“Effortless Luxury”. I saw it written on a pamphlet almost as soon as I entered my Balcony Suite. But, at the time, the words didn’t resonate. It had been a long morning – an early flight (delayed) and an all-too-long wait at Catania’s passport control, not to mention the shock of exiting the terminal into blinding 25-degree sunshine. All played their part in my general haziness.
Nevertheless, I had been looking forward to seeing this Emerald Cruises’ flagship vessel, Emerald Azzurra, and was eager to explore what the ship had to offer. We were to enjoy a first night in port at Catania, followed by an overnight stay in Naples, with some time spent cruising the Italian coastline for good measure.
The yacht debuted in March 2022 and spent time in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean last year. By all accounts, it’s done very well, with many sailings either completely sold out or reserved for charters by clients and companies looking to take advantage of its private yacht-style capabilities.
The Aqua Pool
Following a quick check-in process, we headed to the Aqua Pool & Cafe on Deck 6. We’d missed lunch in the main restaurant, so we were happy to see sandwiches, cakes, and cold drinks readily available from the cafe. The pool area has seating available both in and out of the shade and an infinity pool with oversized inflatables. As inviting as it looked, we had places to be, so we went upstairs to The Sky Bar on Deck 7 to meet our travelling companions.
The Sky Bar, with Mount Etna in the background
The Sky Bar boasts a wraparound deck with a bar, sofas, and an elevated jacuzzi perfectly positioned for stunning views over the bow. It’s a great place to relax and watch the world go by, especially with the Paola Lenti day loungers and the odd cocktail-tasting session hosted by the bar staff to help everyone get in good spirits.
Deck 3 hosts two of the largest public spaces on Emerald Azzurra. The Amici Bar & Lounge is the most communal area on the ship and is popular for pre-and post-dinner drinks. Overall, the entertainment was low-key, with the Cruise Director leading quizzes and the movie screenings. In selected ports, guest performers from the local area will come aboard and perform on the Observation Deck. We had a troop of Sicilian dancers from Catania, which we watched complimentary drinks in candlelight.
The Amici Bar & Lounge
Next is La Cucina, the yacht’s main dining venue. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on an open-seating basis, so you can dine when and with whoever you want. Breakfast is buffet style and provides a selection of pastries, bread, meats, cheeses, cereals and cooked items like bacon, sausage and hashbrowns. A chef is also on standby to make any egg-related dish you want. Lunch, too, is a buffet, but with five or six hot dishes – during our cruise, there were curries, sliced steak, rice, pasta, roast potatoes and a decent assortment of cooked vegetables.
Dinner is served at your table from a menu with two options for each course. You’ll get a starter, a main and a dessert, and the choice of having something for the table to share, such as a pasta dish. I quite liked this approach as you can sample up to five dishes throughout the evening – in some cases, the sharing option was better than the main (I highly recommend the carbonara). However, if you don’t fancy what’s on the set menu, you can mix and match from the always-available menu, which has steak, chicken, pasta and a couple of other options.
Emerald Azzurra – evening dining
At this point, what a truly remarkable job Emerald Cruises did with the layout of La Cucina. Clever tiering, high ceilings, and a selection of raised tables make the room appear much larger than it is, and it’s easy to forget you’re on a small yacht – if you couldn’t see the sea, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s an exclusive restaurant in one of the world’s great cities.
At times, the service in the restaurant was a little laboured and not quite as attentive as I’d have hoped. However, they were keen to tell us they were two staff members down, which likely explains the issues.
With the public areas covered, it’s time to talk decor. On separate occasions, I heard it described as everything from “minimalist” to “contemporary” to “very, very grey”. All of these are true. Grey is undoubtedly the ship’s primary colour and is present everywhere – walls, carpets, upholstery – even the floor tiles. But it contrasts nicely with black marble, chrome fixtures and some choice artwork. Take, for instance, the Amici Bar & Lounge; on any other ship, the choice of cushions wouldn’t work (seemingly randomly patterned in bright colours), but they do here. Similarly, using plants and strategically placed flowers help add some naturality to an environment that some may describe as slightly clinical.
I like this approach. Sure, it’s not particularly decadent or fancy, nor have the designers gone down the well-trodden path of Scandi-chic. Still, it adds an extra layer of modernity to Emerald Azzurra, well-suited to those of us looking for something a little more understated.
The Balcony Suite
Onto the accommodation, the Balcony Suite is the ideal size for any 7-night cruise on Emerald Azzurra. Not only do you get fantastic ensuite facilities stocked with ESPA amenities, but you also have a nicely-sized private balcony and vanity area. There’s ample storage space for your clothes and a liftable panel at the end of the bed for storing suitcases. I loved the retractable blackout blind (there are no curtains), and the tv entertainment system shames some of those I’d experienced on other cruise lines.
(As an aside, I wasn’t a fan of the shower design. The door opens into the bathroom and restricts space. Furthermore, there’s not enough clearance to place a bathmat at the bottom of the door, so when you open the door, all the water on the shower door runs out onto the tiles)
The itineraries available also offer something different. With a yacht of this size, access to smaller ports presents no issues, and thanks to Emerald’s programme of excursions, you’re encouraged to step ashore and explore each destination you visit. For example, we joined a panoramic bus-walking tour of Naples and a morning trip to Ravello on the Amalfi Coast on our cruise. In both instances, the guides were exceptional and helped to get a better understanding of life in two very different places.
Emerald Azzurra in Catania, Sicily.
On the flight home from Rome, I thought about those two words again: Effortless luxury. Unfortunately, I don’t remember what that pamphlet was about. But, with four nights on the yacht behind me, I feel “effortless luxury” might be the perfect way to describe what the team behind Emerald Azzurra – and the forthcoming sister ship Emerald Sakara – have come up with.
From the eye-catching exterior to the use of illuminated stateroom/suite numbers, you can tell this is a ship with a lot of love behind it. Nothing about the vessel is over-the-top; every detail is considered and executed to near perfection. It’s not a six-star vessel, but that’s not the point. This is a yacht for people who yearn for an affordable small-ship experience where space, comfort and innovation are at the top of the checklist.
Emerald Azzurra will undoubtedly fit the bill if you’re a regular cruiser looking for an alternative to resort-style ships. Or perhaps you’ve been on a mid-size vessel and would like to try something smaller without having to swap your evening polo shirt for a dinner jacket? Alternatively, maybe you’ve never been on a cruise before and are looking for a private yacht-style experience without necessarily paying a private yacht price. Whatever your reason for wanting to try something different, I guarantee you’ll find your place aboard Emerald Azzura.
Do you have any questions regarding Emerald Azzurra, or would you like to find out more? Leave a comment below!
