, with a variety of cruise lengths offered, ranging from six to 24 days. In 2024, the ship will spend April through November in the Mediterranean. Sakara will return to the Caribbean at the end of the year, through April 2025.

Tours off the ship were a strong suit for Emerald, at least on my voyage. Most stops offered a variety of activities, ranging from a simple transfer to a nearby beach to a full-on, multi-hour tour. Usually, I found myself ashore with a very small group of folks — fewer than a dozen — and all the guides Emerald arranged were true pros. Passengers raved about a kayak paddle through the bioluminescent bay on Vieques, something I sadly didn’t try myself. I did, however, enjoy a short guided hike on the island of St. John, to the pristine beach along Salomon Bay, which was all but deserted. The organization of excursions felt flawless to me, thanks no doubt to the crew and shore excursion manager, Pilar Atencio. Worth a mention, too, were Atencio’s detailed briefings on what to expect each day. While these sorts of “port talks'' are common on ships of all sizes, they felt particularly useful on Sakara because of how intimate our groups were; many passengers made a point of attending the pre-dinner talks every night, for info on what to expect about our anchorage, historical background on each island, and detailed info about what each tour offering would entail.

Call it small but mighty: Sakara has all the essentials, which is a bit of feat for a ship this size. A cozy spa has wellness and beauty treatments, as well as a small hairstyling and facial studio; morning yoga and stretching are available on deck. The fitness center, with a few cardio machines, a Peloton bike, and a variety of weights and other gear gets the job done. The smallish pool and a top-deck whirlpool were lovely — though I spent most of my time in the ocean: the Sakara ’s marina deck is a key feature, and it was open several afternoons during my trip. It’s like the greatest pool party you’ve ever been to, complete with piña coladas, sea kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and a trampoline, right off the stern of the ship. It is, truly, as much fun as it sounds like, though it is subject to the whims of weather and ocean currents. Also available in some destinations are e-bikes from Gocycle, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis; during my trip, several guests gave them a spin on the island of Vieques. Sakara also carries a ton of snorkeling gear and beach towels, which passengers can borrow whenever they like. In terms of performances, this isn’t the vessel for Broadway-style shows, but guitarist Jamie Ferguson and voyage director Nathalie Millet added plenty of live music to the trip.

The youngest passengers I spoke with on my cruise were in their 20s — and they were traveling with their parents. Sakara is perhaps the perfect ship for families traveling with adult children, since it offers such a diverse array of activities to suit different tastes and activity levels, while visiting intriguing destinations. The ship is also intimate enough that everybody can gather easily for meals — or a swim off the stern — without fighting the crowds common on larger vessels. On the other hand, Sakara is probably not the best choice for families with younger children: there’s no kid-specific programming, and you’re likely to be the only ones aboard with little ones. “Emerald Cruises yachts are recommended for people aged 12 and up, and they must be accompanied by and share a cabin with an adult aged 18 or [older],” a spokesperson shared with T+L.

Sakara is probably best described as somewhat accessible: the ship has elevators to all decks and the crew was, on my trip, very accommodating to those with mobility challenges. There are handrails throughout, and bathrooms feature shower grab bars. That being said, several areas of the ship — the outdoor dining terrace, for example — require navigating at least one step even once you’ve reached the deck in question by elevator. “Due to the nature and size of the ships, wheelchairs and scooters are not allowed to be used on board,” a spokesperson told T+L. When the ship is at anchor, it’s only possible to go ashore by tender or Zodiac, both of which could be challenging for those with limited mobility. As Emerald’s FAQ explains: “Guests with limited mobility will require help from a companion, since the crew is limited.” Also of note: many announcements are made only by loudspeaker with no hearing-impaired alternative.

Seven-night sailings on Emerald Sakara start from $2,775 per person, and you can book at emeraldcruises.com .

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Emerald Kaia

Former name: hull ew03.

Cruise line Emerald Yacht Cruises (Emerald Cruises)

Specifications of Emerald Kaia

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Emerald Kaia Review

Review of emerald kaia.

The 2026-built Emerald Kaia cruise ship ( currently under construction ) is a superyacht with max passenger capacity 128. This is the third newbuild in the Emerald Cruises fleet , as well as the company's third ocean-going vessel - with sisterships Azzurra (2022) and Sakara (2023).

Like the sisterships Azzura and Sakara, Kaia ii Vietnam-built (by Halong Shipbuilding Company/HLS in Ha Long City ). HLS was contracted to build the hull and install all the yacht's machinery, while the interior fit-out was managed by a separate project team.

The vessel (IMO number tba) wils be Bahamas- flagged (MMSI tba) and registered in Nassau .

To be inaugurated in May 2026, Kaia is Emerald Cruises' 12th boat, having as fleetmates 9x riverboats and the sisterships Azzurra and Sakara.

The superyacht Emerald Kaia has max passenger capacity 128 (plus 92 crew/staff).

The ship design is sleek (megayacht-like hull and superstructure), with premium accommodations (ultra-modern hotel amenities), spacious restaurants, a large wellness complex (gym, infrared sauna, spa, massage rooms), two tender boats (used for passenger debarkation and embarkation in tender ports / without docking facilities), two Zodiacs (large-capacity motorized boats for coastal and inland expeditions), aft Marina platform (for launching watersports activities - swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking, etc), a large Infinity Pool (Aqua Pool with a stern-facing glass front), a dedicated pool deck (aft location, oval-shaped spa pool, sunbathing area with padded loungers, open-air Bar).

Emerald Kaia also carries its own electronic bikes (Gocycle brand) from the premium manufacturer Karbon Kinetics Ltd (2002-founded by Richard Thorpe/McLaren Cars design engineer).

Emerald Waterways is a new (2014-established) river cruise shipping company and brand owned by Scenic Group ( Scenic Tours Australia). Emerald Waterways riverboats are well-known as some of the best on the market newbuild ships with premium facilities and superb services provided by professionally trained staff and crew.

On February 1, 2020, Emerald Waterways introduced the new brand "Emerald Yacht Cruises". It officially started operations in 2022 (February) with the inauguration of the Azzurra superyacht, which was initially planned for July 2021.

The yacht's name (Kaia) is of Scandinavian origin and means "pure". The word is also rooted in Hebrew, Greek, Japanese, and Hawaiian languages, having the same meaning.

Decks and Cabins

Of all Emerald Kaia staterooms (64 total), 88% (56) are with private, step-out balconies - excluding only Deck 3's Oceanviews (with windows).

Standard Balcony cabins are sized 32 m2 (345 ft2, including the veranda). The cabin balcony access is via floor-ceiling sliding glass doors. The veranda is furnished with two deckchairs and a small table.

The cruise ship's largest passenger accommodations are the two Owner Suites (on Pool Deck 6) each sized 131 m2 (1410 ft2, including a large terrace).

Next by size are all four aft-facing accommodations with wraparound balconies. Two Yacht Suites (aft on Observation Deck/4th floor) are sized 82 m2/880 ft2. Two Terrace Suites (aft on Panorama Deck/5th floor) are sized 77 m2 (830 ft2).

The smallest are the eight Oceanview cabins (forward on Deck 3) sized between 21-23 m2 (225-245 ft2).

The boat has 7 decks , of which 6 are passenger-accessible and 4 with cabins.

Two Lifts (midship Elevators) interconnect all decks.

All staterooms are with contemporary design, luxurious en-suite bathrooms (WC, shower, single-sink vanity, hairdryer, premium toiletries, bathrobes, slippers), twin beds (convertible to double / Queen-size, Egyptian cotton linens, quality pillows), bedside cabinets (with recessed lights), wardrobe, electronic safe box (in the closet), mirrored writing desk (dressing table with chair), sofa, coffee table with chaise lounge chairs, mini-bar (refrigerator), phone, smart HDTV (satellite reception, infotainment system / Internet, movies-on-demand), free Wi-Fi, individually controlled air-conditioning, bottled water (daily restocked), umbrella (used on land tours).

Bonus amenities (suite-only perks) include a walk-in closet, pillow menu, Welcome Gifts (bottle of champagne and fruit platter / upon arrival), mini-bar (daily restocked), coffee machine, tea-making facility, free laundry (2 items daily for Yacht Suites and Terrace, and 4 items daily for Owner Suites). Owner Suites and Terrace Suites additionally receive free room service (in-cabin dining) with served pre-dinner canapes and after-dinner sweets.

Shipboard facilities

The onboard food offering features local cuisine specialties (based on the visited ports along the current itinerary) and gourmet dishes (prepared with the freshest, locally sourced produce). The ship has 4 dining venues (La Cucina Dining, La Cucina Terrace, Night Market Grill, Aqua Cafe) and 3 bars/lounges (Aqua Cafe, Amici Lounge, Marina Lounge). Breakfast and lunch buffets and a-la-carte dinners are served at La Cucina Restaurant (full-capacity Dining Room aft on Deck 3).

Aft on Emerald Deck/3rd floor is the ship's main restaurant (La Cucina Dining Room). Adjacent is the La Cucina Terrace - an outdoor lounge (that doubles as an alfresco dining venue/weather permitting) and features an open kitchen (allowing guests to observe the chefs preparing their food). Midship is the Night Market Grill (portside/Asian cuisine private dining room with 8-seat capacity), the Boutique Shop, and the Lobby area (Reception Desk). Forward is the ship's main entertainment venue Amici Bar & Lounge.

Onboard dining is complimentary and inclusive of beverages - soft drinks, beer and wine (by the glass) are waiter-served and free at all lunches and dinners.

Amici Bar Lounge is the largest and serves as the main lounge. The Observation Lounge is a small indoor venue at the bow on Deck 4.

Aft on Pool Deck/6th floor is located Aqua Cafe (outdoor lounge served by its own bar).

Sky Bar on Sky Deck/7th floor/top deck is an outdoor poolside bar that serves beverages and light snacks to the sundeck area featuring comfortable padded outdoor furniture (sofas, chairs, sun loungers, low tables), a large Spa Pool (infinity-type) and 3x private cabanas for rent.

On Wellness Deck (deck 2) are located the Medical Center (Infirmary/ship's Hospital served by a resident physician and nurses on 24-hour duty), Beauty Salon (hairdresser studio), Elements Spa (3x rooms for massages), 3x Sauna Rooms (including an Infrared Sauna), and the Fitness (indoor/outdoor Gym with a large opening hull door and fitted with professional training equipment). Aft is the Marina Deck (sundeck with padded seating), the retractable Marina Platform (for launching watersports activities) and the Garage (for watercraft and equipment). Also aft are stored the yacht's Tender Boats (3x) and the Zodiacs (2x).

Zodiacs are large-capacity, high-speed RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) used for coastal cruising, navigation on inland waterways and expedition landings.

Two full-capacity Lifeboats are mounted starboard and portside midship on Panorama Deck/5th floor.

Emerald Yacht Cruises Emerald Kaia's prices are inclusive of return flights (economy-class, from London Heathrow Airport), transfers (airport, and to/from the ship), port fees, airport taxes, all onboard meals, select drinks, onboard tipping (gratuities), shore excursions, enrichment program (lectures, media presentations, live performances), watersports (equipment and activities).

Ashore, passengers enjoy the complimentary EmeraldPLUS cultural program (professionally guided tours) and EmeraldACTIVE program (guided bicycle tours). Additionally, Emerald Yacht Cruises customers can book optional shore excursions (by the company's DiscoverMORE program) which come at extra cost.

Emerald Yacht Cruises sells fly-cruise deals which are ATOL-protected (Air Travel Organiser's Licence) and ABTA-protected (directly booked flights with non-ATOL airlines).

In comparison to the sisterships Azzurra and Sakara, Kaia is ~10% larger (10 m/33 ft longer, with bigger capacity and volume/gross tonnage) which allowed the venues and facilities to be expanded and redesigned. The Sky Deck/7th floor was expanded (sized 510+ m2/5500+ ft2) and incorporates the Sky Bar (indoor/outdoor lounge), a sundeck with Spa Pool (infinity-style) and a sunbathing area (loungers, deckchairs, private cabanas). Passenger staterooms are more and ~10% larger.

Forward on Observation Deck/4th floor was added a sundeck area (on the bow). The bow-facing Observation Deck is accessed directly from the Observation Lounge. The Observation Sun Deck has a Spa Pool (large Jacuzzi/hot tub) and comfortable outdoor furniture (cushioned sofas, small round tables with chairs).

The Marina Deck was also enhanced with a sundeck zone (with luxury sun loungers) and the Marina Lounge (serving light snacks and beverages). The expanded Marina Deck also has an open-air Gym (aft-portside, with a large opening hull door) and offers more watersport activities launched from a retractable platform.

Itineraries

While certified for unrestricted passenger shipping operations in all regions (except polar), the yacht Emerald Kaia is custom-designed to navigate in warmer climates, like Southern Europe's Mediterranean (Adriatic Sea, Aegean Sea), Red Sea (Arabia) and Indian Ocean (Seychelles), offering a unique superyacht cruising experience. The boat's smaller size (and water draft) allows it to visit ports that larger ships can't access.

Emerald Cruises' yachts offer seasonally (in spring and fall) cheap Transatlantic crossings between the Caribbean and Europe (RepositionCruises.com). Emerald Yacht Cruises also offers full ship charters for corporate and private clients.

Kaia's inaugural season is currently scheduled to start with the Maiden Voyage on May 6, 2026. The 15-day Inaugural Cruise itinerary ("Discover the Best of the Croatian Coast") is a roundtrip from Dubrovnik Croatia. The voyage starts with an overnight stay in Dubrovnik and visits Split Croatia (Day 3-4/overnight), Zadar Croatia (Day 4), Opatija Croatia (Day 5), Piran Slovenia (Day 6), Venice Italy (Day 7-8/overnight), and Croatia's ports Rovinj (Day 9), Sibenik (Day 10), Trogir (Day 11), Vis (Day 12), Hvar (Day 12-13/overnight), and Korcula (Day 14), ending in Dubrovnik.

Emerald Kaia's schedule for 2026 was announced in April 2024 and listed a total of 8x voyages. They were opened for booking on April 10th (for past guests/loyalty program members) and on April 22nd (for general customers). The program is based entirely on the 14-night/15-day "Discover the Best of the Croatian Coast" itinerary. The voyages leave roundtrip from Dubrovnik's Port Gruz (departures May 2, Aug 8, Aug 22, Sep 26) and from Venice (departures Jun 20, Aug 1, Aug 15).

Photos of Emerald Kaia

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Other Emerald Yacht Cruises cruise ships

• Emerald Azzurra
• Emerald Sakara

Emerald Kaia Wiki

In August 2020, Scenic Group (shipowner) contracted Viking Crew (part of the Dover UK -based Viking Maritime Group Ltd) as the vessel's crew managing company. Viking Crew is responsible for Scenic Cruises yachts' crew recruitment, management, deployment and placement, including officers and staff-crew from the onboard Engine, Hotel and Deck departments. Viking Crew was also contracted for the crew management of the superyachts Scenic Eclipse 1 (2019) and Scenic Eclipse 2 (2022).

The vessel has volume 5755 GT-tons and DWT-Deadweight 1230 tons. The registered shipowner and management company is GMK CONSULTING LTD (2019-incorporated, Naxxar Malta-registered).

Emerald Kaia's hull construction started with the steel-cutting ceremony on August 22, 2024, held at Halong Shipyard (Ha Long City, Vietnam). The special ceremony was attended by Nguyen Tuan Anh (Halong Shipbuilding Yard's General Director) and Ivo Skelin (Scenic Group Asia's General Manager of Nautical and Technical Operations).

The ship is currently scheduled for completion and delivery in April 2026.