Puerto Rico’s Port of San Juan has a new cruise line: Emerald Cruises, which is now homeporting its Sakara superyacht in the capital. 

The ship is part of a growing trend toward small-ship, ultra-luxe, boutique-style cruise lines like the recently-launched Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. 

Emerald Sakara will be homeporting in San Juan in the winter-spring season, with eight trips scheduled so far. Those itineraries will also include stops in Puerto Rico’s islands of Vieques and Culebra. 

The 360-foot-long Sakara is one of two Emerald -branded super yachts, part of a wider fleet of 11 ships for the brand. 

“The arrival and selection for the opening ceremony of Emerald Sakara is the result of a competitive analysis carried out by the Emerald Cruises line between various ports in the Caribbean and which resulted in the selection of San Juan as the base port, along with stops in Vieques and Culebra,” said Carlos Mercado Santiago, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. 

The launch “raises Puerto Rico’s profile in the luxury market,” Mercado Santiago said. 

Emerald Sakara will be sailing seven-day itineraries out of San Juan with stops in Culebra, Vieques, Virgin Gorda, St Barth, St Martin and Jost Van Dyke.