Latest news with #AsukaIII
Kyodo News
3 days ago
- Business
- Kyodo News
FEATURE: Cruise boom buoys Japan's post-pandemic tourism
By Keiichiro Otsuka, KYODO NEWS - 19 hours ago - 10:42 | Feature, All, Japan, Travel/Tourism When the Diamond Princess was quarantined off Yokohama in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Japan's cruise industry ground to a halt, its future clouded by fear and uncertainty. Today, that industry is roaring back. Demand for maritime journeys with swimming pools among a host of luxury amenities and entertainment has surged due to pent-up wanderlust and a wave of new investments. Japanese ports are seeing record domestic passenger numbers, signaling not just a revival in leisure travel, but a broader boost to local economies that rely on tourism. Japan, an archipelago of over 14,000 islands and one of the largest economies in the world, has a relatively small cruise industry and modest vessels compared to the U.S., home of giants like Carnival Cruise Line. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, however, the Japanese cruise market grew significantly in 2024, increasing by 14.2 percent year-on-year to 224,100 passengers. The number of international visitors entering Japan by cruise ship quadrupled to 1.4 million, nearly 60 percent of the record set in 2017. Kentaro Matsuura, president of cruise travel agency Yutaka Club (Tokyo), estimates domestic passengers will exceed 250,000 in 2025 and may approach the 2019 record high of 356,600 next year. With their core cargo business hit hard by U.S. President Donald Trump's import tariffs, Japanese shipping giants are developing cruise ships into thriving businesses that can produce stable income streams. Due to tariffs, shipping companies NYK Line and Mitsui O.S.K Lines Ltd. (MOL) forecast 47.7 percent and 60.0 percent year-on-year declines in net profits, respectively, in their consolidated financial accounts for fiscal 2025. NYK Cruises will launch the Asuka III on July 20, expanding its fleet to two ships, while Mitsui Ocean Cruises will add a third ship in the latter half of next year. On the evening of May 5, the Mitsui Ocean Fuji, which MOL began operating in December 2024, passed under Yokohama Bay Bridge. Nearby, in the Port of Yokohama, Mitsui's Nippon Maru was awaiting departure. Also docked was the Cunard luxury liner Queen Elizabeth. "I look forward to seeing the Asuka III," said a man viewing the ships. At 52,265 gross tons and 230 meters long, the Yokohama-based Asuka III will be the largest passenger ship in the Japanese fleet. It will be decorated with frescoes by Japanese painter Hiroshi Senju, giving it the feel of a floating art gallery, and all 381 cabins will have private seaside balconies. Her maiden voyage from July 20 to 26 will be from Yokohama to Hakodate and Otaru in Hokkaido. The costs per passenger will be between 984,000 yen ($6,800) and around 4.80 million yen. In February, NYK Line and its subsidiary Yusen Cruises reached a basic agreement on a business alliance in which Oriental Land, which operates Tokyo Disney Resort, will take over the operation and management of cruise ships scheduled to enter service in fiscal 2028. The main departure and arrival port will be Tokyo Bay, and shows featuring Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters will be held on board. A second vessel is also being considered for service. To keep up with its rival, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines in March announced that it had also bought an additional sister ship (32,477 gross tons) from the U.S.-based Seabourn Cruise Line, the seller of the Mitsui Ocean Fuji hull, to begin operations in the latter half of next year. "Mitsui Ocean Fuji has received a very positive response from customers due to the fact that they can enjoy the expansive ocean views from their cabin verandas," said MOL President Tsunemichi Mukai, adding that the addition of a sister ship will only strengthen the company's ability to attract customers. The company plans to build two passenger ships at a European shipyard and launch them in the near future. Related coverage: Former Diamond Princess passengers mark 5 yrs since COVID outbreak Disney Cruise Line makes Singapore its 1st home port in Asia
Kyodo News
3 days ago
- Business
- Kyodo News
FEATURE: Cruise boom buoys Japan's post-pandemic tourism
By Keiichiro Otsuka, KYODO NEWS - 2 minutes ago - 10:42 | Feature, All, Japan, Travel/Tourism When the Diamond Princess was quarantined off Yokohama in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Japan's cruise industry ground to a halt, its future clouded by fear and uncertainty. Today, that industry is roaring back. Demand for maritime journeys with swimming pools among a host of luxury amenities and entertainment has surged due to pent-up wanderlust and a wave of new investments. Japanese ports are seeing record domestic passenger numbers, signaling not just a revival in leisure travel, but a broader boost to local economies that rely on tourism. Japan, an archipelago of over 14,000 islands and one of the largest economies in the world, has a relatively small cruise industry and modest vessels compared to the U.S., home of giants like Carnival Cruise Line. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, however, the Japanese cruise market grew significantly in 2024, increasing by 14.2 percent year-on-year to 224,100 passengers. The number of international visitors entering Japan by cruise ship quadrupled to 1.4 million, nearly 60 percent of the record set in 2017. Kentaro Matsuura, president of cruise travel agency Yutaka Club (Tokyo), estimates domestic passengers will exceed 250,000 in 2025 and may approach the 2019 record high of 356,600 next year. With their core cargo business hit hard by U.S. President Donald Trump's import tariffs, Japanese shipping giants are developing cruise ships into thriving businesses that can produce stable income streams. Due to tariffs, shipping companies NYK Line and Mitsui O.S.K Lines Ltd. (MOL) forecast 47.7 percent and 60.0 percent year-on-year declines in net profits, respectively, in their consolidated financial accounts for fiscal 2025. NYK Cruises will launch the Asuka III on July 20, expanding its fleet to two ships, while Mitsui Ocean Cruises will add a third ship in the latter half of next year. On the evening of May 5, the Mitsui Ocean Fuji, which MOL began operating in December 2024, passed under Yokohama Bay Bridge. Nearby, in the Port of Yokohama, Mitsui's Nippon Maru was awaiting departure. Also docked was the Cunard luxury liner Queen Elizabeth. "I look forward to seeing the Asuka III," said a man viewing the ships. At 52,265 gross tons and 230 meters long, the Yokohama-based Asuka III will be the largest passenger ship in the Japanese fleet. It will be decorated with frescoes by Japanese painter Hiroshi Senju, giving it the feel of a floating art gallery, and all 381 cabins will have private seaside balconies. Her maiden voyage from July 20 to 26 will be from Yokohama to Hakodate and Otaru in Hokkaido. The costs per passenger will be between 984,000 yen ($6,800) and around 4.80 million yen. In February, NYK Line and its subsidiary Yusen Cruises reached a basic agreement on a business alliance in which Oriental Land, which operates Tokyo Disney Resort, will take over the operation and management of cruise ships scheduled to enter service in fiscal 2028. The main departure and arrival port will be Tokyo Bay, and shows featuring Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters will be held on board. A second vessel is also being considered for service. To keep up with its rival, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines in March announced that it had also bought an additional sister ship (32,477 gross tons) from the U.S.-based Seabourn Cruise Line, the seller of the Mitsui Ocean Fuji hull, to begin operations in the latter half of next year. "Mitsui Ocean Fuji has received a very positive response from customers due to the fact that they can enjoy the expansive ocean views from their cabin verandas," said MOL President Tsunemichi Mukai, adding that the addition of a sister ship will only strengthen the company's ability to attract customers. The company plans to build two passenger ships at a European shipyard and launch them in the near future. Related coverage: Former Diamond Princess passengers mark 5 yrs since COVID outbreak Disney Cruise Line makes Singapore its 1st home port in Asia
Japan Today
4 days ago
- Business
- Japan Today
Cruise boom buoys Japan's post-pandemic tourism
By Keiichiro Otsuka When the Diamond Princess was quarantined off Yokohama in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Japan's cruise industry ground to a halt, its future clouded by fear and uncertainty. Today, that industry is roaring back. Demand for maritime journeys with swimming pools among a host of luxury amenities and entertainment has surged due to pent-up wanderlust and a wave of new investments. Japanese ports are seeing record domestic passenger numbers, signaling not just a revival in leisure travel, but a broader boost to local economies that rely on tourism. Japan, an archipelago of over 14,000 islands and one of the largest economies in the world, has a relatively small cruise industry and modest vessels compared to the U.S., home of giants like Carnival Cruise Line. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, however, the Japanese cruise market grew significantly in 2024, increasing by 14.2 percent year-on-year to 224,100 passengers. The number of international visitors entering Japan by cruise ship quadrupled to 1.4 million, nearly 60 percent of the record set in 2017. Kentaro Matsuura, president of cruise travel agency Yutaka Club (Tokyo), estimates domestic passengers will exceed 250,000 in 2025 and may approach the 2019 record high of 356,600 next year. With their core cargo business hit hard by U.S. President Donald Trump's import tariffs, Japanese shipping giants are developing cruise ships into thriving businesses that can produce stable income streams. Due to tariffs, shipping companies NYK Line and Mitsui O.S.K Lines Ltd (MOL) forecast 47.7 percent and 60.0 percent year-on-year declines in net profits, respectively, in their consolidated financial accounts for fiscal 2025. NYK Cruises will launch the Asuka III on July 20, expanding its fleet to two ships, while Mitsui Ocean Cruises will add a third ship in the latter half of next year. On the evening of May 5, the Mitsui Ocean Fuji, which MOL began operating in December 2024, passed under Yokohama Bay Bridge. Nearby, in the Port of Yokohama, Mitsui's Nippon Maru was awaiting departure. Also docked was the Cunard luxury liner Queen Elizabeth. "I look forward to seeing the Asuka III," said a man viewing the ships. At 52,265 gross tons and 230 meters long, the Yokohama-based Asuka III will be the largest passenger ship in the Japanese fleet. It will be decorated with frescoes by Japanese painter Hiroshi Senju, giving it the feel of a floating art gallery, and all 381 cabins will have private seaside balconies. Her maiden voyage from July 20 to 26 will be from Yokohama to Hakodate and Otaru in Hokkaido. The costs per passenger will be between 984,000 yen and around 4.80 million yen. In February, NYK Line and its subsidiary Yusen Cruises reached a basic agreement on a business alliance in which Oriental Land, which operates Tokyo Disney Resort, will take over the operation and management of cruise ships scheduled to enter service in fiscal 2028. The main departure and arrival port will be Tokyo Bay, and shows featuring Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters will be held on board. A second vessel is also being considered for service. To keep up with its rival, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines in March announced that it had also bought an additional sister ship (32,477 gross tons) from the U.S.-based Seabourn Cruise Line, the seller of the Mitsui Ocean Fuji hull, to begin operations in the latter half of next year. "Mitsui Ocean Fuji has received a very positive response from customers due to the fact that they can enjoy the expansive ocean views from their cabin verandas," said MOL President Tsunemichi Mukai, adding that the addition of a sister ship will only strengthen the company's ability to attract customers. The company plans to build two passenger ships at a European shipyard and launch them in the near future. © KYODO
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New German cruise ship headed downriver for North Sea
A new German-built cruise ship set off on its journey from a riverside shipyard to the North Sea on Sunday, with numerous people watching as it left the harbour. The "Asuka III" departed the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, near the north-western German border to the Netherlands. The approximately 40-kilometre journey over the River Ems to the Dutch port of Eemshaven began early on Sunday morning. Despite the early hour and heavy fog, many spectators gathered in the Papenburg harbour and along the riverbanks to watch the ship leave, according to a dpa photographer. The ship was towed backwards along the narrow Ems by tugs, a method that has proven effective for transfers to the sea. The "Asuka III" is the first ship Meyer Werft has built for the Japanese shipping company NYK Cruises. The vessel, which is 230 metres long and nearly 30 metres wide, has a spa area with a Japanese open-air bath and can accommodate around 740 passengers - a far smaller number than the ships built by US companies. To move the ship, the Ems flood barrier has been closed to dam the river and raise the water level, a move criticized by environmentalists who complain about the ensuing damage to nature. The ship is due to arrive in Eemshaven by Tuesday morning. After technical tests, it will proceed to the German port of Emden, where it will be handed over to the shipping company. Meyer Werft has recently faced financial difficulties due to the global tourism slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, despite having a full order book. Last year, the German government and the state of Lower Saxony each acquired a 40% stake in the company.
Japan Times
21-02-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Luxury cruise ship Asuka III to enter into service in July
A new Japanese luxury cruise ship, the Asuka III, will enter into service on July 20, its operator, NYK Cruises, said Thursday. The ship provides more luxurious cabins and services than the Asuka II, which is currently in service, and has improved facilities so that passengers can enjoy them in a wide range of ways, said the unit of Nippon Yusen K.K., a Japanese shipping service company. The Asuka III has 385 cabins across three classes, all equipped with a balcony. Butler services will be provided for the highest class. The ship has six restaurants and an open-air bath on the front deck. The ship will offer trips of three nights or more, including experience-based sightseeing tours during port calls. The Asuka III plans to visit Hakodate and Otaru, both in Hokkaido, in its first cruise departing from and arriving at Yokohama. It will also offer a trip to South Korea's Jeju Island in the future. "We would like to vigorously promote growth in Japan's cruise market," NYK Cruises President Hiroyuki Endo said.
