VESSEL REVIEW | Emerald Sakara – Luxury yacht-style cruise ship for Mediterranean and Caribbean itineraries

Switzerland-based cruise operator Emerald Cruises recently took delivery of a new luxury yacht designed for serving Mediterranean and Caribbean itineraries.

Built at the Vietnam facilities of Ha Long Shipbuilding, Emerald Sakara is the second luxury yacht to join the Emerald Cruises fleet. As with its 2022-built sister ship Emerald Azzurra, the newer vessel is intended to be a modern yacht-like passenger cruise ship for operation on international voyages while being able to visit a greater number of harbours compared to their larger counterparts.

The vessel has a length of 110 metres, a beam of 16 metres, a draught of 4.2 metres, and a gross tonnage of 5,175. Suite and single stateroom accommodations are available for 100 passengers in 50 cabins while 76 crewmembers and other personnel are housed in 41 cabins.

The guest facilities are found on seven decks and include lounges, a bar, a cafe, an observation area, a pool, restaurants, a gym, a medical centre, a sauna, a salon, and a boutique shop. At the stern is a deployment and recovery ramp for watersports equipment such as kayaks, rubber expedition boats, and paddleboards.

The main machinery consists of two 1,490kW high-speed diesel engines each driving a fixed-pitch propeller to deliver a speed of 16 knots. Electrical power is meanwhile supplied by three diesel generators. Also fitted are two rudders, two retractable fin stabilisers, and a bow thruster.

Emerald Sakara will sail under the flag of Bahamas and is homeported at Nassau. The ship is presently in the Mediterranean serving itineraries that include stops in Venice and the Croatian cities of Dubrovnik, Sibenik, and Zadar.

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