Eastern Promise
Asia has long been an overlooked cruise destination, but more itineraries are launching on its rivers and oceans than ever before, bringing ever more possibilities for cruising, writes Brian Johnston.
From the energetic buzz of Ho Chi Minh City to the craggy gorges of central China, the raucous trading port of Busan in South Korea to the tropical islands of Thailand, cruising in Asia offers a fabulous variety of landscapes, neon-lit cities and vibrant cultures. There are few better cruise moments than sailing into Hong Kong Harbour, surrounded by the flashing of futuristic skyscrapers or – in total contrast – sailing into the forested bay of Nagasaki in Japan, dotted with misty islands. Yet curiously, Asia has never been seen as a core cruise destination. That is now rapidly changing, however, as cruise passengers seek out new destinations and Asians themselves start to set sail on the high seas in ever increasing numbers. Over a million Asians will soon be cruising annually, with the Chinese cruise market in particular tipped to explode. The number of Australians cruising in Asia is booming too. Last year, 95,000 of us sailed in Asia, compared to just 55,000 the previous year: an increase of 71.5 per cent, according to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia. Asian ports, better known for cargo than cruise ships, are finally waking up to the economic potential of cruise tourists. China, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, South Korea and Vietnam have all been investing in cruiseport infrastructure. Ships are following. Big player Royal Caribbean International certainly thinks it has a future in Asia. Quantum of the Seas is home-ported in Shanghai and Ovation of the Seas, officially launched in June, will be based in Tianjin near Beijing; it has Chinese actress Fan Bingbing as its godmother. MSC Cruises’ Lirica will also sail out of Shanghai. Norwegian Cruise Lines returns to Asia this year for the first time in 15 years, while Crystal Cruises has added significantly more Asian itineraries. Carnival Cruise Line and Costa Cruises are among other companies showing a strong interest in Asia. And Dream Cruises, which lays claim to being Asia’s first luxury cruise line, began marketing in Australia following the launch of its ship Genting Dream last November. It offers regular seven-night cruises along the Vietnam coast, round trip from Hong Kong. Princess Cruises too has its eyes firmly turned to the Far East. Sapphire Princess spends part of each year home-ported in Shanghai, and Majestic Princess, which launches next year, will be based there
permanently and dedicated to the Chinese market. Australian passengers are being courted as well. Diamond Princess and Golden Princess are offering new Asian itineraries, and will also sail between Australia and both Singapore and Japan in the 2017-18 season, with Australian currency used on board. In all, Princess will sail to 17 countries and 73 ports in the Asia-Pacific, including Taiwan, Korea, Southeast Asia and Japan. Small-ship companies are also finding plenty of allure in eastern promise. APT has introduced small-ship cruising in Japan, and Coral Expeditions launches a series of new itineraries in southeast Asia from November, starting with an adventurous, wildlife-oriented itinerary from Kalimantan to Singapore. Its Coral Discoverer will then undergo an overhaul before sailing the coasts of Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. And Star Clippers sails into Asian waters for the first time in December, with seven-night windjammer sailings around Thai and Malaysian islands. By mid-2017, Star Clipper will sail in Indonesia, both round-trip from Bali and between Bali and Singapore. Just as impressive is the surge of interest in river cruising. Ten years or so ago, China’s Yangtze River and its fabled gorges was the only significant river-cruise destination. Since then, the frontiers have been rolled back, with the Mekong and Irrawaddy Rivers now almost mainstream – though still seeing growth. For example, Travelmarvel has upped their Princess Panhwar departures on the Irrawaddy to 16 following a first-season sellout, while Scenic’s 44-passenger Scenic Aura glides down the slipway this month, offering 10-night cruises between Mandalay and Pyay. On the Mekong, APT’S Amalotus has been joined by Amadara on eight-day journeys through Vietnam and Cambodia, and Scenic launched Scenic Spirit at the beginning of this year. Avalon Waterways’ new Siem Reap offered something the others could not: a shallow-draft ship that could sail from both Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap, avoiding the usual lengthy road transfers onto the river. Recently, boutique company Pandaw River Expeditions started sailing into new stretches of the river on a cruise between Chiang Saen in Thailand into Laos, Myanmar and across the Chinese border to Jinghong. India’s Ganges River is the latest hot destination, with the likes of Travelmarvel, APT and Uniworld now operating on the river. There’s also a fascinating range of more obscure rivers that now have established river-cruise itineraries, including Sanctuary Cruises on Myanmar’s Chindwin River; Assam-bengal Navigation Company on India’s Brahmaputra River; and Pandaw on the Red River in Vietnam, for a sail amid the dramatic rock formations and rice paddies of the northern highlands. Just another of the fabulous offerings that is finally – and firmly – putting Asia on the world’s cruise charts.