River cruise line Emerald Waterways has announced it will begin offering ocean cruises starting in July 2021. Their first vessel Emerald Azzurra will offer an intimate yacht cruising experience for 100-guests. The new vessel will become the first ocean ship owned by the new Emerald Yacht Cruises brand and will sit alongside Emerald Waterways comprising the newly formed Emerald Cruises.
Itineraries for 2021-2022 will include the Adriatic, Mediterranean, and Red Seas which are available for booking now. The 360-foot long Emerald Azzurra has been custom-designed to offer guests an intimate, boutique yachting experience. The yacht will call on multiple ports in Greece, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, France, Turkey, Cyprus, Malta, Spain, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.
“Emerald Waterways has been operating award-winning river cruises in Europe since 2014,” said Glen Moroney, owner and Chairman of the Scenic Group. “The launch of Emerald Yacht Cruises and the stunning new Emerald Azzurra are a logical extension of the Emerald Cruises portfolio, adding intimate yacht cruising in the Mediterranean to the existing Emerald Waterways river cruise offerings.”
The new ship will offer spacious balcony staterooms and suites, which start at more than 285 ft². Unlike other ships in this class, 88% of the cabins feature balconies from which to admire the breath-taking views. In the true style of a superyacht, the ship features a marina platform from which guests can take part in a variety of activities including paddle boarding and snorkeling. She will also feature three tenders and two zodiacs for shore landings. Additionally, the ship features an onboard wellness center complete with a gym and spa.
A few highlights of the Emerald Azzurra’s program include the following itineraries:
- The eight-day Cyprus, Turkey and Greece Delights in the Aegean Sea—which will also be the ship’s inaugural sailing, departs from Limassol, Cyprus and calls on Paphos (also in Cyprus) Fethiye, Bodrum, Kusadasi (all Turkey), Mykonos and Santorini, before arriving in Athens (all Greece) for the flight home.
- The eight-day French & Italian Rivieras with Corsica itinerary in the Mediterranean departs from Civitavecchia, Italy (Rome) and visits Porto Ercole (Italy), Bonifacio, Calvi (both Corsica), Portoferraio, Portofino (both Italy), and Menton before disembarking in Nice (both France).
- The 12-day Ancient World Wonders itinerary departs from Limassol (Cyprus) and calls at Haifa (Tel Aviv, Israel), Ashdod (Jerusalem, Israel), Alexandria, Port Said and Sharm el-Sheik (all Egypt) before ending in Aqaba (Jordan).
Sailings aboard Emerald Azzurra will keep with the brands’ inclusive pricing structure include fine á la carte dining at dinner; breakfast and lunch buffets stocked with fresh, locally sourced ingredients; complimentary sommelier-paired wine, beer or soft drinks with lunch and dinner; all onboard gratuities; transfers to and from the airport; port charges and all taxes. Onshore, guests will enjoy included EmeraldPLUS cultural experiences, a range of included EmeraldACTIVE excursions, and can book DiscoverMORE optional excursions to tailor their cruise.
Emerald Azzurra is being built by the Ha Long Shipbuilding Company (HLS) in Ha Long City, Vietnam.
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