Exploring the Adriatic and Ionian Coasts: Our Experience On Board the Emerald Azzurra

17 June, 2024

Global Journey's CEO, Campbell, and his wife Frances, recently cruised the Adriatic and Ionian coasts on board the Emerald Azzura.

My wife and I have just returned from an extended trip to Europe, part of which was dedicated to exploring the Adriatic and Ionian coastline on board the Emerald Azzurra. We started our travels in late May and joined our Mediterranean Enchantment cruise in Dubrovnik in early June.

Our cruise itinerary visited Kotor in Montenegro, Sarandë in Albania, Corfu, Parga, Cephalonia, and Itea in Greece, before heading through the Corinth Canal onto Athens. I’ve included a map of our itinerary below so you can visualize the journey we undertook.

Emerald's Mediterranean Enchantment Cruise Itinerary Map

My wife, Frances, was embarking on her first ever cruise, and I haven’t been on many cruises myself, so this small ship experience on board the Emerald Azzurra was going to be an eye-opener for me too.

I was personally interested to find out the dynamic on board, whether the images and videos I had seen accurately portrayed the quality of the ship, its dining experiences and in-port experiences. On saying that, the primary purpose of our trip was not for business, but for pleasure and to take the opportunity to unwind after a hectic five years in the travel industry. I hope you find our insights useful!

Emerald’s ocean cruises are relatively new to the market with two ships currently sailing the seas and a new ship currently under construction. Our cruise was on board the Emerald Azzurra, the first of Emerald’s small ships released in 2022. Emerald Sakara undertook her maiden voyage in 2023, and Emerald Kaia (below) is due to begin her maiden voyage in 2026.

All three ships have a very similar design, and that’s especially true of the Azzurra and Sakara, which share the same layout and cater for 100 passengers with a crew of 64. Emerald Kaia will be slightly larger with a capacity for 128 passengers and 92 crew and features larger spaces including the Aqua Pool, Gym, and Elements Spa, a larger Observation Sun Deck and Sky Deck, and an additional Asian style grill on board.

One of the reasons we settled on the Mediterranean Enchantment itinerary was because we knew that the Adriatic was known for its calm waters, and it didn’t disappoint. In fact, it was so calm that we often didn’t feel like we were moving.

The Mediterranean Enchantment is actually the second half of a longer itinerary which begins in Venice and sails through the islands of Croatia down to Dubrovnik. Some of those passengers let us know that they had experienced rough seas the night before arriving in Dubrovnik - so you never know, even at the beginning of summer, what Mother Nature is going to send your way.

We had arranged pre-accommodation at the Hotel Kompas in Dubrovnik for two nights prior to embarking. This is Emerald’s recommended pre-cruise accommodation and we were more than happy with the hotel. Perched on the hillside and sprawling down to the seafront, it had spectacular views over Lapad Bay.

Situated about 25 minutes from the Old Town of Dubrovnik by car and about 35 minutes from the airport. Transfers were provided by Emerald, and our friendly driver gave us a brief orientation and history of the region during our journey to the hotel.

The Hotel Kompas is in prime position overlooking the beach, sea, and islands dotted out beyond the bay. There are local restaurants all within walking distance. We took the opportunity for a quick dip on our first day as the weather was glorious. Heads up - the Adriatic is not exactly tepid in early June. I think it was officially 21°C, which sounds rather warm to me, but let’s just say it took us a little while to get our heads under!

No trip to Dubrovnik goes without a day spent in the Old Town, and we decided to take a taxi there. There’s the option to catch a bus which wouldn’t have cost much at all, but there were quite a few people waiting for that, so we decided to spend €20 for the quick trip and got dropped off right at the entrance. The local buses also drop you off at the same place if you’ve got the patience and temperament to wait for one.

This was my second trip to Dubrovnik and Frances’ first, so I knew what to expect, but it was wonderful exploring the Old Town again and Frances was wide-eyed and in awe at it’s architecture, history and the general ambiance of the city. As expected, it was busy, but very clean and with a couple of turns off the main strip, we were clambering up steps and making our way through narrow alleyways and back streets by ourselves. Our cameras got a workout!

We boarded the Azzurra the next morning, which had arrived overnight and was docked in Dubrovnik main port 10 mins away from the hotel. It was docked for the day to allow for the guests already on board to explore the city, so we had plenty of time to get settled in, unpack, and explore the ship. I even jumped on one of the ship's e-bikes for a quick spin around the port. The Azzurra has about 10 or so electric bikes which you’re able to utilize when in port. They’re free, of course, and if you’ve ridden a bike before, then you’ll find them pretty easy to use.

what were our impressions of the ship?

The first thing that needs to be mentioned is that the ship looks glorious in port and is a real head-turner. In fact, in every port we cruised into, we were the talk of the town. The ship is still in great shape and the crew are constantly buffing her to within an inch of her life.

Secondly, all staff on board are, without exception, friendly, helpful, fun and attentive - an absolute pleasure.

There are only six levels on the ship – Level 2 to Level 7 and our balcony cabin was located on Level 5. We thought the actual size of the cabin was very generous with a good-sized bathroom, a full-size shower with good water pressure, and a balcony which wasn’t large but certainly roomy enough to sit out and relax while sipping on a cocktail and watching the world drift by.

Our bed was a king-size and extremely comfortable, opposite a large LCD TV which provided a plethora of free movies to watch, news channels, and the daily update of all the things going on board the ship and in port for those looking to do an excursion.

There’s also ample storage within the cabin, along with a couch and a comfortable reclining chair and footstool. No one mentioned to us prior to our cruise or while we were checking in, but under the bed are two hidden cavities where you can store your suitcases so they’re out of the way for the duration of your trip.

I should also emphasize that I’m the type of person that will give any ship or hotel five stars if there’s decent water pressure and a shower that can accommodate my 6'3" height, so rest assured, in this regard Emerald has ticked all my boxes.

Exploring the ship for the first time was a lot of fun. The top deck, Level 7 or Sky Deck, is open to the elements, but with plenty of shade and comfortable sun loungers and sofas to relax on. Level 7 is also the location of the popular Sky Bar and a large jacuzzi, which many of our fellow guests took advantage of. Aft of the deck is a small outdoor area designated for smokers.

The next level down, at the aft of the ship, is the pool area with more sun lounges and relaxing sofas as well as a café bistro where you can order meals, snacks, barista coffees, ice cream and generally chill out.

At the front of the ship on Level 4 is the observation deck where you can relax, read books, make yourself a coffee, and help yourself to drinks and snacks. You can also venture outside for the perfect photo when pulling into port.

Level 3 houses the reception, restaurant and the main lounge and bar where you can relax indoors, listen to the daily entertainment on offer along with the fun and games that the crew put on throughout your stay as well as the daily briefing on what to expect in each port.

Level 2 is home to the gym and Spa. We didn't get organised to try but feedback from other passengers was that the staff and products used were fantastic.

The main restaurant is used for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Bistro is available for a continental breakfast or light lunch if you miss either in the main restaurant. One of the reasons clients choose small ship cruising is the ease of disembarking into the heart of each port and so you’re free to have breakfast in town, and the same goes for lunch and dinners (depending on sailing times).

Whether you like a hearty cooked breakfast or a healthy breakfast, you’ll be more than happy. Lunches on board provided plenty of choices as well. We only enjoyed lunch on board a couple of times as we were on excursions or exploring in port on the other days.

When it came to dinners most of the guests chose to eat on board. There are plenty of table settings for 2 along with tables for 4, 6, and 8 guests - for those looking to have a chinwag. I’m a fairly fussy eater, but I always had something to choose from each night and if the menu, which changes every day, doesn’t suit you, you can always choose a staple (think Spag Bol.) off their ‘Always Available’ menu. Each night there was red and white wine matched to the meals on offer but you could order something else from the bar if you wanted.

From a personal perspective, I would have liked a bit more spice in my meals and I thought there were a couple of hits and misses with the evening meals. It’s an important element to get right as there is only one restaurant on board and I may be nitpicking as I am a fussy eater. Most of our fellow guests thoroughly enjoyed the choices available, and the quality of each of their dishes, but I think on a longer journey I would take advantage of dining onshore more often to mix things up a bit.

Emerald’s latest ship, the Emerald Kaia, will have an additional dining option, the Night Market Grill, a specialty private dining experience which is exclusive to just eight guests.

The evenings are at your leisure. You can retire to the main lounge and listen to the live music or head up to the Sky Deck and enjoy a cocktail and conversation with your fellow guests.

Who cruises with Emerald?

I guess you may be interested to find out a little bit more about who was on board? Given that this was our first Emerald Cruise I don't know if it was typical, but on our cruise around 50% of guests were from Australia and the remaining 50% were made up of Americans, a few Canadians, Dutch and British.

My wife and I are in our early 50s and I’d say we were in the minority, with the majority of the guests in their 60s and 70s. Most of the guests were couples. However, there was one family on board, but their children were, at a guess, in their late 20s.

When you’re on a cruise of this size it’s inevitable that you’re going to have to talk to someone which is something to think about if you are an introvert who likes your own space. However, there are plenty of places on board where you can escape from your fellow cruisers and read a book or soak up the rays. Your roomy cabin and balcony are certainly options too.

We met some great people on board with whom we shared dinners, drinks, and chats on the Sky Deck. It was a really eclectic mix of people, and the atmosphere was relaxed, happy and casual.

Our First Port of Call - Kotor.

Our first port of call after leaving Dubrovnik was Kotor, the capital of Montenegro, and after sailing overnight we woke up to a place that’s very hard to describe. Photos don’t do it justice. It is spectacularly beautiful.

Frances and I chose to join an excursion along with 16 of our fellow passengers, to climb 1,400 steps to a lookout over Kotor’s Old Town and the Bay of Kotor. It was hard work but worth every minute and all 16 of us managed to reach the top. Our local guide was very impressed, although he didn’t look like he had broken a sweat - the same couldn’t be said for the rest of us.

There was also an included walking excursion around the Old Town for those looking for a more relaxing experience.

Our excursion started at 8:15 and by 2:30 in the afternoon our ship was heading back out through the Bay. When I first heard that we’re leaving port at 2:30 I thought that wasn’t enough time to explore this wonderful city, however on reflection, there was plenty of time and it allowed us to experience the two-hour journey out through the fjord which was unbelievable and a fantastic way to start our cruise.

Sarandë

We cruised the rest of the evening and night along the coastline of Montenegro and Albania to our next port of call, Sarandë, which is pronounced Sar-an-da. No one was really sure what to expect. We’d heard Albania was beautiful, but that it was also a poor country and our visit was certainly an eye-opener.

Sarandë was in stark contrast to Kotor and is certainly in need of some TLC and more importantly, some money. We joined an excursion to visit Butrint which involved a coach trip which wasn’t very long, but start of the trip involved navigating through the narrow streets of Sarandë and was absolutely chaotic.

While our excursion to Butrint was historically interesting, it lacked the storytelling quality you’d expect and while the surrounding region was pretty – it wasn’t beautiful. With the benefit of hindsight, we’d have chosen to stay on board the ship and relax. I think it was unanimous amongst the other guests on our excursion that Sarandë still had a long way to go to becoming a popular port stop, but without cruise lines like Emerald visiting, it will never get that opportunity to grow and develop.

Corfu

Next stop, Corfu! After our two excursions in Kotor and Sarandë we decided to go it alone in Corfu. Disembarking early in the morning, we jumped into a taxi and headed to the other side of the island to a quintessentially beautiful and uncrowded beach.

After a couple of hours and a couple of dips in the Ionian, we enjoyed lunch at a Greek taverna overlooking the beach and tucked into Greek salad, baked feta, and fresh bread. We were in our element.

I could probably find the beach on a map again, but I’m not sure of its name. It was recommended by our taxi driver and we took a leap of faith. That’s the thing about the Greeks - they are so hospitable and you don’t feel like you’re getting hoodwinked.

I’m sure our taxi fare was quite high compared to what a local might pay, but we were happy with our driver's banter during our 30-minute drive, explaining his hometown of Corfu, the origins of the olive groves we passed, and the highlights of an island he obviously loved.

We arranged the total fare with him in port, and he asked when we would like to be picked up, and then met us at the beach again in the afternoon. He then took us back to port, where we paid him. It worked well, and the two of us had time to ourselves to relax and get a real feel for the island.

Of course, there was an excursion available in Corfu that’s included in your cruise fare. In some ports, there were also optional paid excursions. On our seven-night journey, we chose to do about half the excursions; in the remaining ports, we explored on our own.

Parga & Meteora

In Parga, our next port of call, we chose the optional paid excursion to the Meteora monasteries. I’d seen many photos of the Meteora monasteries and they had always intrigued me. Not the monasteries themselves but the landscape they were situated in and the story behind them.

A few kilometres northwest of the town of Kalabaka, the monasteries of Meteora are constructed on top of natural sandstone rock pillars reaching heights of more than 600 meters. It was a long day - 2 ½ hours by coach each way into the heart of Greece. I won’t spoil it for you, but if you’re looking for something you’ll never see again, then join this excursion; if you’re looking to relax, amble around town or have a swim, then Parga is a beautiful town in which to do that.

Cephalonia

Our next stop, Fiskardo in Cephalonia, is also an absolutely beautiful port, stereotypically Greek, with tavernas lining the boardwalk along the waterfront. Like Parga, it was also a port of call where we weren’t able to dock and we had to be tendered in. I suppose we were anchored about a ½ kilometre offshore. The tender could handle about 25 of us at a time and ran every 40 minutes all day and into the evening.

My wife and I enjoyed brunch on the waterfront and then walked about 15 minutes to a little bay where we had another chance for a dip in the Ionian. We spent the afternoon on board the ship, relaxing by the pool, eating, and sipping a couple of cocktails.

I should point out that all drinks on board are included in your cruise fare. I suppose there are exceptions for top-shelf spirits, but I’m a whiskey drinker and was happy with the single malts they had on offer. In your cabin there’s also a mini bar stocked with beer and soft drinks, which gets replenished daily.

In Cephalonia, the Captain also decided to open the ship’s Marina Platform and invited all onboard to enjoy a swim off the back of the ship. I was expecting a few to turn up, but over half the guests joined in – laughs aplenty and we had the opportunity to experience SEABOBs – think James Bond - jet propelled devices that you hold onto that allow you to skim along the surface or dive down under the water. Just make sure the drawstrings on your swimming trunks/togs/bathers are tight!

Itea & Delphi

Our final port of call before we reached Athens was Itea on Greece’s mainland. The ideal location to explore Delphi. Frances and I didn’t join that excursion, although it was very popular with the rest of the guests on board. There’s not a lot to do in Itea, except to drink coffee and chat in one of the many waterfront cafés. That’s what we did and that’s my happy place!

Corinth Canal

That evening was a special occasion, the last night on the ship and a chance to say farewells to all our new friends. Our Captain was also taking us through the Corinth Canal. The plan was to reach the canal’s entrance at 9pm, which I was disappointed with. In early June it was pretty dark at 9:30 and I thought “there goes any opportunity to get a few snaps” but was I wrong.

To be honest, I think the majesty of the canal is brought to life at night. It’s very well-lit which adds to the drama and amplifies the impressive hour-long navigational feat. The canal’s width is just over 24m, the Emerald Azzurra is 22m wide. Crazy. Every guest was on the Observation Deck or Sky Deck to enjoy the experience.

The next morning we arrived in Athens, and our cruise came to an end. Many of our fellow travellers were off to explore Athens on their own and had organized post-cruise accommodation, but we headed off to the airport for our flight home – our month-long journey had come to an end, and my in-tray was overflowing with “things to do” on my return.

I hope our experience helps you decide whether you’d enjoy a cruise with Emerald Cruises.

Would we recommend it to our friends and family? Yes. Do we think it’s good value for money? Yes. If your budget is $800-$1,000 per person per day and you're looking for a relaxing onboard experience, not stuffy but still providing that feeling of luxury, then you should definitely look at the cruises Emerald have on offer.

If your budget can stretch even further and you’re a foodie, then perhaps Scenic’s two ships the Scenic Eclipse I and Scenic Eclipse II might be a better fit. With many of the same benefits of being a smaller ship (although still twice the size of Emerald’s ships) but with a lot more dining options onboard and a step up in the luxury stakes.

Emerald and Scenic are part of the same group, so if you’ve previously cruised onboard any of their ships, including their river ships you’ll enjoy significant savings on all future cruises.

Global Journeys have partnered with Scenic for almost a decade and with Emerald Cruises since their inception, and are their top selling agency in Australasia. Our advisors have experienced many of their trips, so if you’re interested in a cruise onboard either cruise line this season or next, then enquire with us today and one of our advisors will help you plan that trip of a lifetime!