An ultra-luxury cruise line wants to attract wealthy Americans with its all-inclusive 'yachts' — see what the new 128-guest ship will be like
Scenic Group
- Ultra-luxury cruise line Emerald Cruises says its third ocean ship will debut in 2026.
- The all-inclusive vessel, which Emerald calls a "yacht," would accommodate up to 128 people.
- Emerald, known for river cruises, has been investing more in its ocean-based business.
Over the last few years, the mass-market cruise industry's larger-than-life mega-ships — outfitted with loud waterparks and more dining options than you could eat in a week — have dominated the spotlight.
But in the ultra-luxury cruise market, it's been the opposite. The smaller and more exclusive the vessel, the better. So much so that Emerald Cruises' next ocean-based ship, launching in 2026, plans to accommodate no more than 128 travelers.
It's a far cry from Royal Caribbean's new 7,600-guest cruise liner. And the price difference is just as steep: almost $250 per night on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas versus more than $720 per night on the upcoming ultra-luxury Emerald Kaia.
"When people think of cruising now, they automatically think of these large ships," Robert Castro, the vice president of marketing for Scenic Group, Emerald's parent company, told Business Insider. "There's a market for that, but we're in a unique position."
Scenic Group
The cruise line, owned by Scenic Group, only offered river cruises for its first nine years.
But lately, its biggest growth and investments have been in oceans, not rivers.
In 2022 and 2023, the Switzerland-based company launched its first two ocean cruise ships, which it calls "yachts." Each accommodates a maximum of 100 guests. And so far, they've been hits, with the cruise line experiencing record-high bookings in 2023.
Scenic Group
But because Emerald's vessels operate group itineraries, they still technically count as cruise ships, albeit really nice ones.
So instead of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars a week to charter a yacht, as is traditional with these high-end vessels, travelers can spend less than $800 a day for a traditional cruise on said yacht-like ship.
While it's not nearly as exclusive, it sure is a hell of a lot cheaper, "bringing the charter yacht experience to reach for people who would never even imagine," Castro said.
Scenic Group
The 64-cabin Emerald Kaia would have a larger guest capacity than its two predecessors but would still be tiny compared to most cruise ships, including some of the most luxurious ones.
Regent Seven Seas' new Grandeur can accommodate 746 guests, while Ritz-Carlton says its next ship will sail up to 448 travelers.
Even Four Season's upcoming vessel — with fares up to $350,000 a week — would have a larger guest capacity of up to 222 people. However, it would be almost 290 feet longer than Emerald Kaia.
Scenic Group
The top deck would also have a cabana and bar-lined pool, one of three swimming holes on the ship.
Scenic Group
Water platforms are typically only common on yacht-marketed ships, such as Emerald's, Ritz-Carlton's, and, someday, Four Seasons'.
Scenic Group
According to the cruise line, Emerald Kaia's future itineraries include an 11-day sailing from Cyprus to Greece and a 20-day one from Seychelles to Kenya.
Its cheapest itinerary is currently an eight-day roundtrip Seychelles vacation in 2027, starting at $5,055 per person.
As an all-inclusive cruise line, amenities like alcohol, WiFi, and excursions would be included in the base fare. However, unlike all-inclusive competitor Regent Seven Seas, guests must pay for their flights to and from the ship.
Scenic Group
But the fares aren't stopping travelers from gravitating toward Emerald. Before it unveiled Kaia, its parent company announced a record number of bookings in January — up 67% compared to its previous record in January 2020.
Scenic Group
The company's goal has been to increase its number of American customers. So far, it's working and is now "on track to be Emerald's No. 1 market," Castro told BI.
Scenic Group
Strong demand, compounded by a small fleet of small ships, has led to fewer available cabins for its upcoming summer Mediterranean cruises.
Several of these sailings are now fully reserved. The cheapest remaining fares start at $4,570 per person for an eight-day November sailing from Athens, Greece, to Dubrovnik, Croatia.
It's great news for Emerald as it considers a future with more ocean "yachts." "The sooner we fill the ships, the sooner we start building new ones," Castro said.