Emerald Cruises’ newest, warm water luxury yacht, Emerald Sakara, has been christened with a traditional champagne bottle-breaking ceremony in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The bottle-breaking ceremony was followed by flyboarders emerging from behind the yacht providing a celebratory finish to the christening ceremony conducted by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) President and CEO and the yacht’s godmother Kelly Craighead.

The Emerald Sakara christening was also attended by Scenic Group Managing Director for the US Ken Muskat and Scenic Group Founder and Chairman Glen Moroney.

Unique offering in cruise

“We are a pretty unique entity in the cruise industry when it comes to both our river and ocean luxury ships,” said Moroney. 

“We are intimately involved with every aspect of the build process — coming up with the concept, doing the design, overseeing the engineering, then building the ships including all interior design in house then employing all of the crew members directly. 

“Having Kelly as the godmother of our newest luxury yacht, Emerald Sakara, follows that same thought process as she embodies a similar can-do attitude and history, and her leadership and guidance with CLIA over the recent challenging years for the industry is inspirational.”

Luxury appointments galore

The luxury yacht carries 100 guests in 50 deluxe staterooms and suites ranging from 17 square metres to 110.8 square metres – with 44 featuring large walk-out balconies. The open-air infinity pool is surrounded by lounge chairs and daybeds ideal for relaxing and enjoying a cocktail from the nearby Aqua Café. 

A wellness deck complete with spa, infrared sauna and gym allows guests to keep focused on their health goals, while the top deck Sky Bar offers the ideal spot to watch the sunset. Located off the yacht’s stern, a marina platform features water toys galore – kayaks, standup paddleboards, snorkel equipment, SEABOBs and a giant trampoline available to guests when the platform is deployed.

The extra-spacious La Cucina dining room specialises in fresh, seasonal cuisine with seating indoors as well as on the adjacent terrace, while the warm and welcoming Amici Lounge is a friendly place to gather and enjoy live music in the evenings. A crew of 76 enables the yacht to offer attentive, personalised service.   

“The dedication of Emerald Sakara was extraordinary, and I am honored to be an ambassador for the entire CLIA team in the esteemed maritime tradition of godmother,” said Craighead. “The stunning luxury of Emerald Sakara, complemented by Emerald Cruises’ commitment to environmentally responsible tourism, exemplifies CLIA’s advocacy for sustainable tourism and preservation of cruise destinations around the world for future generations. Thank you to Emerald Cruises for this very special recognition.”

Along with its many amenities, Emerald Sakara employs some of the industry’s latest technology, as part of Scenic Group’s commitment to environmental safeguards and travel sustainability. 

Engines meet IMO tier III emission regulations, including the removal of NOx and SOx from exhaust gases; recycled energy is used to heat water for the yacht’s needs; and advanced sewage treatment complies with the latest regulations. The company also earned a Green Passport from the EU for its recycling efforts.