Cruise travel is coming back online around the world, and Asian
destinations are among the ports of call for upcoming ship returns and
itineraries planned by Holland America Line (HAL), Princess Cruises,
Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours for as
early as 2022.
HAL is currently working with Japanese authorities to prepare Noordam
for a trio of sailings in the region starting 14 March, 2022.
Departures will leave roundtrip from Yokohama (Tokyo) and be 14 days in
length. Each itinerary will feature a deep dive into Japan, as well as a
one- or two-day visit to South Korea, Taiwan or Russia. The two-week
routes can further be combined to become 28-day Collectors Voyages.
After its 2022 Alaska sailings, Westerdam will also head to the Far
East for a season, starting in September and offering several
two-week-long trips from Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Yokohama
(Tokyo).
Celebrating its 10th anniversary of sailing from Tokyo and Kobe,
Princess will also return to Japan in the summer and fall of 2023
onboard its OceanMedallion-equipped Diamond Princess. A variety of five-
to 19-day cruises will stop at 38 destinations spanning the tropical
isles of Okinawa and the northernmost island of Hokkaido, and 13- or
14-day Highlights of Japan cruise tours will extend sailings with
multiple evenings onshore in Tokyo and Kyoto.
Available to customers along the way will be late-night stays in
Akita, Aomori, Hakodate and Osaka, as well as seven UNESCO World
Heritage sites and a chance to see the famed sakura, or cherry blossoms.
Princess is planning a return to Japan in 2023. Photo Credit: 2021 Princess Cruises
Also in 2023 and into spring of 2024, Regent is plotting out 12 Asian
itineraries on Seven Seas Explorer, encompassing the ports of Busan,
South Korea; Miyako, Sapporo (Otaru) and Kyoto, Japan; Hong Kong;
Boracay Island and Coron (Palawan) in the Philippines; and Bangkok,
Thailand.
If time permits, clients will even have the opportunity to combine
four such sailings into an expansive 59-night Grand Asia-Pacific
Journey.
Scenic will also deploy a ship to Japan, with Scenic Eclipse set to
sail a special 12-day voyage on June 19, 2023. Highlights will include
Maizuru, Sapporo, Hakodate and the archaeological dig of Sannai Maruyama
in Japan, plus Busan, South Korea.
Incheon is one of South Korea’s numerous ports. Photo Credit: 2021 Korea Tourism Organization
Besides Busan — known for Haeundae Beach, Gamcheon Culture Village,
Jagalchi Market and Nampo-dong Food Alley — Jeju Island, Incheon, Yeosu
and Sokcho are other Korean cruise ports worth seeking out. In fact,
Jeju Island has several UNESCO World Heritage sites, and Incheon’s
Chinatown offers a fascinating cultural crossover. And in Korea, Yeosu
is considered the country’s most romantic city, complete with scenic
shores and succulent seafood, while Sokcho is home to Seoraksan National
Park, the third tallest mountain in South Korea.
“A visit by cruise ship is an ideal way to explore the hidden gems of
Korea that will leave one wanting to come back for more,” said Jaesok
Park, executive director of the Korea Tourism Organization’s New York
Office.
Source: TravelAge West