Emerald Cruises’ young fleet of luxury superyachts is poised to take things to the next level with Emerald Kaia. The sleek 393-foot yacht will enter service in 2026 with a capacity of 128 guests served by 92 crew members. It will be a bit bigger than its predecessors, the Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara. The yacht is small enough to go to exciting locations that can’t accommodate larger vessels. The all-inclusive pricing makes cruising with Emerald very affordable.
Lifestyle and SFBW Group Editor-in-Chief Kevin Gale got the lowdown about the ship from Ken Muskat, Managing Director Scenic Group USA | Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours | Emerald Cruises, who works with his team in Hollywood.
The Emerald Kaia ship is already generating a buzz, so it’s not too soon to think about booking trips for its inaugural season before prices increase. The ship is already under construction in Vietnam.
Emerald’s success with existing ships has been attracting younger, working-age cruisers beyond the stereotype of retired travelers, Muskat says. They want to be active, get social and enjoy the unique destinations and experiences that Emerald offers.
“We all saw what happened during COVID and nobody wants to be locked away again and told that they can’t go somewhere,” Muskat says. “So, people are taking advantage of these opportunities now to get out there.”
Here is a transcript of the interview with Muskat, which has been edited for clarity and brevity.
You really seem to be aiming for the best experience in cruising.
We’re very, very excited about the launch of Kaia because she joins her two sister ships, Azzurra and Sakara, in what we believe is truly a class of their own. There’s really nothing else out there like it for the consumer to be able to book that is ultra luxury. In this case, 128 guests and the guest-to-crew ratio is nearly one-to-one, with 92 crew.
But most importantly, any other small ships are typically older ships, whereas ours are brand new. They started coming out in 2022 and 2023 and Kaia debuts in 2026. So, that brings this next generation of ultra luxury ships to a whole ‘nother level.
We’re also very excited about the fact that we’ve made a number of enhancements to her versus her sister ships.
We’ve made a 50 percent size expansion on the wellness area and the spa area in the main deck. We’ve increased the ceiling height up to 10 feet. So, a lot of people think some of these smaller luxury ships feel small when, in reality, the beauty about the Emerald superyachts is that they really feel big when you’re inside — high ceilings, all windows, big open suites, big open lounge areas. You really feel like you get the benefits of a beautiful big cruise ship in a very small, ultra luxury superyacht that almost feels like it’s completely private, all for yourself. We made a number of other enhancements, including the culinary aspects. Of course, the benefit of these ships is they get to go to unique ports that larger ships can’t go to, which really brings you the exclusivity and the uniqueness of them. We don’t really believe there is competition in this area.
The chairman and founder of Scenic, Glen Moroney, says that the Kaia builds on the strength of the Sakara and the Azzurra. Talk about that evolution.
We’re always listening to guest feedback. In the cruise industry, you build one ship and then you learn what things you could do better or improve upon. We really pushed the design elements as it relates to taking advantage of all spaces onboard the ship. This ship is a little bit longer, a little bit wider, and it allows us to do some unique things. We bring more space to accommodations, 50 percent larger health, wellness and spa areas, unique features like the expanded Sky Deck and the innovative Marina Deck. The observation Sun Deck is absolutely incredible and there are some new culinary experiences, including the New Night Market Grill, which the other ships don’t have.
I like how The Sky Deck and the Sky Lounge meld the outside and the inside.
This is a central focal point for daytime and nighttime activity. A lot of it during the daytime is just around rest and relaxation and enjoying the environment, enjoying the sea; at nighttime it becomes a major entertainment hub where you could watch the sunset and have drinks and enjoy the entertainment. One of the things that we’re really excited about is the integration of the indoor and outdoor. We like people to still feel very connected with the sea when they’re outside. You are on a superyacht sailing in some of the most unique beautiful locations in the world. To have this ability to be inside and have the luxury lounge experience and the bar experience just step a few steps away and have this outside area with the lounge chairs and the Jacuzzi area and the entertainment that we have up there really brings that connection to the sea. It allows us to work in all-weather environments and allows us to offer the luxury experience inside and then more of a casual and lounge-y and ocean experience on the outside. It’s the best of both worlds.
I did some research on the meaning of Kaia and found it had the meaning of pure life, in the sea. How was the name selected?
The name of the ship usually comes from our owner, Glen, and his wife, Karen. It means exactly that: pure life, the sea. It’s also walking away with extraordinary memories that we provide. It is a true once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is a pure experience. You’re connected with the sea and you’re going to walk away with memories that are like nothing you’ve ever had before.
Talk about the all-inclusive aspect of the Kaia.
We include everything from airport transfers, breakfast, lunch and dinner on board. The Night Market Grill is a little bit extra for a nominal fee because it only holds eight people, but it is an incredible alternative. The drink packages are new for us to be all inclusive. Drinks include a selection of wine, beer, cocktails, sparkling wine, soft drinks, juices and the mini bar. We also have state-of-the-art coffee machines and tea stations around the ship. Because we’re focused on sustainability, we’ve got our thermos that we provide in every suite that you can refill with water, in lieu of plastic and single-use bottles
We also include the excursions with very knowledgeable guides, complimentary high-speed WiFi via Starlink, gratuities and the Go Cycle electric bikes on board. So, not included are spa treatments or if you want to really upgrade to a significantly expensive wine or alcohol. We like the ability for people to come on board and not have to think about anything and not have to put down their card every time they want to get a drink.
What sort of pampering can your guests expect?
For a lot of people, pampering means just leave me alone in my cabana up on the top deck, let me feel like this is my own luxury superyacht and bring me a drink every 15 minutes. For other people, it’s all around the actual amenities on board. The pampering also just comes from the outstanding service our crew provides. There is crew everywhere taking care of you to the extent that you want to be taken care of.
We have stateroom attendants for all of the suites that everybody can easily get in touch with to get anything done. We have a concierge in the main lounge area who can take care of anything for you. We also have great interactive TV on board in the suites. With only 128 guests, there’s never a line, never a time that you’re on hold on the phone. It’s super personable and super easy to get whatever you need.
What’s behind making the wellness space 50 percent bigger?
We know people like to indulge on our cruises and relax and enjoy the culinary experience and the beverage experience and all the destinations we go to, but we also know that they want to have that balance with wellness. So, it’s important for us to build facilities that can give them that balance. Our spa will have a KLAFS Infrared Sauna, as well as larger spa treatment rooms for the gym. We’ve redesigned the entire look and feel of the gym. We’re going to offer this ability to connect with the outdoors with a new indoor/outdoor workout space. When the ship is not in motion, the watertight door will open to create an open platform that allows you to go on the platform and do yoga or Pilates or stretching. When you’re done with that, you can easily just jump right in the water. We also took the spa and gym area and connected it with the new indoor lounge of the marina and the outdoor marina. It’s really a great, great setup.
The state room sizes seem to be bigger as well.
The nice thing about this ship is she is slightly larger than her sister ships, which allows us more space to play with. The suites are about a 10 percent larger floor plan than what we have on some of the other ships. This really allows extra comfort in both the bedroom, the bathrooms and more amenities. The lowest cost balcony suites are 332 square feet, which is a very nice size. The owner suite features a Jacuzzi and measures up to 1,200 square feet. We’ve got a number of different categories in between. Because our ships are brand new versus the competition in this size, this allows us to say we have some of the largest suites at sea.
What will the dining area designs and cuisine be like?
La Cucina and the Night Market Grill offer unique dining experiences that focus on high-end regional cuisine. La Cucina, which is the main area, will have an open galley design. Our guests love to see the chefs cooking. The Night Market, which is sort of attached to La Cucina, is an eight- person venue. It will provide an Asian-inspired dining experience showcasing fresh and exotic flavors. Both venues are designed to foster a sense of community and delight with the senses.
You do build a great sense of community with everybody on board. You will really enjoy the culinary experience with different menus every night, different experiences. We also have the alfresco light refreshments up where the pool is, available breakfast, lunch and dinner
How do reservations work at the restaurant?
We’ve got open dining times and you can come in whenever you want. We do recommend reservations, especially for larger groups just to make sure that we can get you in at the appropriate time. The Night Market Grill does require reservations, which can be coordinated onboard.
What’s the dress expectation?
Very comfortable. We have people who dress in a sort of country club, comfortable attire day and night, while some people choose to get a little bit more dressed up, but we are by no means formal.
What areas of the ship are designed for entertainment and having cocktails?
There’s all these little nooks and crannies where you can enjoy a drink and be perfectly relaxed, but some of the bigger areas are the Sky Bar and Spa Pool on the Sky Deck. These are great for enjoying the daytime experience and the sunset and the cabanas that we have up there with a cocktail. We also have the Marina Lounge and the Observation Sun Deck. The Observation Sun Deck on this ship particularly is a whole new concept and is really going to be a great outdoor lounge space area day and night, especially when you’re seeing the sun go down, for drinks and lounging around and enjoying your fellow guests. We also have the indoor main lobby lounge where we’ve got a beautiful bar and we do a lot of nighttime entertainment there, activities and games. That’s where you’ll usually find a guitar player or somebody who may be singing and providing some entertainment. We also do that up on the Skybar and Sky Pool.
The marina really seems like it connects guests to the water. The slide looks like you just plunge right into the sea.
The marina is an area that you can go to whenever the ship is anchored out at sea — that’s when all the water sports are available. We did add this slide, so that’s one of those enhancements that guests were asking for and we wanted to provide this incredible slide that goes from deck three all the way right into the water. But we also have a number of other water toys including NautiBoys inflatable platforms, trampoline floats, Seabobs, paddleboards and kayaks. Seabobs are super adventurous, battery-operated and you can dive down into the water and pop back up and go as fast as you want to go.
A lot of the big ships have to go into big ports that may not have the best water quality. Sounds like the Marina experience offers not only great views, but great water quality.
Absolutely, a hundred percent. You’re going to places like St. Bart’s and Jost Van Dyke [an island in the British Virgin Islands] and some unique ports in Puerto Rico that most people have never heard of. The water is unbelievably clear and beautiful. Kaia is going to the Seychelles, so you can only imagine what the water’s like there. So, the ability to use these water sports and these places that are very much untouched, that big ships cannot get to, is a whole other aspect of the beauty. You go out there in a kayak, sit there for a second, look at the ship and the surroundings and it’s just breathtaking.
Tell us about the sun deck.
The new observation sun deck on the bow is beautifully designed. This is a space that we took full advantage of that we hadn’t taken full advantage of on the previous ships. Because of the way the ship is built, it offered a whole new space for us to have lounge chairs. We’ll have umbrellas when the ship’s not moving to protect from the sun, tables, chairs and a relaxation area. It’s great for groups to get together. It’s great for cocktail parties, great to just hang out and read a book. It’s super tranquil and relaxing. These ships do really, really well with groups, families and some larger parties. The types of furniture that we’re going to be using is just over the top comfortable and relaxing with the best views you’re going to see anywhere.
Do you have a differentiation on your land excursions?
They’re all very unique and immersive. We have Emerald Plus and Emerald Active programs and you can enjoy activities that go off the beaten path, such as guided hikes, bike rides and cultural experiences. They’re all led by very knowledgeable local guides who provide amazing insights on the destination, the history of the destination and what you’re seeing, so you’ve got a fulfilling, enriching experience. You’ve got the ability to go off on your own if you want, and you also have the ability to do some very incredible shore excursions that teach you quite a bit about where you are. These can be as active or as passive as you want them to be.
What are some of the initial destinations?
She’s going to begin her superyacht experience in the Mediterranean and the Adriatic. 2026/2027 sailings include Greece, Italy, Croatia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Seychelles. We’ve also added new itinerary options, including a new seven-night round trip to Venice, a seven-night to Istanbul and an Istanbul to Paros [an Agean Sea island] option and new voyages sailing to Malta.
What sort of feedback and buzz are you getting, including bookings?
We announced this a few months ago and immediately the response from our travel agent partners was incredibly strong. They’re very familiar with the Emerald Cruises brand and love it. They were super excited to see Kaia and now take it to the next level. Our guests that have sailed with us on Emerald cruises, especially those that have sailed on Azzurra and Sakara, gave us excellent feedback and immediately started booking. So, the demand has been exciting and strong.
Can you give our readers an idea of what it costs to sail the Kaia and are there some specials?
Pricing always fluctuates based on time of year, destination and supply and demand. Pricing for the eight-day Tropical Charms of the Seychelles itinerary is beginning at $5,055 per person and from $8,400 for the 13-day itinerary in the Seychelles.
We do offer regularly two-for-one fares plus up to $3,000 in flex credit, which means $3,000 that you can use either towards a discount off the cruise price or you can put that towards air to get all-inclusive air.
Now is the best time to book because the farther out you book, the better. Prices will be going up. I highly encourage guests to talk to their travel advisor or get onto our websites to see the latest promotions, which we will have for Black Friday and Cyber Week.
Go to emeraldcruises.com, sign up for the newsletter and you’ll get any of our offers, any of our promotions, all of our emails with the latest and greatest information.
Are all your cabins double occupancy or do you have singles?
They are all double occupancy. We do have promotions that allow for singles to come without having to pay 200 percent. In more cases you may pay 145 percent or 150 percent so you get a discount.
