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Who doesn’t enjoy sailing on a luxury cruise whilst losing yourself to the beauty of the endless sea, with luxury cruises offering a myriad of services and exclusive offers to their customers?
A report by Priyanka Lamb on Lifestyle Asia takes us back to create a memorable and fun experience, especially during a time when air travel is still largely restricted, but with international borders in Australia about to open, so why not think about treating yourself and here you go with her report!
From witnessing the rich corals and wildlife of Raja Ampat and partaking in a variety of water sports, to sightseeing at temples and tasting local cuisines, these journeys of a lifetime will satisfy even the most repressed of travellers.
Here are seven luxurious cruise trips in Asia that you shouldn’t miss out on. Plus, we give you a glimpse of their elaborate itineraries.
Seabourn Cruises
Explore Asia like never before onboard one of Seabourn’s ultra-luxury ships.
The Seabourn Odyssey and the Seabourn Encore are two cruises that will help passengers traverse across Asia in style. The suites onboard these cruises are second to none, with walk-in closets, a personal suite steward, a veranda whirlpool, and Swarovski Optik binoculars for you to gaze across the horizon in style. Whether you choose the Penthouse Suite, Owner’s Suite, or Wintergarden Suites, you can be sure that you’re in for a very pampered stay.
Each Seabourn ship boasts many dining venues — mostly open-seating — for guests to enjoy scrumptious meals with their loved ones. The cruise also offers shore excursions and various onboard entertainment options that range from a game at the card room, to retail therapy at its many shops.
Packages offered here include the 21-day Kuroshio Route, 16-day Thailand & Vietnam route, 28-day Grand Southeast Asia route, and a 14-day China & Gems of Japan route.
The all-inclusive packages start from US$7,499 (S$10,150) per person, and you can travel to the ports of Vietnam, Thailand, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and India onboard the cruise here.
Aqua Expeditions
Aqua Expeditions offers one of the most luxurious cruise trips in Asia. The Raja Ampat cruise expedition will bring passengers on an exploration of the Indonesian Archipelago of Raja Ampat which, apart from small islands, cays, and shoals, also comprises four main islands — Misool, Batanta, Waigeo, and Salawati.
The seven-night cruise expedition will showcase plenty of marine diversity and passengers can partake in exciting water sports like kayaking, diving, and snorkelling during the trip. Other activities included in the itinerary of this luxury cruise include wildlife excursions, both under and above sea level.
The trip will take place onboard its long-range explorer yacht Aqua Blu, a five-deck, 15-suite vessel that offers comfort like none other. Its bridge deck sees luxuries like a jacuzzi, and lounge daybeds, but expect other amenities such as a spa, exercise zone, outdoor dining, indoor lounge bar, library, and TV room within.
Packages offered include three 7-night (approx. S$10,190 per adult) cruise deals, as well as a longer 12-night (approx. S$15,700 per adult) one. The journey will take you from Bali and Flores to the Komodo National Park to witness marine life, before heading to Moyo Island of East Indonesia, Ambon and Spice Islands, and the Banda Sea. You’ll end up at Raja Ampat’s seas to witness its spectacular and unusual rock formations.
Viking River Cruises
Experience luxury like none other onboard the cruise ship Viking Saigon, a marvel which has been designed to navigate through the Mekong River — the longest river in Southeast Asia.
With a capacity of 80 guests, Viking Saigon is built using Scandinavian design principles. Here, you’ll be able to enjoy the best services as you indulge in the comfort of outdoor verandas and hotel-style beds, all while enjoying panoramic views of your surroundings.
Their Mekong cruises “reveal the emerald splendor of Cambodia and Vietnam.” Some of the amazing ocean expeditions offered by Viking Cruises in Asia include trips from Bali to Singapore, as well as from Tokyo to Bangkok. They are also great options if you want to explore Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh city. Packages start from US$4,999 (S$6,770) and includes a cyclo rickshaw ride around Phnom Penh.
Tauck
Discover Japan like never before with Tauck. From small ship cruising and river cruising to shore excursions — Tauck has something for everyone.
All 40 passengers on the luxury cruise, Le Soléal, will be accompanied by one Tauck Director. Additionally, you’ll be treated to Special Tauck Experiences, which include local cultural entertainment like sumo wrestling, as well as geisha and taiko performances.
The excursion, which starts at Osaka, includes sights of Kyoto’s temples, and Sakaiminato and Matsue’s black castle. The cruise will then take you to South Korea’s Busan, before you spend a day each in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. You’ll head home after visiting the shrines in Tokyo. Your itinerary will also see private Tauck shore excursions in Japan.
Starting at US$13,890 (approx. S$18,800) per person, the 14-day journey is what dreams are made of. Passengers can choose from a Prestige Stateroom, Prestige Suite, Deluxe Suite, and Owner’s Suite as they explore Japan the unconventional way.
The package also offers overnight stays at various hotels in Asia like The St. Regis and The Ritz-Carlton in Osaka, or Shangri-La and Palace Hotel in Tokyo.
Dream Cruises
Dream Cruises’ ships — Genting Dream, World Dream, and Explorer Dream — have all been outfitted to ensure that passengers get to witness the iridescent culture of the destination.
Genting Dream, for example, boasts a glow bowling alley, rope course, and zipline, not to mention a thrilling water slide park. Apart from spas and shops, travellers can also enjoy live production shows, movies at the cinema, and live music.
World Dream’s [pictured] amazing onboard experiences include the Little Dreamers Academy at Sea, which is the perfect place to drop your kids of at as you escape for a little me-time. The ESC Experience Lab is a dream for gaming enthusiasts, while the rope course, zipline, and water slide park are great options for adrenaline seekers.
Explorer Dream will stun you with its amazing dining options, whether you choose to indulge at the Dream Dining Room, Umi Uma, or Silk Road Chinese Restaurant. There’s also an ESC Experience Lab here, but gamers will find themselves mostly at The Zone, a laid-back lounge area for gaming.
Starting at US$108 (approx. S$146) per night per person (taxes and fees inclusive, excluding onboard gratuities), explore either Singapore or Hong Kong and set out on the voyage of your life as you relax and immerse yourself in the beauty surrounding you.
Crystal Cruises
Crystal Cruises Asian itineraries will offer you the best of everything. Their ocean fleet, which includes Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, are built to provide luxury to those who sail in it. With plenty of staff at hand, Crystal Serenity [pictured] — along with its amazing dining options and luxurious butler-serviced suites and penthouses — will blow you away with its hospitality. The cruise ship also has a bevy of entertainment options, such as the Galaxy Lounge, Resorts World At Sea Casino, and Hollywood Theatre.
Crystal Symphony also offers similar facilities as Crystal Serenity. The itineraries for this ship include stops at various ports in countries such as Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand — depending on the package chosen.
Expeditions like the two-week luxury cruise from Singapore to Colombo start at US$5,299 (approx. S$7,175) and halts at ports of Malaysia, Phuket, and Myanmar before finally reaching India, cruising across the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal along the way.
The Grand Journey, however, is a 16-night long luxury voyage that takes you through the South China Sea to reach Vietnam and Thailand, before crossing the Gulf of Thailand to reach Cambodia and finally Singapore. Prices for this start from US$6,269 (approx. S$8,488)
Seven Seas Voyager
With state-of-the-art services, rooms, and dining options, guests can partake in many onboard activities like shuffle boarding, playing golf, swimming, and playing bocce in the bocce court.
The Seven Seas Voyager offers seven luxurious suites: Master Suite, Grand Suite, Voyager Suite, Seven Seas Suite, Penthouse Suite, Concierge Suite, and Deluxe Veranda Suite. Don’t forget to check out its exclusive offers too.
Explore select destinations from Asia as you embark on your trip here. Starting from US$7,499 (approx. S$10,154) per person, select from the many cruise itineraries available and experience Asia like never before.
Itineraries here include a 10-night trip from Tokyo to Hong Kong, where you’ll cruise through Osaka, Ishigaki, Taipei, and Kaohsiung, amongst other places. You can also embark on a culinary journey of 15 nights from Hong Kong to Bali, where you’ll navigate through Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, and Singapore.
The Seven Seas Mariner offers an 18-night trip that starts in Singapore and cruises through the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, halting at Vietnam’s Nha Trang and Taiwan’s Taipei before reaching Tokyo via Kagoshima, Kyoto, and Shimizu.
A report from Lifestyle Asia by John Alwyn-Jones, Cruise Editor.