Emerald Cruises has announced that Kelly Craighead, President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), has been named godmother of Emerald Sakara, the line’s second ocean-going luxury yacht, due to launch in AUG. The naming ceremony will take place on 02DEC 2023 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Kelly portrays perfectly what we find special about Emerald Sakara, whose translated name means ‘thoughts become things,’ a meaning that represents both how we designed and built Emerald Sakara, and how we view Kelly’s leadership and contributions to the cruise industry as she guided us through some of our most challenging times, only to emerge stronger than ever,” said Jo-Lee Shantz, Emerald Cruises’ Director of Marketing Ocean Cruises, Canada.
“Kelly’s unwavering commitment to our valued travel advisors and to responsible tourism at sea and in destinations around the globe aligns with Emerald Cruises’ passion for growth and success. As our fleet continues to expand with our newest luxury Ocean Yacht designed to respectfully explore the world’s most unique destinations, we find it only befitting that Kelly, and through her, the CLIA team, be recognized and honoured by Emerald Cruises as the Godmother of Emerald Sakara.”
As President and CEO of CLIA, Craighead represents a broad and growing community of the world’s ocean, river, and specialty cruise lines, as well as a network of more than 75,000 CLIA Travel Trade Members and stakeholders globally across the industry. With more than 20 years of executive leadership in the private and public sectors, Craighead served as the United States government’s senior representative for travel and tourism, and the first-ever Deputy Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism at the U.S. Department of Commerce. She joined CLIA in 2019.
"I am honored to have been chosen as godmother to the luxury Ocean Yacht Emerald Sakara and am proud to represent this beautiful and ecologically friendly ship in this esteemed maritime tradition,” said Craighead.
“The name Sakara reflects my deep personal belief that positive thoughts manifest reality, and the strong rebound of cruise from the past few years – along with our commitment to a future of sustainable cruising – demonstrates the optimism that drives this industry forward every day. Additionally, Emerald Cruises’ Cherish the Planet ethos, built in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, aligns with CLIA’s work around environmentally responsible tourism and protecting the destinations we visit.”
Emerald Sakara employs some of the industry’s latest technology, like engines that meet IMO tier III emission regulations, including the removal of NOx and SOx from exhaust gases; recycled energy is used to heat water for the yacht’s needs; and advanced sewerage treatment complies with the latest regulations.
The company has earned a Green Passport from the EU for its recycling efforts. Set to launch this AUG, the 100-guest Emerald Sakara will join sister-yacht Emerald Azzurra sailing the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas, as well as the Caribbean.
More information is available on Emerald Cruises' website www.emeraldcruises.ca.
