Why Emerald and Scenic believe the future of luxury cruising is yachting

• Emerald Cruises has announced a doubling of its yacht fleet.
• Behind the plan is an attempt to redraw the cruising map of Europe.
• The yachts will concentrate on new ports and unique cities and towns.

Emerald Cruises has laid out its plans for a major shift to small ship luxury, more than doubling its fleet of superyachts and announcing voyages to the warm waters of the Caribbean.

It marks a significant departure for the line once considered number two to luxury operator Scenic, one of Australia’s best-known and most iconic travel brands, and the pioneer of Space Ships on the rivers and Discovery Yachts on the oceans.

A fleet of five 100 and 128-passenger yachts makes Emerald Cruises one of this new category’s biggest players. But there is more to it than that, and it won’t end there.

The Scenic operated shipyards in Vietnam can’t build these beautiful small ships fast enough to meet demand. There are few suites available for 2025.

For Emerald Cruises, once regarded as a mid-tier river cruise line with a couple of yachts, the new vessels move the line to become a major player in the new luxury yacht space attracting a new, younger guest.

Anthony Laver, Scenic Group, General Manager, Sales and Marketing APAC tells Cruise Passenger: “We’re creating a new class of cruiser. People who want to do yachts are going to have a different mindset.

The challenge is to offer unique destinations that larger competitors cannot reach. Says Laver: “Our philosophy is we’re not doing our job if you aren’t exploring new ports and unique destiantions.”

Scenic Group chairman and founder Glen Moroney has always been ahead of the curve. His Eclipse Discovery Yachts were the forerunning of the hotel-branded yachts of today.

He said of the move: “This is a transformational moment for Emerald Cruises. From our first yachts to today’s growing fleet, our vision remains clear: to deliver curated experiences in some of the world’s most captivating destinations.”

Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara, the vessels his team at MKM Yachts designed and built two years ago to slip in and out of smaller ports, were groundbreaking.

Today, with Europe plagued by overcrowding and citizen backlash, the yachts make Moroney look like a visionary.

The new yacht fleet is able to re-draw the map of European ocean cruising and take guests to smaller towns looking to grow their tourism dollars and offer authentic and real local experiences.

The new ships, Emerald Kaia, Emerald Raiya and Emerald Xara will launch in 2026 and 2027.

Emerald Cruises will continue to be a river cruise operator, adding another to its fleet in 2026 on the Rhine, Maine and Danube and announcing a further ship on the Seine in 2027, bringing the fleet to 10 in Europe and Asia.

But the yachts are wildly popular with a younger set of 45+ new cruisers and the wealthy who prefer the intimate environment of small ships.

With a crew of 76 and just 50 or so suites with cutting-edge interiors designed by Karen Moroney and the MKM YaChts team, it’s not hard to see why.

There is an emphasis on open-air fitness, art and regionally inspired cuisine. They exude luxury and they don’t seem like cruise ships at all.

The cuisine is by Tom Götter, Scenic’s VP of Oceans HJotel Operations, who also created the food on Scenic Eclipse and now leads the fleet’s culinary team and hotel.

Scenic controls the entire process of creating and operating its ships from its yards in Croatia and Vietnam. few operators can say they do that.

It’s a bit of an industry cliché to say guests’ comments drive change, but in Scenic and Emerald’s case, Laver insists it actually does. Comments are passed around the company. That includes the shipbuilding yards where the vessels are shaped.

The New Ships

The new fleet will sail the Seychelles, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

• Emerald Raiya will debut in the Seychelles at the end of 2026, then sail the Mediterranean for the 2027 European Summer, before returning to the Seychelles at the end of 2027.
• Emerald Xara will launch in the Mediterranean in 2027, then head to the Caribbean at the end of 2027.
• Emerald Kaia will be redeployed to the Caribbean for Winter 2026, joining Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara.
• In 2027/28, Emerald Kaia and Emerald Xara will join Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara in the Caribbean, expanding the brand’s warm-weather yacht offerings.

What’s it like to sail on the yachts? Read our review here.

To learn more, download brochures, or book visit www.emeraldcruises.com.au, call 1300 286 110, or contact your travel advisor.