This morning we gathered in the lobby of the Park Inn by Radisson at 10:15 for our group transfer to Kusadasi, Turkey, where we are scheduled to embark Emerald Kaia. We are part of a small group of very fortunate journalists who have been invited on one of the very first sailings of this new luxury yacht.

The drive from Izmir to Kusadasi took about an hour. There was quite a bit of traffic getting out of Izmir, but soon we were zooming down the freeway to Kusadasi. When we did arrive at Kusadasi (I pronounce it ‘koo-shod-uh-see’, but some pronounce it ‘koo-suh-dah-see’. Which is correct?) we could see Emerald Kaia docked on the other side of the bay. I have to tell you, she looked pretty impressive.

Embarking the ship in Kusadasi involves walking through a portside shopping maze. There is a security checkpoint where our luggage was scanned, then we walked through a mall filled with souvenir shops. When we exited the terminal, Emerald Kaia was docked right in front of us. Honestly, this ship looks like a mega-yacht you would see docked in Monte Carlo belonging to some wealthy Emirate prince, or Russian oligarch. It does not look like a cruise ship.

As we walked down the pier toward Emerald Kaia, we could not resist the urge to stop and take some photos with the ship in the background. It is a beautiful, sunny day in Kusadasi and a very scenic port. The sun is in the perfect position, so why not get some great photos?

*Rickee stops for a quick pose in front of Emerald Kaia*

As we approached the gangway, a crew member took our luggage and assured us that everything would be delivered to our stateroom. We walked up the gangway and stepped onto Emerald Kaia for the first time. The first thing you notice is how contemporary the decor is. Kaia really does feel more like a yacht than a cruise ship. We step aboard into the main Reception area on Deck 3. Checking in was a simple process of handing over our passport, having a security photo taken, and completing a health declaration. We were each handed our statroom key cards and told that our staterooms were ready for us. We were also told that lunch was being served in the buffet restaurant on Deck 3 aft.

Another crew member then escorted us to an elevator to go up to Deck 4 where we were shown to our stateroom, #404. We are near the front of the yacht, so it will be interesting to see if motion becomes an issue over the next few days.

Of course, we will do a complete review video of the standard balcony stateroom on Emerald Kaia, but I will share some first impressions. At 330 sq. ft., the stateroom is roomy and well designed. The decor is ultra contemporary and somewhat minimalistic. This design is reflected throughout the yacht. The only splash of color in the stateroom is a padded chair and ottoman next to the sliding glass door.

There is a lot of storage space and a very nice closet containing a large safe, umbrellas, slippers and robes.

The bathroom is a nice size with a large shower, good sized sink and a mirrored medicine cabinet for storing small toiletries. There are also two large drawers under the sink for storing larger personal items, one of which contains a Dyson hair dryer.

The balcony is wide, but quite narrow. There is room for two chairs and a table large enough to enjoy room service breakfast.

After our brief tour of the stateroom, we decided to head to the La Cucina restaurant (Deck 3 aft) for lunch. Most of the other guests were off on tours of Ephesus, so when we arrived at the restaurant, we practically had the buffet to ourselves.

Guests can choose to dine al fresco, or indoors. All of the tables are large and offer comfortable seating. Some tables actually have booth seating.

*Large, well-positioned tables at La Cucina*

While the buffet offerings are not as expansive as you will find on larger cruise ships, the food on offer instantly appears to be elevated from what you typically find on a “cruise ship” buffet. Today’s buffet offered BBQ pork ribs, grilled beef sirloin, grilled Mahi Mahi, a chicken dish that I cannot describe other than it was delicious, tempura vegetables, steamed vegetables and rice.

There is a large selection of salads, breads, and desserts. Today’s soup was Egg Drop Soup, which was delicious.

Everything I tried was very good and some of the best buffet dishes I have ever enjoyed. This was a very good first impression for the food and dining aboard Emerald Kaia.

After lunch, we decided to unpack our luggage. While Rickee was unpacking, I had the opportunity to step outside and get some photos of the ship exterior.

The ship sailed away from Kusadasi right on schedule at 5pm.

At 6pm, we were invited to enjoy a drink with our journalist friends, and our host(ess), Alexa, on Deck 7 at the Sky Bar. This small venue offers indoor and outdoor seating. Sky Bar is smaller than the main bar located in the Lounge on Deck 3. I was disappointed to learn that there was no Crown Royal stocked at the Sky Bar. But, one great thing about a 128-guest yacht, it only takes a couple of minutes to go down to Deck 3, get my favorite drink and get back to Deck 7. You can literally get anywhere on the yacht in just a few minutes. Rickee, of course, had to try their Lemon Drop Martini, which she claimed passed the test with flying colors.

As we enjoyed our conversation in the Sky Bar, one of the ship’s entertainers set up his sound system and offered some background music. It was nice to have a lounge entertainer that kept his volume levels low enough so that it did not intrude on our conversation. Well done.

The Sky Bar closes from 7pm till 9pm so that guests can enjoy dinner during that time. There are no set dining times and guests are able to sit wherever and with whomever they wish. A few in our group decided to enjoy dinner in La Cucina on Deck 3. While this restaurant is a buffet at breakfast and lunch, in the evening it becomes a proper restaurant with full menu and table service. Menus change each evening.

Rickee ordered the shrimp cocktail as her starter and the Golden Polenta Cake with Eggplant & Olive Relish as here main course. I decided to try the Cream of Parsnip soup and the Lamb Kofta as my main.

Rickee enjoyed her Polenta, and my Lamb Kofta was excellent. We enjoyed an fantastic meal and great conversation with our new friends.

After dinner, we decided to call it a night and turn in. We are anxious to see how comfortable our bed it on Emerald Kaia. Tomorrow we will be in Kepez, Turkey and plan to visit Troy.

Day 1 - Embarkation in Kusadasi, Turkey

Pre-Cruise in Izmir, Turkey