Asuka III Arrives in Japan Ahead of Maiden Season

The new Asuka III arrived in Japan earlier this week after her long journey from Europe to Asia.

Built by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, the new Asuka Cruise ship arrived at the port of Yokohama on June 2, 2025.

The LNG-powered vessel is now getting ready to embark on its inaugural season in late July, kicking off a series of cruises departing from ports in Japan.

Upon being delivered, the Asuka III sailed from Northern Europe in mid-April, embarking on a journey that included technical stops in Africa and Asia.

With no guests onboard, the ship sailed to the Canary Islands, South Africa and Singapore before arriving in the Far East.

In an update on its website, Asuka Cruise highlighted the ship’s rendezvous with the previous Asuka ships.

According to the company, in late April, the ship met at sea with the original Asuka off the Canary Islands.

Currently operated by Phoenix Reisen, the 1991-built vessel, which now sails as the Amadea, sailed for the brand until 2006.

Asuka also arranged a meeting of the new ship with its fleetmate, the Asuka II, which is currently offering a world cruise.

The two vessels sailed alongside near the coast of the island of St. Helena, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic.

To mark the occasion, special ceremonies were held onboard the vessels, with crew and guests taking part in a themed celebration.

According to Asuka III’s Chief Engineer Takaaki Nakano, the ship’s delivery voyage was key to evaluating and testing various systems onboard.

“We inspected the operating conditions of various equipment, striving to provide a comfortable cruise experience for the future passengers of the Asuka III,” he said.

“We did our utmost to deliver the Asuka III safely to Yokohama so that everyone can see its beautiful sight,” he added.