Coming from the east, with an unusual scorching sun at the end of October and transported by the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Emerald Azzurra leaves everyone breathless for the elegant entrance on the occasion of its first port of call at Sporgente Centrale Pier of Catania cruise terminal.
This is, more specifically, a luxury superyacht with an intimate 100 guests on board just like its twin Emerald Sakara, whose call at Catania Cruise Port is already scheduled next year. In 2020 it left Ha Long shipyard in Vietnam and on January 28th, 2022, it inaugurated its first travel on an eight-day “Best of the Red Sea” cruise.
This classy boat belongs to the luxury company Emerald Cruises well-known for the attention it reserves in the refinement of an innovative cruising style, in the choice of peculiar and exciting destinations of the world’s most celebrated oceans and in the offer of excellent services on board that guarantee their guests a journey of relaxation and intimacy.
Reaching an impressive 110 metres in length, Emerald Azzurra includes external and internal spacious rooms: 50 suites furnished with an all-Italian design, a Sky Bar to always enjoy a breath-taking view during an aperitif, two restaurants with multi-ethnic cuisine, a 'wellness area with spa, sauna and gym, an infinity pool. 77 crew members do a meticulous job assuring a guest-crew relationship with punctual service at all times. Equipped with advanced technology, the bridge is open to visits whenever the guest has the pleasure of it. Last but not least, it is equipped for all kinds of water sports experiences such as paddleboarding, snorkelling and kayaking. For visits to the mainland, on the other hand, it has the latest generation Gocycle e-bikes, chosen today by cruise passengers, mostly Americans, to live a unique experience among the historic streets of the city starting from Via Crociferi, teeming with churches and palaces in eighteenth-century Baroque style, then crossing the long and straight Via Etnea almost to go towards the Etna volcano, ending the tour in Piazza Duomo where stands the cathedral of Sant'Agata, the well-known patron saint of the city.
More and more loved and requested by users who are changing the concept of vacation, that is innovative, futuristic, more ecological and that suited their lifestyle, other luxury ship companies - Seabourn Cruises Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruise, Silversea Cruises - have preferred Catania, the city of the elephant, as a tourist destination for the 2022 cruise season, a result that offers great satisfaction especially for the territorial promotion work carried out in synergy with local institutions.
Today's call is a Maiden Call with the traditional plaque exchange that took place on board with the participation of the local authorities - the AdSP President, Eng. Francesco Di Sarcina, the Marketing, Promotion & Communication Manager, Dr. Ilaria Tomasi, the Director of the Customs Office, Dr. Maria Concetta Calandra, the Director of the Catania Cruise Terminal, Dr. Mario Russo, the Marketing Assistant, Dr. Rachele Sammartano - hosted by Captain Jonathan Edwards.
"We are pleased to welcome the first port of call in our city of the Emerald Azzurra cruise superyacht at the port of Catania", says Francesco Di Sarcina, President of the Port System Authority of the Sea of Eastern Sicily. "The choice of our port by the luxury segment company Emerald Cruises is another confirmation that both the destination and the services offered by the port are highly appreciated even by extremely demanding companies such as those operating in the luxury cruise tourism sector and who, consequently, seek services and hospitality of the same level ".
Since the end of 2016, Cagliari Cruise Port has become part of Global Ports Holding (GPH), the largest independent cruise terminal operator in the world, with a consolidated presence in the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Asia-Pacific regions, including some large commercial realities in Montenegro. With an integrated platform of cruise ports serving cruise ships, ferries, yachts and mega yachts, GPH operates 26 terminals in 14 countries and continues to grow steadily, providing services to 14 million passengers and reaching a 24% market share in the Mediterranean every year.
