Scenic Group has revealed plans for the next-generation luxury ocean yacht to join the Emerald Cruises’ fleet, setting sail in April 2026.

Emerald Kaia will be on general sale from 22 April 2024, with the ship able to accommodate up to 128 guests across 64 state rooms which are 10% larger than those on sister ships, Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara. 

The 120-metre ship will have a marina with an interior lounge, an open-air gym, an expanded Elements Spa, an observation sun deck, and a number of water sports offerings. It will also feature The Sky Bar and Lounge on the top deck, and Asian-inspired cuisine will be on offer in the ship’s Night Market Grill, which will be available for an extra fee. 

Speaking at the UK reveal of the developments, Nichola Absalom, Scenic Group’s UK managing director, sales and marketing, said: “It made sense to our owner to expand our yacht offering. Our guests enjoy indulging but they also enjoy wellness, so we’ve expanded the Elements Spa by over 80%. This is a really important part of the experience for our guests. In the gym, there is a new indoor-outdoor experience – from there, guests can hop directly into the water.”

Emerald Kaia will travel to a number of popular destinations around the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Aegean, as well as the Caribbean and the Seychelles.

Lead-in prices for the inaugural sailing from Limassol to Piraeus start from £6,850 per person, departing 4 April 2026, while lead-in prices for the Mediterranean Enchantment itinerary have been set from £4,656 per person, departing 25 April 2026.

“Sailings have been designed in such a way that guests won’t repeat a port of call if they sail back-to-back itineraries,” Absalom added. “They’ve been designed to give more time ashore, in off-the-beaten track ports. We’ve also developed more seven-night itinerary options such as the seven-night round-trip Venice sailing and some new voyages into Malta. The ship can sail into the heart of Venice, just a short walk from St Mark’s Square.” 

News of Emerald Kaia’s debut comes during a week marking Emerald Cruise’s 10th anniversary, with a brand refresh also being rolled out. To commemorate the milestone, Emerald Cruises is giving away 10 river fam trip places, for bookings made during April, with winners revealed on 1 May.

Scenic Group said the latest developments across the brands represented a ‘multimillion-pound investment’, with other enhancements including a drydock for Scenic Eclipse this month. Ahead of its Mediterranean season, the ship will gain onboard innovations first seen on Scenic Eclipse II, such as the Senses Spa, while the custom-designed Scenic Neptune II submersible and four state-of-the-art SEABOBs will also be added.