Asia Cruising

About the Destination

Asia is the most densely populated continent in the world with over 4.4 billion inhabitants. 

Asia has a complete mix of cultures, languages and cuisines. Starting with the Indian subcontinent to the high-tech modern cities of East Asia, just about every travel experience conceivable is on offer on a cruise to Asia.  

While a multitude of languages are spoken, in most popular travel destinations a simple command of English usually suffices. Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Japanese and Vietnamese are just some of the other common languages.

Currencies vary from country to country, but ATMs and international exchange facilities are available in all large cities and in most tourist areas.

Main attractions

There are too many highlights to mention varying from busy cities, villages, temples, museums, regions with expansive white sand beaches and fantastic cuisine. A true melting pot of old and modern, rich and poor with experiences of different cultures in each unique destination.

One of the most popular cruise destinations is Singapore, with its vibrant cityscape, fantastic mix of cultures, cuisine, shopping and top dining and entertainment venues.
The most spectacular waterfront city is Osaka, while the Great Wall of China nearby Beijing shouldn’t be missed if cruising in that direction. The bustling streets of Seoul in South Korea are worth experiencing.

The Mekong Delta running through southwestern Vietnam, making a river cruise a great way to explore this part of Asia with its mix of local villages and river cruise luxury. The night markets of Bangkok are also worth a visit when in South East Asia.

Cruise lines that sail there

A wide range of cruises to various Asia ports are available with small ship and luxury lines such as Azamara Club Cruises, Compagnie Du Ponant, Crystal Cruises, G Adventures, Lindblad Expeditions, Paul Gauguin, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silversea, Swan Hellenic, Voyages to Antiquity and Windstar.

Larger ships on lines such as Celebrity Cruises, Costa, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Star Cruises also offer many Asian options.

River cruises are also offered by the likes of APT, Viking Cruises, Uniworld, Tauk and Pandaw.

When to go

Most cruises to Asia mainly leave in late October and early November, with temperatures tending to be cooler and less humid. February is a popular month to travel. Ports in China and Japan can still be quite chilly, so the best option is to plan to travel there between March and May and enjoy warmer weather.