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Emerald Cruises’ Emerald Kaia is scheduled to inaugurate service in April 2026, while construction kicked off on Emerald Raiya several weeks ago.
“With Emerald Kaia joining Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara in 2026, followed by Emerald Raiya in 2027, Scenic Group is steadily expanding the Emerald Cruises fleet to meet growing demand for small-ship luxury,” said Scenic Group, Emerald’s parent company.
The 128-passenger Emerald Kaia will enter service with an 11-day itinerary from Cyprus to Athens on April 4.
Emerald Kaia will debut new wellness amenities, including a salt therapy lounge, cold plunge pool, expanded suite options and a Night Market dining concept.
Emerald Kaia and her sisters, Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakra, are under construction at Vietnam’s Ha Long Shipbuilding Company.
Emerald Raiya’s construction began on Aug. 20, with a steel-cutting ceremony.
“We are delighted to celebrate another milestone in the journey of Emerald Cruises as the build of Emerald Raiya begins in Vietnam,” said Scenic Group Founder and Chairman Glen Maroney.
“This is a testament to the innovation at Scenic Group and the dedication of our team at MKM Yachts and our valued shipbuilding partners.”
Emerald Raiya is slated to debut with an eight-day “Greek Islands & Turkish Coastlines” cruise on June 19, 2027.
This article originally appeared in TravelPulse, supplemented by earlier content regarding the opening of bookings for 2027-28 throughout the Emerald fleet.
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Bookings are now open for Emerald Cruises’ 2027-2028 yacht cruising collection.
Travelers can choose between 170 departures across four luxury yachts, which will visit more than 200 ports in 70 countries.
The season includes 25 new voyages, including Emerald Raiya’s inaugural Mediterranean sailing launching April 8, 2027, from Valletta. The cruise line will also visit 19 new ports of call in Greece, Italy, France, Turkey, Costa Rica, Panama and more. Emerald Cruises will also be returning to Central America after a successful 2024 season.
“This season reflects how Emerald Cruises is evolving to meet the desires of today’s traveler—offering more immersive, unexpected destinations and the kind of personalized yacht experience that’s increasingly rare in the industry,” says Ken Muskat, president of Scenic Group USA and LATAM. “With the debut of Emerald Raiya and the expansion of our warm-water sailings into the Seychelles and East Africa, we’re continuing to push boundaries—bringing our guests to new parts of the world in a way that feels effortless, elevated and uniquely Emerald Cruises.”