Sail Away to Explore Magical Asia

Buddhist temples, Japanese gardens, the Great Wall of China, and of course the many different variations of Asian cuisine are just a few of the delights that await passengers who embark on an Asian cruise. Cruising provides a very manageable way to get around this vast continent and the opportunity to see several countries and cultures up close during one trip.  Because of all this part of the world has to offer, itineraries vary greatly – from intimate river cruises down the Yangtze River, to larger ships that sail to Northeast Asia or Southeast Asia.

One tip to keep in mind before embarking on an Asian cruise, since you will be likely traveling many hours to reach your destination port (probably over 20 hours from the East Coast), try to arrive one or two days in advance to give yourself a chance to rest and get oriented before boarding the ship.  You won’t want to miss a thing on these truly unique journeys.

Southeast Asia & China - Beijing to Bangkok
16-day Cruise
Ship: Diamond Princess
Princess Cruises

During this 16-day cruise, the Diamond Princess will dock at 10 ports of call including Shanghai, Hong Kong, Okinawa, Ho Chi Minh City (Vung Tau), Singapore before ending in Bangkok.  Passengers will also have plenty of opportunities to take in sights such as the Great Wall, The Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square. This luxurious ship offers an entire deck of mini-suites (a nice luxury when sailing for over 2 weeks!), a spa and varied dining options that allow passengers to pick and choose according to their tastes and schedules. Passengers will enjoy their surroundings while taking in the beauty and history of this spectacular part of Asia. For complete details click here

Northeast Asia - Departing from Hong Kong
14-Night Cruise
Ship: Quest
Azamara

Specializing in showing passengers ‘hidden corners of the world’ Azamara’s Quest sets sail from Hong Kong on a 14-day Northeast Asia cruise which stops at major ports including:  Shanghai, Busan, Kyoto (Osaka), Seoul and more.  With at least one full day to spend in each port passengers will have time to explore each city's attractions such as the Jade Buddha temple in Shanghai and the healing waters of Fukuoka's "onsen."  Azamara is best known for fine cuisine and service – each stateroom has a ‘butler’ and the ship's well-appointed common areas make passengers feel at home. For complete itinerary details and sailing dates click here

Yangtze River Cruise - Shanghai to Beijing
12-Night Cruise
Ships: Victoria Anna & Victoria Jenna
Avalon Waterways

This cruise-tour of China includes a four-night cruise down the Yangtze River and is best of both worlds for travelers who want to spend more time on land.  To start off the trip local guides give insightful tours in Shanghai, Xi’an, and Beijing. Then, cruise down the Yangtze River – the world’s third longest – where the ship will navigate through gorges and narrow waterways and passengers will have the opportunity to see the majestic Three Gorges Dam. Back on land, sightseeing tours will include the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the remarkable Terracotta Warriors, a rickshaw tour of the ancient Hutongs, the Peking Opera and an authentic Peking Duck dinner. Departures for these cruise-tours run from spring to fall. For full details click here

© 2008 Luxury Cruise News, published by Thomas, Townsend & Kent. All rights reserved.

Thomas, Townsend & Kent, www.thomastownsendandkent.com