Tag Archives: Asia cruise

Disney to Leave Australia and New Zealand Market After 2025-26 Season

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Disney to Leave Australia and New Zealand Market After 2025-26 Season

Disney Cruise Line is leaving the Australia and New Zealand market after the 2025-26 season, the company confirmed in a statement.

“The Disney Adventure’s maiden sailings from Singapore in December 2025 will launch a magical expansion into the Asia-Pacific region,” the company said.

“As part of this growth, we will be repositioning the Disney Wonder to another part of the world following its 2025-26 season in Australia and New Zealand,” Disney continued.

The company did not reveal alternative deployment plans for the vessel, which is scheduled to spend the summer of 2026 sailing in Alaska.

“While the Disney Wonder will not return to Australia and New Zealand for the 2026-27 season, we want to reassure you that sailings from this region remain a strong consideration for future itineraries,” Disney noted.

“The response from guests during our local seasons has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are looking forward to a fantastic upcoming season starting on Oct. 19, 2025.”

Disney Cruise Line debuted in the Australia and New Zealand market in the 2023-24 season with the Disney Wonder. The 1999-built vessel later returned to the region for a second season in 2024-25.

As part of its farewell deployment in the South Pacific, the Disney Wonder is set to offer short cruises departing from Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland.

After starting in late October, the season runs through early February and includes three- to five-night itineraries to Eden, Hobart, Wellington and Christchurch.

In December, the 1,750-guest ship is also scheduled to offer a special ten-night cruise that sails from Sydney to Auckland.

The longer itinerary features visits to Fjordland National Park, Napier, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch.

Taking over Disney’s operations in the Asia-Pacific region, the Disney Adventure is set to offer short cruises to nowhere in Southeast Asia.

Currently in the final stages of construction in Germany, the 208,000-ton ship will sail from Singapore on a year-round basis.

New Year, New Ship: Adora Magic City Embarks on Maiden Voyage in China

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The Adora Magic City set sail on its first commercial voyage for Adora Cruises today. Built to serve the Chinese market, the 135,000-ton cruise ship is now offering a series of four- and five-night cruises departing from Shanghai.

The itineraries include visit to different destinations in the Far East, including the Jeju Island, in South Korea, and the Japanese cities of Fukuoka, Okinawa, Sasebo and Nagasaki.

Sailing on a year-round basis, the short cruises also feature one or two full days cruising at the East China Sea.

With a design based on Carnival Cruise Line’s Vista Class, the Adora Magic City is the first ever large cruise ship built at a Chinese shipyard.

As part of a partnership with the Italian shipyard Fincantieri, the 5,000-guest vessel was constructed at the Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Yard, a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, in Shanghai.

According to Adora Cruises, the Magic City combines Eastern and Western aesthetics, as well as diverse concepts to bring guests “ingenious gastronomy, immersive entertainment, trendy shopping areas, and several creative and enjoyable spaces.”

Among the ship’s features is a series of dining venues that serve world cuisine, the company added, as well as special performances at a 1,000-guest, state-of-the-art theater.

With no casino onboard, the cruise ship also offers super-large duty-free shops that sell products from both global and local brands.

In addition to the Magic City, the Mediterranea is also in service for Adora Cruises. After launching service for the company in September 2023, the 2003-built ship is currently offering a series of short cruises departing from Tianjin, in Northern China.

A second Vista-Class ship is also being built for the homegrown cruise line at the Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Yard. Slightly larger than the Adora Magic City, the yet-unnamed vessel is expected to enter service in 2025.

Carnival Luminosa to Spend 10 Days at Sea

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Carnival Cruise Line is changing the itinerary of Luminosa’s 30-day repositioning cruise to Australia.

After sailing from Seattle on Sep. 14, the cruise will no longer visit any port in Alaska.

Instead, it will head straight to Japan, spending a total of ten days at sea before arriving in the port of Otaru.

“In partnership with our Fleet Operations Center, we are monitoring a low-pressure system in the greater Alaska region which is forecasted to create unusually high swells and strong winds that will impact the first part of our itinerary,” the company said in a statement given to guests onboard.

“To maintain a safe distance from the storm, we must sail south of the low-pressure system. Therefore, it will not be possible to visit Alaska,” Carnival added.

The original itinerary of the repositioning cruise included visits to Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, in addition to scenic cruising at the Hubbard Glacier.

“Everyone’s safety is our priority, and we really have no choice other than to change our itinerary. We know you were looking forward to visiting Alaska as part of this unique adventure and we share your disappointment,” the statement remarked.

“To make it up to you, we will be posting a $200, per stateroom, onboard credit to your Sail & Sign account to enjoy a little something on us,” Carnival added.

The company will also reimburse any pre-purchased shore excursions for the destinations that are no longer being visited.

Now sailing directly to Asia, the Carnival Luminosa is scheduled to arrive in Japan earlier than planned and visit an additional port in the country. To accommodate the extra port of call, however, Carnival also cancelled a visit to Kushiro.

Following the revised itinerary, the 2009-built ship is scheduled to arrive in Otaru on Sep. 25, before heading to Hakodate on Sep. 26.

The remainder of the cruise, which also includes visits to three other ports in Japan and additional visits to Indonesia and the Philippines, hasn’t changed.

Spending the 2023-2024 winter in Australia, the Carnival Luminosa is scheduled to arrive in Brisbane on Oct. 15.