Emerald Cruises & Tours Emerald Kaia’s Two Godparents, as the Luxury Yacht in April 2026
Vancouver, Bri.sh Columbia, February 24, 2026 - Emerald Cruises & Tours, a part of Scenic Group, has t announced today, two long-standing employees as Godparents of Emerald Kaia, which is now en route to the Mediterranean, with the inaugural season commencing from April 2026.
2026 marks Scenic Group’s 40 Years of InnovaJon and in recogniJon of this milestone, Emerald Kaia will be christened by two of the company’s longest serving and dedicated employees: Kim Scoular, Director of OperaJons, and Ray Gilbert, Senior SoPware Engineer This recogniJon of their long-serving employees reflects Scenic Group’s four-decade commitment to prioriJzing the guest experience and celebraJng the team whose passion, experJse, and dedicaJon create life-changing memories on every journey.
Kim Scoular has almost three decades of experience with Scenic, starJng as a reservaJons agent before embarking on a global career as a Tour Director. Today, Kim leads a dynamic operaJons team known for delivering seamless guest experiences and operaJonal excellence, across the brand’s river and yacht fleet. “Being named Godparent of Emerald Kaia is an incredible honour and a deeply personal milestone in my journey with Scenic Group,” said Kim Scoular. “Our guests are at the heart of everything we do, and I am proud to represent the many passionate people who bring these journeys to life every day.”
Since joining Scenic Group in 1998, Ray Gilbert has also played a pivotal role in shaping the IT infrastructure and digital plaXorms. His experJse has been instrumental in supporJng guests, trade partners, and team members worldwide. “When I started with Scenic Group, I could never have imagined being asked to serve as Godparent to one of our ships,” said Ray Gilbert. “It’s a privilege to support the people and technology behind the scenes, and this recogniFon reflects the dedicaFon of the enFre team that keeps our ships and tours running smoothly.”
Damien Thomas, Scenic Group Chief OperaJng Officer said, “For almost thirty years, Kim Scoular and Ray Gilbert have dedicated their passion, experFse, and loyalty to the Scenic Group family, helping shape our business into what it is today. Their naming as godparents of Emerald Kaia recognizes not only their remarkable individual journeys, but also the commitment and teamwork that define our collecFve success.
As we celebrate 40 Years of InnovaFon, it is fiRng that Emerald Kaia is entrusted to two people who have helped drive our evoluFon – from a touring heritage to today’s contemporary luxury river and yacht experiences. It is a privilege to bestow this honour upon them.”
Emerald Kaia will be christened in June in Venice, Italy, during a special ceremony that will bring together Scenic Group team members, valued partners and guests, to officially welcome her to the fleet.
Emerald Kaia Joins the Fleet
On February 13, 2026, Emerald Kaia officially departed Halong Bay, Vietnam, marking her entry into the Emerald Cruises fleet. She will commence her inaugural Mediterranean season with an 11-day inaugural voyage from Cyprus to Greece on April 4, 2026.
Following the yachts’ Mediterranean season, Emerald Kaia will transit the Red Sea and Suez Canal in November en route to the Seychelles. She will sail from December 2026 to March 2027, exploring the breathtaking waters of the Indian Ocean and East Africa, with guests able to combine their luxury cruise with an immersive safari land tour.
Expanding the Emerald Cruises Yacht Fleet
Emerald Kaia is the first of three next-generaJon yachts joining the Emerald Cruises fleet. Purpose-built for up to 128 guests, new design features and luxury experiences include:
• An all-new ObservaJon Sun Deck featuring a spa pool
• A reimagined La Cucina restaurant with an open kitchen and addiJonal indoor/outdoor dining space
• A new private dining experience, The Night Market Grill - exclusively for eight guests
• Expansive suites and staterooms designed for contemporary luxury
• Enhanced wellness faciliJes, including an indoor/outdoor gym equipped with state-of-the-art fitness technology and a diving plaXorm
This expansion underscores Emerald Cruises’ ongoing commitment to luxury yacht cruising, underpinned by modern innovaJon and guest-led design. Looking ahead, Emerald Kaia will be joined by Emerald Raiya in 2027 and Emerald Xara in 2028, bringing the total yacht fleet to five and conJnuing the brand’s evoluJon as a leader in luxury yacht cruising.
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About Scenic Group
For 40 years, Scenic Group has redefined luxury travel, gaining global acclaim for its award-winning river cruises, in@mate yacht experiences, and me@culously curated land journeys. With a porDolio of renowned brands – Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Emerald Cruises & Tours, and Mayflower Cruises & Tours – Scenic Group delivers transforma@ve experiences that provide unparalleled access to the world’s most breathtaking des@na@ons across all seven con@nents and over 100 countries
Emerald Cruises & Tours con@nues to expand its fleet of innova@ve ships on Europe and Asia’s rivers and coastlines of the Mediterranean, Caribbean and beyond. Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara will be joined by Emerald Kaia in 2026, further enhancing luxury yacht cruising with i@neraries across the Mediterranean, Adria@c, Caribbean and Central America, Seychelles and Indian Ocean. Addi@onally, Emerald Astra, debu@ng in 2026 as the 10th Emerald Star-Ship in the river fleet, will elevate Emerald’s renowned river cruising experience. Looking ahead to 2027, the 11th Emerald Star-Ship, Emerald Lumi, will mark the brand’s first sailing on the Seine River, offering roundtrip cruises from Paris. The fleet will further grow with Emerald Raiya (2027) and Emerald Xara (2028), offering new bou@que superyacht i@neraries in warm-water des@na@ons.
From 2028, Scenic Group will further enrich its ultraluxury porDolio with the launch of Scenic Ikon, the new Scenic Discovery Yacht designed to take guests deeper into remarkable regions including the Mediterranean and Antarc@ca, with state-of-the-art technology, immersive explora@on, and the hallmark Scenic all-inclusive ultra-luxury experience.
As Scenic Group celebrates 40 years of pioneering luxury travel, this new chapter underscores its enduring commitment to innova@on and crabsmanship. Together with its growing river, yacht and tour porDolio, Scenic Group’s four decades of exper@se ensure that every journey –whether on river, ocean, or land – brings moments of wonder and creates memories that last a life@me.
Emerald Cruises can be found on X (former Twicer) as @emerald_cruises, on Facebook as EmeraldCruisesGlobal and on Instagram as @EmeraldCruises.global For more informa@on or to book an exhilara@ng voyage with Emerald Cruises, please visit www.emeraldcruises.ca or call 855-444-0161. Travellers can also book through a Professional Travel Advisor.
Contact:
Andrea Mancini, Casacom ScenicGroupCA@Casacom.ca