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.

Deck 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.