Tag Archives: South Korea

Royal Caribbean Announces Spectrum’s 2026-27 Hong Kong Season

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Royal Caribbean Announces Spectrum’s 2026-27 Hong Kong Season

Royal Caribbean International announced the Spectrum of the Seas’ 2026-27 Hong Kong homeport season, featuring new itineraries including a long-awaited combined Japan and South Korea route.

The upcoming season offers expanded scheduling with more flexibility and choice for vacationers.

The lineup includes exclusive, one-time-only itineraries designed to meet growing demand for diverse cruise vacations from Hong Kong, the company said in a statement.

Highlights of the 2026-27 season include a nine-night Japan and South Korea Thanksgiving and Autumn Foliage itinerary, marking the return of a combined route not offered from Hong Kong for years.

Guests will explore the cultures and landscapes of both nations, with calls at Tokyo, Osaka and Busan.

New this season are eight-night one-way voyages.

Guests can sail from Hong Kong to Tokyo along Japanese and South Korean destinations, or embark in Tokyo to explore Japan and Taiwan before disembarking in Hong Kong.

Two eight-night sailings can be combined to create one seamless vacation.

The season also features the classic five-night Okinawa and Ishigaki itinerary into Ryukyu culture, festive Christmas and New Year sailings, and a five-night Okinawa and Taipei route combining tropical island charm with city energy.

The four-night Vietnam Warm Winter Getaway is available one time only this season.

The just-concluded 2025-26 Hong Kong season achieved over 32 percent of guests on destination sailings originating from international markets, including North America, Europe and Australia.

MSC Bellissima Completes 2025 Season in China

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MSC Bellissima Completes 2025 Season in China

The MSC Bellissima recently completed MSC Cruises’ 2025 deployment in China after offering over 30 cruises from the country.

Serving the Chinese market, the 4,500-guest ship arrived in Shanghai in mid-January, offering winter sailings to Japan and South Korea.

The four- and five-night cruises, which continued to be offered through early March, included visits to destinations such as Fukuoka, Sasebo and Jeju.

The Meraviglia-class ship then repositioned to other Asian countries before returning to Shanghai in mid-July.

As part of a summer deployment in China, the vessel offered additional cruises to Japan and South Korea through early September.

The four- and five-night itineraries featured visits to more ports of call, such as Okinawa, Busan and Incheon.

The MSC Bellissima is set to offer cruises departing from Tokyo in October before repositioning to Naha and Keelung.

As part of its interporting operations in the region, the Bellissima offers a series of short cruises to Japan and Taiwan through the end of the year.

In addition to Naha and Keelung, the four-night itineraries feature alternating visits to Ishigaki and Miyakojima.

Similar sailings are set to be offered in early 2026, with departures from the two homeports scheduled through late January.

According to published deployment, the MSC Bellissima is poised to return to China next year, kicking off a repositioning cruise to Shanghai soon after completing its winter deployment in Japan and Taiwan.

As the largest cruise ship in Asia, the 167,600-ton vessel has been sailing year-round in the region since 2023.

Built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, the MSC Bellissima entered service in 2019 as a sister to the MSC Meraviglia.

After spending its inaugural season in Europe, the vessel also offered itineraries in the Middle East and the Red Sea before repositioning to the Far East.

Bellissima Sets Sail to Asia Ahead of MSC’s Return to Japan

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To view images of the MSC Virtuosa visit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

The MSC Bellissima is currently sailing to Asia. Following a program in the Mediterranean, the vessel is set to mark MSC Cruises’ return to Japan later this month.

After leaving Genoa on March 27, the Meraviglia-Class is currently on its way to Singapore, where it is set to arrive on April 16.

From Southeast Asia, the Bellissima is set to arrive in Yokohama to kick off a series of local cruises in Japan on April 29.

Sailing roundtrip from the port, the vessel is set to offer charter cruises in the country, in addition to different departures under MSC’s flag.

Also opened for bookings from international markets, the itineraries being offered by the European cruise line include an eight-night voyage sailing on June 12.

Sailing to Japan and South Korea, the cruise features visits to Hiroshima, Kagoshima, Jeju Island and Kobe – where the Bellissima is set to spend one night docked.

Other destinations being visited by the vessel during its Japan program include Naha, Fukuoka, Kanazawa, Hakodate, Kumamoto and more.

The Bellissima is also set to sail to Taiwan, as well as to more destinations in South Korea, with planned visits to Keelung, Busan and other ports.

At 167,600 tons, the 4,500-guest vessel is also set to become one of the largest ships to sail in the Asian market.

The MSC Bellissima was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France and originally entered service in 2019.

Part of MSC Cruises’ five-ship Meraviglia Class, the vessel offers several different amenities, including the Galleria Bellissima, a 96-meter-long central promenade that features an 80-meter LED dome, in addition to the largest shopping area in the fleet, and a dedicated waterpark.

Previously scheduled to sail in China, the Bellissima also offers 12 international dining venues, as well as 20 different bars.