emerald azzurra yacht suite

Our luxury yachts

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

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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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Our yacht fleet

Emerald azzurra, emerald sakara.

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

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Emerald Azzurra Suites, Honest Review and Cabins To Avoid (Real Photos)

If you are taking a cruise on the Emerald Azzura or her sister ship Emerald Sakara you may be wondering which cabin to pick.

I have just disembarked the Emerald Azzurra, after a wonderful cruise from Athens. We travelled through the Corinth Canal, and around the Greek Isles.

I stayed in a balcony cabin at the front of deck 5.

There were 76 crew members and only 85 guests onboard.

Emerald Azzurra & Her Sister Ship, Emerald Sakara Are The Same

Ship statistics.

Emerald Azzurra was built in 2022, and her sister ship Emerald Sakara was built in 2023.

• Capacity:  100 passengers Number of Crew:   76
• Ship Length:  360 ft /110 metres
• Decks:  6
• Outside Cabins:  50 (No Inside Cabins)

In This Post We Explore:

Inside cabins, ocean view cabins.

• Balcony Cabins
• Deluxe Balcony Cabins
• Terrace Suites

Yacht Suites

• Owner’s Suites

Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara have no inside cabins. This is very typical of small, luxury ships. They just have two rows of outside or balcony cabins.

Accessible Cabins

There are no wheelchair-accessible cabins onboard.

Solo Cabins

There are no dedicated solo cabins onboard.

There are six ocean view staterooms, situated towards the front of deck three.

The size of these rooms are between 17m² – 19m² / 183² – 204²

Balcony Suite

There are 36 Balcony Staterooms. These can be found on decks 4 and 5.

My balcony stateroom was right at the front of deck 5, and in front of it was the bridge.

These cabins have a maximum capacity of 2 people.

The cabin size is around 285-310 ft² / 27-29 m²

These balcony suites have a maximum capacity of 2 people.

To find out more about what I thought about my stateroom, watch this video next:

Deluxe Balcony Suite

There are only two deluxe Balcony Suites on each ship.

These have an extra separate seating area, so are larger than the standard Balcony cabins.

The cabin size is between 35.5m² – 37.5m² / 383 -398 ft²

Terrace Suite

There are two Terrace suites on the aft of deck 5.

The Cabin size is around 665 ft² / 62 m².

These suites have a maximum capacity of 2 people.

They have a very large private Terrace area, far far larger than your standard cruise ship balcony!

There are two Yacht Suites situated at the Aft of deck 4.

They measure around 721 ft² / 67 m².

Similar to the Terrace suites, they have a very large private Terrace area .

Owners Suite

There are two owners suites. These are the highest category suites onboard.

They can be found at the front of deck 6.

They are an impressive 1,192² / 110 m² in size!

They have a separate bedroom, lounge and dining area inside.

Outside there is a large wraparound balcony/terrace area with a corner sofa, a second dining table and padded sun loungers.

These owners suites have a maximum capacity of 3 people.

Do Emerald Ocean Cruises Provide Bathrobes and Slippers?

As you would expect on a luxury ship such as this, all categories of cabins come with bathrobes and slippers.

Also Provided As Standard…

• Indulgent toiletries and a hairdryer
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Flat screen HDTV and infotainment system
• Personal safe
• Complimentary water, restocked daily

Cabins to Avoid on Emerald Azzurra And Emerald Sakara

There are no bad cabins on Emerald Azzurra or Sakara.

Usually here I’d write about how you should avoid cabins above the theatre (there is no theatre onboard Azzurra) or under the pool deck (there isn’t a deck like this).

Oceanview Stateroom cabins are the smallest and cheapest onboard. These are the only cabins onboard without their own balcony.

Oceanview cabins 301 and 302 are slightly smaller than the others, so maybe avoid these two.

Before You Go

Another cruise line that offer more affordable “luxury” cruises on larger ships are Azamara. Find out about what they include in their cruise fares here:

Azamara Cruises – What is Included? (Food, Gratuities and More)

Azamara, although a luxury cruise line, do have a few inside cabins. As i always try to cruise on a budget, I chose one of those. Find out all about my cabin, and whether i got a luxury experience in the article below:

I Booked The Cheapest Cabin on a LUXURY CRUISE – Azamara Inside Cabin Review

Taking a Cruise: Recommendations and Resources Get Captain Hudson Book a Cruise Get Travel Insurance Emma Cruises Shop My Favourite Bags – Mia Tui

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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 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.

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 !

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• You don't pay them a dime : their service is free (this is because they get paid by the cruise line or destination).
• Their experience: They have decades of experience and attention to detail.

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

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.

Read this next:

• Emerald Azzurra vs. Scenic Eclipse: Super Yacht Cruises
• Affordable All-Inclusive Yacht Cruise that lets you Vacation Like a Celebrity: Emerald Azzurra
• Emerald Cruises vs. Viking River Cruises: Who Wins?

Mikkel and Dan Woodruff co-own and operate Sometimes Sailing. Through their cruising expertise, they bring the best travel ideas on the world's waterways to their audience along with packing tips, budgeting advice, and seasonal deals. They have been featured on many of the best cruise podcasts, including DCL Duo and the Joy of Cruising. Their articles are nationally syndicated and have appeared on AP Wire various times.

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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 Cruises

Emerald Azzurra

Cruise line Emerald Yacht Cruises (Emerald Cruises)

• Piraeus-Athens (Greece)
• Dubrovnik (Croatia, Port Gruz)
• Mahe Island Seychelles (Victoria)
• Venice (Marghera, Italy)

Emerald Azzurra current position

Emerald Azzurra current location is at Caribbean Sea (coordinates 13.14764 N / -61.22578 W) cruising en route to Saint Vincent Island. The AIS position was reported 3 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Emerald Azzurra

Emerald Azzurra current cruise is 7 days, round-trip Grenadines Grenada Adventure . The itinerary starts on 16 Mar, 2024 and ends on 23 Mar, 2024 .

Specifications of Emerald Azzurra

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Emerald Azzurra Itineraries

Emerald azzurra review, review of emerald azzurra.

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 sistership Sakara (2023). Azzurra is Vietnam-built (constructed by HLS-Halong Shipbuilding Company in Ha Long City ). HLS was contracted to build the hull and install all the machinery, while the yacht's interior fit-out was managed by a separate project team.

Azzurra is Emerald Cruises' 10th boat, having as fleetmates 9x riverboats and the sistership Sakara.

The vessel (IMO number 9903504) is currently Bahamas- flagged (MMSI 311001053) and registered in Nassau .

The superyacht Emerald Azzurra has max passenger capacity 100 (plus 76 crew/staff), sleek "megayacht" design (hull and superstructure), top-luxury accommodations with modern hotel amenities, premium restaurants, large wellness complex (gym, sauna, spa, massage rooms), two tender boats (used for passenger debarkation and embarkation in tender ports / without docking facilities), two Zodiacs (large-capacity, high-speed RIB boats used for coastal cruising and landings), aft Marina platform for watersports activities (swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking), large infinity pool (with a glass front facing the stern), dedicated pool deck (with stern location, oval-shaped pool, sunbathing area with padded loungers, open-air Bar).

Emerald Azzurra 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 (established 2014) 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 starts operations in 2022 (February) with the inauguration of the yacht Emerald Azzurra, which was initially planned for July 2021.

The superyacht has as namesake the cruiseferry GNV Azzurra (1980-built).

Decks and Cabins

Of all Emerald Azzurra staterooms (50 total), 88% are with a step-out balcony - excluding only Deck 3's Oceanviews (with windows). Standard Balcony cabins are sized 29 m2 (310 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 ship's largest passenger accommodations are the two Owner Suites (on Pool Deck 6) each sized 111 m2 (1195 ft2, including a large terrace). The smallest are the six Oceanview cabins (forward on Deck 3) each sized 19 m2 (205 ft2).

The boat has 7 decks , of which 5 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). Both Owner 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 3 restaurants and 3 bars (lounges), including the pool deck's lounge. Breakfast and lunch buffets and a la carte dinners are served at Reflections Restaurant (full-capacity Dining Room on Deck 3).

Adjacent to the restaurant (aft) is The Terrace - an outdoor lounge that doubles as an alfresco dining venue (weather permitting). 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.

Horizon Bar Lounge is the largest and serves as the main lounge. The Observation Lounge is a small indoor venue with bow-location (Deck 4).

On Pool Deck (deck 6) is located The Cafe (outdoor lounge served by its own bar).

Sky Bar (Deck 7) is an outdoor poolside bar that serves beverages and light snacks to Sky Deck's sundeck area (with Jacuzzi/spa pool).

Emerald Yacht Cruises Emerald Azzurra'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).

Itineraries

While certified for unrestricted passenger shipping operations in all regions (except polar), the yacht Emerald Azzurra 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'/Azzurra's program for 2021 had scheduled 47 different itineraries to destinations like Italy (Ligurian Riviera), Spain (Costa del Sol), France ( Cote d'Azur ), Greece (Greek Islands, Cyprus, Crete), Adriatic Sea's Dalmatian Coast (Croatia, Montenegro), Malta, Turkey, as well as Egypt, Israel, Jordan.

Azzurra's inaugural cruise itinerary program was originally scheduled for 2021 and included:

• 8-day "Cyprus, Turkey and Greece Delights" itinerary from Limassol (Cyprus) to Piraeus-Athens , visiting Paphos , Fethiye , Bodrum , Kusadasi , Mykonos Island , Santorini Island . Prices start from GBP 3285 pp (EUR 3880 / USD 4290 pp).
• 8-day "French and Italian Rivieras with Corsica" itinerary from Civitavecchia-Rome to NIce , visiting Porto Ercole , Bonifacio (Corsica) , Calvi (Corsica) , Portoferraio (Italian Riviera) , Portofino (Italian Riviera) , Menton (French Riviera) . Prices start from GBP 2965 pp (EUR 3500 / USD 3870 pp).
• 12-day "Ancient World Wonders" itinerary from Limassol to Aqaba (Jordan) , visiting Haifa-Tel Aviv , Ashdod-Jerusalem , Alexandria (Egypt) , Sharm el-Sheik (Egypt) . Prices start from GBP 5245 pp (EUR 6190 / USD 6850 pp).

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the ship's inauguration was rescheduled from 2021 to 2022. The Maiden Voyage departed on March 11, 2022 (instead of July 31, 2021, and January 28, 2022) out of Aqaba.

The 8-day itinerary (themed "Best of the Red Sea", roundtrip from Aqaba) visited Egypt (Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh) and Israel (Eilat). Prices started from USD 3315 pp (Oceanview) and USD 3770 (Balcony) with double occupancy.

In April 2021 were announced Emerald Azzurra's Black Sea itineraries for 2023.

• (August 5, 2023) 15-day itinerary "Mykonos, Gallipoli and Essence of the Black Sea" (from Piraeus-Athens to Istanbul) visits Greece (Mykonos), Turkey (Canakkale, Bartin, Sinop, Trabzon), Georgia (Batumi), Krimea Russia (Sochi), Ukraine (Odesa), Romania (Sulina), Bulgaria (Varna, Nessebar). Prices started from EUR 9340 / USD 11000 per person with double occupancy, with early-booking discount USD 2130 per cabin.
• (July 29, 2023) 22-day itinerary "Discover the Greek Islands, Turkey and the Black Sea" is an extension of the 15-day "Black Sea" itinerary, with additional call ports in Greece (Patmos), Turkey (Kusadasi, Bodrum), Greece (Rhodes, Amorgos). Prices started from EUR 13480 / USD 15870 pp, with early-booking discount USD 4900 per cabin.

In August 2021 were announced two new Red Sea itineraries for 2022 (both Suez Canal transits) visiting ports in Greece, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia.

• (February 14, 2022) 10-day itinerary "Mysteries and Treasures of the Red Sea and Saudi Arabia" (Limassol Cyprus to Jeddah Saudi Arabia ) visits Port Said-Cairo Egypt , Suez Canal (transit on Day 4), Sharm El Sheikh Egypt , Aqaba-Petra Jordan , Duba-Tabuk Saudi Arabia , Al Wajh-AlUla Saudi Arabia . Prices started from EUR 4190 (USD 4930) per person with double occupancy.
• (March 18, 2022) 12-day itinerary "The Ancient Wonders of the Red Sea and Mythical Greece" (Jeddah to Piraeus-Athens Greece) visits Al Wahj-AlUla, Duba-Tabuk, Aqaba-Petra, Sharm El Sheik, Sokhna-Cairo Egypt , Suez Canal (transit on Day 8), Agios Nikolaos Crete Greece , Santorini. Prices started from EUR 4995 (USD 5880) pp.
• As a promo offer, all bookings made by September 30, 2021, received complimentary "Premium Drinks Package" (unlimited beers, wines by the glass, soft drinks, cocktails). In addition, all full-paid bookings received "Super Earlybird" 10% discount - on cabin categories A-B-S-SA.

In February 2022 was announced that starting in January 2023, the superyacht will be homeported in Doha Qatar . The program was based on 7-night/8-day roundtrips visiting UAE (Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Dubai) and Oman (Khasab, Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort). Optional 3-day pre- and post cruisetours in Qatar are also offered.

In Oct 2022 was announced that starting in November 2023, the boat will be homeported in Bridgetown Barbados . The program (Nov 25 thru Jan 6, 2024) was based mainly on 7-day roundtrip itineraries themed as "Grenadines and Grenada Adventure", "Discover Eastern Caribbean and Grenadines", "Eastern Caribbean with St. Barths".

Emerald Azzurra - user reviews and comments

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Other Emerald Yacht Cruises cruise ships

• Emerald Sakara

Emerald Azzurra 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 Emerald 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 5175 GT-tons and DWT-Deadweight 1125 tons. The registered shipowner and management company is EWO1 LTD (2019-incorporated, Naxxar Malta-registered).

Emerald Azzurra was launched/floated out from drydock at Halong Shipbuilding on December 6, 2020.

In mid-November 2021 were announced the names of the ship's Master (Captain Jonathan Edwards, between 2003-2020 employed by Holland America Line ) and Hotel Director (Petros Zarpanely).

The 2-day sea trials were conducted in Ha Long Bay and successfully completed on November 20-22nd. Followed final outfitting works (interior/exterior) and training of the onboard staff.

The yacht Azzurra was officially delivered to Emerald Cruises on February 8, 2022, and left Ha Long Shipyard heading to Aqaba (Jordan).

In early-May 2022 was announced the name of the ship's godmother - Sarah Wikevand. She is the Managing Director of ROL Cruise UK (1995-founded by Peter Beadles as "Reader Offers Ltd") - one of the UK's largest travel agencies, with 120+ employees.

Emerald Azzurra's christening ceremony was on May 28, 2022, held dockside in Port Venice (Italy) . The naming ceremony was attended by Glen Moroney (Scenic Group's Founder and Chairman) and his wife Karen Moroney (also company's Director of Project Design), David Winterton (Emerald Cruises' Brand and Marketing Global Director), local dignitaries. Being unable to attend the event, Sarah Wikevand was represented by Rosie Cairns (ROL's Joint Managing Director).

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2022

Next table shows the inaugural itineraries that were originally planned for Azzura.

The Maiden Voyage was scheduled for January 28th but was eventually postponed to March 11th.

7-day "The Best of the Red Sea" itinerary

Followed the 10-day repositioning to the Mediterranean.

Next table shows the inaugural 7-day Arabian Gulf/Red Sea cruise out of Qatar.

Next is the 7-day "Marvels of the Red Sea" itinerary (in Feb 2023) roundtrip from Jordan.

Inaugural itineraries 2021 (CANCELED)

Next tables show some of the planned for 2021 and later canceled voyages on Emerald Azzurra.

(OLD MAIDEN VOYAGE) 7-day from Limassol to Athens

21-day from Venice to Rome

10-day "Charms of Greece and Turkey" itinerary

11-day "Aegean Gems" itinerary

6-day "Cyprus and Israel Delights - Inaugural" itinerary

7-day "Holy Land at Christmas Time" itinerary

17-day Repositioning (Limassol to Aqaba)

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 cocktails at sunset and relax in the spa pool.

The Observation Deck will have early morning yoga sessions with coastal views. In the evening, this multi-functional area turns into an outdoor theatre, where guests can enjoy movies under the stars.

The Observation Lounge is complete with a Swarovski telescope, board games and a library.

The Marina platform allows guests to enjoy water sports with kayaks, paddleboards, Sea Bobs and a water trampoline.

“The new images reveal just some of the superb features of this unique superyacht and what the experience will be like for the 100 guests onboard. There is truly nothing like it,” the Director of Sales for Marketing and Product for Emerald Cruises Angus Crichton said.

This comes days after the Azzurra’s successful completion of its first sea trials. According to Emerald, the sea trials were conducted by Captain Jonathan Edwards and Marine Operations Manager Robert O’Leary, along with more than 98 specialized crew, contractors and shipyard staff onboard. 

The sea trials took place in Vietnam, departing Ha Long Shipyard on Nov. 20, with the sea trials completed within 48 hours.

According to the press release, the Azzurra will shortly undergo the final touches to its interior and exterior, as well as complete the training of the onboard teams before she begins sailing in early 2022.

“During Emerald Azzurra’s sea trials, all design parameters were exceeded, including speed, noise, vibration and overall comfort and maneuverability whilst sailing. The Emerald Azzurra really is a very special superyacht, and will undoubtedly deliver a fantastic experience for our guests,” Founder and Chairman of Scenic Group (which includes Emerald Cruises and Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours) Glen Moroney commented.

The superyacht will carry just 100 guests in 50 deluxe suites and staterooms, with more than 80 percent of cabins featuring a balcony.

The Emerald Azzurra is the 10th vessel in the Emerald Cruises fleet – joining nine river cruising ships. The line’s second superyacht, Emerald Sakara, will join the fleet in early 2023.

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ATTAINABLE ADVENTURES FOR EVERY SEASON OF LIFE

An Attainable Adventure on the Emerald Azzurra Luxury Yacht

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You might think that luxury yachts or “superyachts” are only for the rich and famous but they might be more affordable than you think.

A luxury yacht cruise with Emerald Cruises is more attainable than you may realize. Guests can enjoy the perks of the luxuries of a private yacht for a reasonable price.

We’d previously enjoyed a scenic river cruise on the Danube River with Emerald Cruises and loved our experience. We were so excited to experience the Emerald Azzurra luxury yacht for our first time on a Mediterranean cruise.

The experience was a bucket list adventure and a dream come true to visit Greece and Italy.

We were guests of Emerald Cruises for review purposes. All opinions are my own. This article may contain affiliate links.

The 100-passenger Emerald Azzurra provides great customer service with an almost 1:1 ratio of guests to staff with 76 crew members.

You’ll also find plenty of areas on the luxury yacht to explore, spread out, and relax.

Emerald Azzurra Luxury Yacht Stats

Table of Contents

The luxury yacht’s relatively small size allows it to go where larger ships can’t.

Both the Emerald Azzurra and the Emerald Sakara are 110 meters in length.

The Emerald Azzurra was built in 2022 and the Emerald Sakara was built in 2023.

Each luxury yacht has 50 cabins and a maximum guest number of 100 guests providing an abundance of space for guests to enjoy.

What’s Included With Your Emerald Cruise Luxury Yacht

There are a number of luxury inclusions on your Emerald Azzurra Cruise that make it an excellent value.

• Airport transfers to and from your yacht
• All meals on board
• Complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks to accompany lunch and dinner
• State-of-the-art coffee machines and tea stations
• Complimentary water restocked daily
• First-class service from an English-speaking crew
• Knowledgeable local guides
• All airport taxes and port charges
• All gratuities on board are included

Slow Down and Savor the Moments

I really appreciated the slow pace on the luxury yacht. I typically suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out) and want to try ALL the things, ALL the time.

I appreciated that our days weren’t overscheduled and that our itinerary really allowed us to relax and be “in the moment.”

Days at sea with a later port time arrival were also a great gift because you could ease into the day before starting an afternoon tour.

An Abundance of Space Throughout the Luxury Yacht

There are plenty of comfortable meeting spots throughout the luxury yacht.

Memorable Meals at La Cucina

There are four different areas for drinks or dining on the luxury yacht:

• La Cucina Dining
• La Cucina Terrace
• Aqua Pool Cafe
• Amici Bar & Lounge

You’ll enjoy the majority of your meals in the La Cucina dining room.

For breakfast and lunch, you can choose your own culinary adventure. There is a buffet in addition to menu items that you can order from the waitstaff.

Lunch AND dinner come with complimentary soft drinks, wine, or beer which is an added value.

Dinners each evening in the La Cucina main dining room were edible works of art. Every plate and glass was inspired by the local region and selected by expert chefs.

Guests still have the freedom of choosing special menu item options specifically for that evening or from the selections available each day.

I tend to lean toward the recommended menu items from the chef each evening. And always try to leave a little room for dessert…even if you only try a few bites.

Enjoy Stunning Views of the World’s Prettiest Ports

Each port that we visited had a unique landscape to appreciate.

The Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara luxury yachts are intentionally designed to access smaller ports that can’t be accessed by larger ships.

We found that Naples was extremely accessible to walk to after we extended our time on the quest for local pizza following our Emerald walking tour.

Types of Suites and Staterooms on the Superyacht

There are 6 different suites and stateroom grades available on the luxury yacht for guests to choose from when it comes to their accommodations.

• Owner’s Suite – Between 1,162 – 1,192 sq ft (The oversized Owner’s Suites are the largest accommodation option available. The Owner’s Suites are located on the Pool Deck level and have a separate bedroom and lounge area, and also include their own large private terrace)
• Yacht Suite – Between 700 – 721 sq ft   – (The Yacht Suites are located the aft of the Observation Deck, and include their own private terrace)
• Terrace Suite – Between 648 – 669 sq ft (The Spacious Terrace Suites are located at the back of the Panoramic Deck and include an outside terrace)
• Deluxe Balcony Suit e – Between 382 – 403 sq ft (Deluxe Balcony Suites are located on the Pool Deck.)
• Balcony Suite – Between 285  – 306 sq ft (The Balcony Suites are located on both the Observation and Panorama Decks and have their own private balconies.)
• Oceanview Stateroom – Between 182 – 204 sq ft – (The Oceanview Staterooms are located on the Emerald Deck level and have an ocean-view window.)

Tour the Balcony Suite on the Emerald Azzurra

Our Balcony Suite had a king-size bed, dresser, small couch and chair, and a desk that can double as a vanity.

It’s easy to get comfortable and have a great night’s sleep in your stylish home-away-from-home.

Underneath the bed, there was extra space to store our luggage.

The bathroom in the Balcony Suite was larger than I anticipated and had additional storage for our toiletry items.

Toiletries were also provided which made it so that we didn’t have to bother packing shampoo, conditioner, body wash, or lotion.

We had our own private balcony with two chairs and a table outside.

I loved enjoying a cup of coffee while watching the sunrise in the mornings from our private balcony.

Room Amenities in the Balcony Suite

• Your own private outdoor balcony
• Queen-size or twin hotel-style beds with the finest Egyptian cotton linen
• Bathroom with shower, indulgent ESPA toiletries, and hairdryer
• Complimentary bathrobes and slippers
• Flat screen HDTV and infotainment system
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Individual climate control
• Mini-bar restocked daily at an additional cost
• Personal safe

The Sky Deck has the Sky Bar and a large spa pool/ hot tub.

This a very popular spot on the yacht for obvious reasons. There is plenty of comfortable seating surrounding the perimeter to use if the bar seats or the hot tub is full.

If you prefer to swim laps or float, you will love the Aqua pool.

You can take in incredible coastal views while relaxing on the pool deck or enjoy taking a dip in the infinity-style pool.

One of my favorite sections to sit in was on the oversized cushions next to each side of the large infinity pool.

It also didn’t hurt that the Aqua Cafe with a coffee bar, ice cream, pizza, and sandwiches was only steps away.

Dessert on the deck? Yes, please!

This is another great spot to enjoy a morning coffee with a pastry.

The oversized lounge chairs are also perfect for lounging or a mid-day nap.

Panorama Deck

Guests can meet the captain on the navigational bridge of the Panorama Deck.

Come ready with questions for the captain, enjoy a different perspective and you’ll have a new appreciation for the behind-the-scenes logistics of the crew.

Observation Deck

The Observation Lounge on the Observation Deck is a great spot to relax and read a book, work on a puzzle, or play a board game while enjoying panoramic ocean views.

There is a self-serve coffee machine as an added bonus in this area.

Challenge Yourself in a Class

I’ll admit that I only took advantage of one of the yoga classes during our sailing. There were more classes offered…I just didn’t take them.

I really enjoyed practicing yoga on the deck at the front of the yacht on the Observation Terrace. The views in the distance and the breeze are way more enjoyable than an indoor class.

The class was challenging in a good way and it had been a while since my last class.

Amici Bar and Lounge Area on the Emerald Deck

This is the area where you’ll enjoy evening entertainment including fun trivia nights.

Introverts will love that it’s easy to find a secluded spot to read in the lounge during the day.

There is plenty of comfortable seating that’s perfect for small groups and couples. The setup also makes it easy to strike up a conversation with fellow guests.

La Cucina Dining is on the same floor which makes it easy to transition from dinner to after-dinner entertainment and drinks.

I highly recommend enjoying lunch from La Cucina Terrace on a warm sunny day.

Wellness Deck

On the Wellness Deck, you’ll find an assortment of amenities including:

• Medical Centre

On the Wellness Deck, all guests also have free access to the infrared sauna in the Wellness Centre.

Some of the benefits of using an infrared sauna include improving circulation, flushing out toxins, weight loss, and pain relief.

You can book an appointment for a spa service or treatment in the salon for an additional fee.

Marina Platform

The Marina Platform is also on the Wellness Deck.

We didn’t get to experience all of the amenities from the marina platform during our cruise because of the cooler weather.

Guests can enjoy snorkeling excursions, and access to kayaks and other marine toys on select days.

Terrific Tours Included With Your Yacht Cruise

Emerald Cruises includes several guided tours with your yacht cruise. We always try to take advantage of every tour they offer. We knew that we didn’t want to miss any of the included tours because of our previous experience on an Emerald River Cruise.

Honestly, if you skip their tours, you’re missing out because they are thoughtfully curated.

We found the guided tours included in our yacht cruise to be very informative and a great overview of the city you’re visiting.

Guided tours are also a great way to get a “lay of the land” if you have additional time to explore the city afterward.

The tours showcase the highlights of the destination and we’ve found that all of the local guides have been really passionate about the city they are showcasing.

As someone who typically does all of the research for trips, I find it so nice to not have to try to research all of the ports extensively before we go.

I know the guided tour will provide me with the best experience of the popular points of interest and hidden gems in the area.

DiscoverMore Tours Are Worth Adding On

Emerald Cruises also offers specialty excursions for an additional fee.

For our cruise, we added “The Godfather Tour” and a guided tour of “Pompei” both of which I would highly recommend.

On “The Godfather Tour” we experienced filming locations that were so picturesque including Bar Vitelli, where we enjoyed the granita di limone.

Confession: I’ve never watched a whole Godfather movie. I’ve seen bits and pieces from several of the films but I hadn’t watched any in their entirety prior to our cruise.

You don’t have to be a superfan of the movie to enjoy this tour, if you are it makes the tour even more special.

Another highlight was a visit to Castello Degli Schiavi in Fiumefreddo, Catania the villa used for the Godfather movie. We even got to sit in “the chair” that you see in the final scene of the final movie.

We watched a montage of clips that were filmed at the location which made the experience of being there even more surreal….and now I definitely need to watch the whole movie!

This type of excursion would have been too difficult to try to coordinate on our own. It was so nice to just let the driver and the guide do all of the logistics and coordinating…especially on those switchback roads!

Yacht Cruising Drink Packages on the Emerald Azzurra

If you want to enjoy drinks throughout the day outside of your mealtimes, I would suggest one of the drink packages.

• Non-Alcoholic Package- Unlimited access to a range of soft drinks, bottled juices, and mocktails.
• Platinum Package -Unlimited access to a range of soft drinks, bottled juices, and mocktails as well as cocktails, long drinks, premium wine from our wine list, Prosecco and Champagne by the glass as well as an international selection of draft/bottled beer.

Incredible Staff on the Emerald Azzurra

The staff on Emerald Cruises is top-notch. You have an opportunity to really get to know the 75 crew members that only have 100 fellow passengers on board to care for.

The smaller staff-to-guest ratio allows for more meaningful interactions with staff versus on a larger cruise ship. We’ve really enjoyed learning more about the staff, their travels, and their home countries.

Special Local Entertainment

During our cruise, we were treated to special music and dancing by the locals.

The folk dance show was a fun introduction to the tradition of the local culture.

Flexibility to Choose Your Own Adventure

Independent travelers will love the freedom of cruising on a luxury yacht. During your free time, you can enjoy a day of exploration on your own or with a guided tour.

Guests also have the freedom to go on bike rides while in port with complimentary loaner bikes available for guests to use.

Our group of friends used the additional time in port after our Emerald walking tour as an opportunity to try pizza in Naples at a local restaurant.

What Should You Wear on the Emerald Azzura?

The dress code for a cruise on the Emerald Azzura is “smart business casual.” There is no formal “Emerald Azzura dress code” which means that you can dress up as much or as little as you want.

My assumption was that everyone would be very dressed up but I found the general dress attire was very casual and laid back similar to a river cruise.

There is no need to feel pressure to buy a new wardrobe because you’re concerned that you need to have the latest trendy clothes…but it does give you an excuse to purchase a few pieces if you want to.

Men will feel comfortable in a golf-style polo shirt, short-sleeve, or long-sleeve dress shirt.

No need for suit jackets…unless you really want to get dressed up but you won’t find many others opting for that option.

Women would feel comfortable wearing pants, jeans with a dressy top, or a dress. I brought several dresses to wear because I found them easy to pack and more comfortable.

This was especially true with looser dresses later in the week after so many great meals.

Dress in Layers

Depending on the time of year, you may find it to be a little chilly. Our cruise was in late March/ early April and the temperatures were in the mid-60s for the majority of the trip.

Europe in general dresses up more than the United States. Women tend to wear dresses or skirts instead of shorts in the summer. Men will wear nice shirts and sometimes wear shorts.

Leave your casual/ patriotic t-shirts and cut-offs at home to blend in vs. stand out as a tourist when you visit the ports.

I also brought a light sweater on days that I wore a sleeveless top for when we toured holy sites that requested covering of the shoulders.

You Can Do Your Own Laundry…But Only If You Want To

One of the amenities on the luxury yacht that we appreciated was the laundry room available for guests to use. It was nice to go home with clean laundry in my suitcase.

Laundry service is also available by staff for an additional fee.

Where Does Emerald Azzurra Sail?

The Emerald Azzurra offers a diverse range of sailings on the Adriatic Coast, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and Central America.

Destinations for Emerald Yacht Cruises

There is an assortment of luxury yacht cruises to choose from. The hardest part is narrowing down all of the great destinations that Emerald Yacht Cruises go to.

Caribbean and Central America

• Grenadines and Grenada
• Eastern Caribbean with St. Barths
• Costa Rico and Panama

Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea

• French and Italian Rivieras with Corsica
• Ionian Sea Adventure
• Discover the Best of Italy and Southern France
• Discover Western Meditteranean and Morocco

Transatlantic

• Extend Your Stay
• Epic Voyages

Special Themed Cruises

Culinary Cruises with Chef Ben Robinson from Below Deck

Award-Worthy Experience

Emerald Cruises has bragging rights when it comes to its luxury yacht experience.

In fact, the first groundbreaking luxury yacht, Emerald Azzurra won the 2022 Cruise Critic Editors’ Pick “Best New Luxury Ship”   award.

How Much is an Emerald Yacht Cruise?

The starting fare for an 8-day sailing on a yacht cruise in the Caribbean is $3,145 per person which is a great value when you consider all of the inclusions previously mentioned.

Extend Your Adventure

You can choose to extend your adventure before or after your cruise. Our original plan was to spend one night in Athens, Greece before our cruise…more about that in a moment.

We also spent two extra nights in Rome after our cruise. I would highly recommend staying an extra few days if you can.

We used booking.com for our 2-night stay at Hotel Le Petit. Our hotel included a great breakfast and was within walking distance of public transit and several points of interest around Rome.

We had a wonderful time exploring the city, trying local food, and taking several tours. ( Rome Colosseum and Ancient Rome Guided Tour and the 8am First Entry Vatican Tour .)

How Many Days Should You Arrive Before Your Cruise?

I would recommend planning to arrive at your destination at LEAST 2 days prior to your cruise.

I say this because I’ve had flight cancellations that were out of our control due to weather and crew that happened on two separate cruises, two separate years in a row.

We missed all of the day tours on Day 1 because they had to reschedule our flight 24 hours later before our river cruise on the Danube River and we made it to the ship right before they departed.

For our Mediterranean cruise, our connecting flight from Atlanta was delayed and canceled for 30+ hours which made us miss all of our time exploring Athens and the tours that we had booked.

Thankfully we made it to the ship just in time directly from the airport.

Travel insurance is a MUST . I can’t say that strongly enough.

Ready to Book Your Dream Trip?

You can find more information on upcoming luxury yacht cruises on the Emerald Cruises website.

What You Need to Know Before You Go on the Donut Trail

Why i love my inflatable kayak, leave a comment.

Our luxury yachts

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

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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. Sun yourself 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.

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Emerald azzurra, emerald sakara.

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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 .

Sunrise Yachts Sponsor 2011 Moscow International Boat Show (MIBS)

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Written by Mike Smith

Sunrise Yachts, a luxury yacht building company which is based in Turkey, has been made a main sponsor of next year’s 2011 Moscow International Boat Show (MIBS). The four-day Russian yacht show event is currently scheduled to run from April 14-17 at the Moscow’s Crocus exhibition centre.

moscow boat show

MIBS is organised by the ITE Group and it is one of Russia’s leading boat shows and is an internationally recognised superyacht event. The show covering everything from small parts and accessories to large superyacht with over 9,000 people and 178 exhibitors attended the last year show.

The Paolo Scanu-designed Sunrise 45 yacht is an ocean-going cruising yacht that was released in 2009 to much acclaim at this was the group’s first-ever model.

Sunrise Yachts was founded in 2007 by the German entrepreneur Herbert P Baum along with the French-British yacht builder Guillaume Roché. The luxury yacht group is based in Antalya, Turkey and utilises a 10,000sq m shipyard facility. Sunrise has two sheds measuring 100m (328ft) x 16m (53ft), as well as a 70m (230ft) x 16m (53ft) fully acclimatized paint shed that can accommodate new-build and refit projects up to 65m (213ft) in length and 1,200 tonnes displacement.

The sunrise 45m superyacht by Sunrise Yachts

Along each side of the yacht-building facility, space is available for long-term sub-contractors with the latest equipment and logistics capabilities, along with air-conditioned storage, ventilation and extraction plants. The shipyard is organized as an “assembler,” based loosely on the car industry’s model, with a small, yet powerful project management team charged with running all the in-house long-term sub-contractors.

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Sunrise Yachts Sponsor 2011 Moscow International Boat Show (MIBS)".

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First refuelling for Russia’s Akademik Lomonosov floating NPP

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The FNPP includes two KLT-40S reactor units. In such reactors, nuclear fuel is not replaced in the same way as in standard NPPs – partial replacement of fuel once every 12-18 months. Instead, once every few years the entire reactor core is replaced with and a full load of fresh fuel.

The KLT-40S reactor cores have a number of advantages compared with standard NPPs. For the first time, a cassette core was used, which made it possible to increase the fuel cycle to 3-3.5 years before refuelling, and also reduce by one and a half times the fuel component in the cost of the electricity produced. The operating experience of the FNPP provided the basis for the design of the new series of nuclear icebreaker reactors (series 22220). Currently, three such icebreakers have been launched.

The Akademik Lomonosov was connected to the power grid in December 2019, and put into commercial operation in May 2020.

Electricity generation from the FNPP at the end of 2023 amounted to 194 GWh. The population of Pevek is just over 4,000 people. However, the plant can potentially provide electricity to a city with a population of up to 100,000. The FNPP solved two problems. Firstly, it replaced the retiring capacities of the Bilibino Nuclear Power Plant, which has been operating since 1974, as well as the Chaunskaya Thermal Power Plant, which is more than 70 years old. It also supplies power to the main mining enterprises located in western Chukotka. In September, a 490 km 110 kilovolt power transmission line was put into operation connecting Pevek and Bilibino.

Image courtesy of TVEL

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