Royal Caribbean International will sail from Shanghai with the 2019-built Spectrum of the Seas in April 2024, marking the brand’s return to China.
The Anthem of the Seas will reposition to Singapore for the 2024-25 cruise season, starting homeporting operations in October 2024.
Singapore was the first homeport in Asia to allow ships to restart cruises in late 2020.
Since then, the Spectrum of the Seas has been sailing cruises primarily from Singapore ranging from three to four nights.
The Spectrum of the Seas will reposition to China and will start offering sailings from Shanghai in April 2024. The ship will visit ports in Japan including Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagasaki.
From Hong Kong, the Spectrum of the Seas will offer eight sailings with visits to Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam.
The Westerdam is marking Holland America Line’s return to Japan today after a three-year gap.
Following a short season in Southeast Asia, the 1,900-guest vessel arrived in Yokohama to kick off a spring program in the country.
Sailing roundtrip from the port – which is located near Japan’s capital city, Tokyo – the Westerdam is set to offer a series of 11- to 14-day cruises to different ports including Kobe/Osaka, Tokushima, Kagoshima and Shimizu.
For its first cruise in the region since early 2020, the ship is offering a 14-night itinerary named “Japan Explorer.”
The voyage features visits to a total of ten ports in the region, such as Hiroshima, Kochi and Sakaiminato.
Through April, the program also includes visits to Ishigaki, Naha and other destinations in Japan, as well as ports of call in Taiwan and South Korea.
After completing its Asia schedule, the ship offers a 14-day North Pacific Crossing to Seattle – its homeport for the upcoming summer season in Alaska.
Offering a premium cruise product, the vessel was designed with an array of dining, entertainment and bar venues that include the Exploration’s Café – a lounge that provides travel resources and enrichment opportunities for guests.
Other features comprise the Billboard Onboard, where two pianists perform shows centred around facts and figures of the music industry, and the Lincoln Center Stage, which showcases a nightly ensemble of musicians performing chamber music.
The ship also offers an extensive dining lineup that includes Holland America Line’s signature venues, such as the Pinnacle Grill steakhouse and the Italian Canaletto Restaurant.
HAL will deploy Westerdam to Japan early next year off the back of a stint in Australia and New Zealand; the ship will start its Asia season on 3rd February after a January dry dock in Singapore.
Japan lifted its curbs on cruising last month. Westerdam will sail roundtrip from Yokohama or Singapore, or between the two destinations.
Cruises range from 11 to 14 days and can be combined to create non-repeating Collectors’ Voyages. Across five itineraries, guests will be able to visit Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, with overnight calls in Singapore, Kobe, Osaka and Phuket.
The season will conclude with a 14-day North Pacific Crossing from Yokohama to Seattle departing on 24th April when Westerdam redeploys for its Alaska season.
“We’re grateful for the work that the Japanese authorities have done to allow for a return to cruising,” said HAL president Gus Antorcha.
“Holland America Line’s guests love longer voyages to unique parts of the world, and we’ll be sailing to some incredible locations as our season in Japan and the rest of Asia begins.”
HAL will provide details of any specific health protocols for each departure in advance via its voyage lookup tool.
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