54-Day In-Depth Eastern Asia Exploration Cruise

Day 1 - Singapore

Arrive: Mon 01 February 2027 / Depart: Mon 01 February 2027

Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, Singapore joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963. Two years later, it became an independent island-state, developing into one of the world's most prosperous countries. With ultra-modern skyscrapers combined with a medley of Chinese, Indian and Malay influences, Singapore is a dynamic city rich in contrast and color, exhibiting a harmonious blend of culture, cuisine, arts and architecture.

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - At Sea

Day 4 - Laem Chabang

Arrive: Thu 04 February 2027 / Depart: Thu 04 February 2027

Bangkok is a city of endless fascination. Spiked with countless high-rise buildings of concrete and glass, Bangkok is an exhilarating mix of chaos and refinement, of frenetic markets and hushed golden temples, early-morning alms-giving rituals and ultra hip designer boutiques. In the heart of the city is the Chao Phraya River, its vast network of canals (klongs) as important to local transportation as the intricate road system. There is a wealth of history and culture to be discovered here: palaces, temples, markets, and exquisite classical Thai dance performances.

Day 5 - Ko Kood

Arrive: Fri 05 February 2027 / Depart: Fri 05 February 2027

Koh Kood, also known as Ko Kut, is an island in the Gulf of Thailand. The island is administrated as part of the Ko Kut District in Thailand's Trat Province.

Day 6 - Sihanoukville

Arrive: Sat 06 February 2027 / Depart: Sat 06 February 2027

Sihanoukville, also known as Kampong Som, is located in southern Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand, and is Cambodia's only international marine port. Its beaches are the most prominent natural feature of the city, spanning most of the surrounding coastline. Sihanoukville has several cultural sites, including Victory Monument built to symbolize friendship with Vietnam, and Independence Square, constructed in honor of independence and the Cambodians that lost their lives defending their country.

Day 7 - At Sea

Day 8 - Ho Chi Minh City

Arrive: Mon 08 February 2027

Ho Chi Minh City covers an area of more than 800 square miles, stretching westward from the South China Sea to the Cambodian border. Its land is overwhelmingly rural, dotted with villages and clusters of houses set amidst rice paddies. The downtown section of Ho Chi Minh City is still known as Saigon, and it is here the economic changes sweeping Vietnam and their social implications are most evident. The level of activity and energy of this city will amaze you, and make it clear that this country does not intend to stand still.

Day 9 - Ho Chi Minh City

Depart: Tue 09 February 2027

Ho Chi Minh City covers an area of more than 800 square miles, stretching westward from the South China Sea to the Cambodian border. Its land is overwhelmingly rural, dotted with villages and clusters of houses set amidst rice paddies. The downtown section of Ho Chi Minh City is still known as Saigon, and it is here the economic changes sweeping Vietnam and their social implications are most evident. The level of activity and energy of this city will amaze you, and make it clear that this country does not intend to stand still.

Day 10 - At Sea

Day 11 - Da Nang

Arrive: Thu 11 February 2027 / Depart: Thu 11 February 2027

Da Nang, known as Tourane by the French, succeeded Hoi An as the most important port in central Vietnam during the 19th century. Today, Da Nang's distance from other power centers, its natural endowments, (the port and proximity to Laos and Thailand), and its high degree of provincial autonomy allows for considerable local initiative. Among the Da Nang area sites of interest to visitors are the Marble Mountains, China Beach, the ancient port town of Hoi An and the imperial city of Hue.

Day 12 - At Sea

Day 13 - Ha Long Bay

Arrive: Sat 13 February 2027 / Depart: Sat 13 February 2027

Just off the coast of Vietnam, a myriad of karstic islands are clustered in this picturesque setting. Looming out of the sea, undercut by erosions into fantastic shapes, they reminded the Vietnamese of the looping back of a swimming dragon. Scattered among them, whole communities of fishing families live most of their lives on sampans, trading among themselves and periodically going into nearby towns such as Haiphong to sell their catch and buy supplies.

Day 14 - At Sea

Day 15 - Hong Kong

Arrive: Mon 15 February 2027 / Depart: Mon 15 February 2027

Hong Kong is divided into four sections: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and the numerous outlying islands. One hundred sixty-four square miles of dense real estate dominate Hong Kong Island, including enormous skyscrapers with futuristic architecture, opulent hotels, residential compounds on Victoria Peak, and some of the oldest Chinese communities in the region. All these elements create one of the most exotic and exciting ports of call in the world; one that is universally loved by tourists and its own enterprising citizens.

Day 16 - At Sea

Day 17 - Taipei

Arrive: Wed 17 February 2027 / Depart: Wed 17 February 2027

Keelung is the second largest port in Taiwan, and a booming trade industry has turned it into a very prosperous city and international seaport. However, the main reason for calling here is to travel inland to visit the contemporary metropolis of Taipei. Not long ago, the scenic valley of the Tanshui River was home to rice and vegetable farmers, but today it is the site of Taiwan's bustling center of culture, commerce and government.

Day 18 - Ishigaki Island

Arrive: Thu 18 February 2027 / Depart: Thu 18 February 2027

Closer to Taiwan than to Japan’s main islands, the Yaeyama group is a volcanic archipelago known (though not widely) for its coral reefs and clear waters. Ishigaki is the main hub, and attracts mostly Japanese visitors with inside information about the Caribbean-like appeal of the place. A part of the Okinawa Prefecture, the island is ringed by beaches that vary from sandy expanses to whole strands made up entirely of broken, bleached and tumbled coral. The land itself is mostly given over to palm forests and pineapple plantations. Capes such as Hirakubozaki on the west side, or Uganzaki at the northern tip, are marked by lighthouses and offer nice views. At Kabira Bay no swimming is allowed, due to culture of black pearls, but glass-bottom boats offer views of the colorful sea life. Other beaches welcome snorkelers, swimmers and windsurfers.

Day 19 - At Sea

Day 20 - Kagoshima

Arrive: Sat 20 February 2027 / Depart: Sat 20 February 2027

Capital of Japan's southernmost prefecture, Kagoshima faces the Kinko-wan Bay and the active Sakurajima Volcano. Kagoshima played an important role in Japanese history, starting in the early 7th century when Bounotsu Port was a base for trading with China and other Asian nations. The region, formerly known as Satsuma was dominated by 29 generations Shimazu lords for over 700 years until the 1867 Meiji Restoration. Between the 9th and 15th centuries, Satsuma was an important trading port with the countries of east Asia, as well as Europe, becoming one of Japan’s earliest points of contact with the West.

Day 21 - Aburatsu (Japan)

Arrive: Sun 21 February 2027 / Depart: Sun 21 February 2027

Day 22 - Kochi, Japan

Arrive: Mon 22 February 2027 / Depart: Mon 22 February 2027

Japan’s Shikoku island is a popular place of pilgrimage among Japanese Buddhists. Kochi has three of the 88 temples on the route. Chikurinji Temple, with its five-story pagoda, is one of them. Located on Mount Godaisan, it also features an adjacent botanical garden. The town is most famous for its castle, originally built in the early 17th century, but largely rebuilt following a fire in the mid-18th century. It is one of only 12 existing feudal-period castles in Japan. South of the town, Katsurahama beach is a popular destination, although swimming is not allowed due to strong currents. A picturesque shrine located on a high point overlooking the sea is the perfect postcard image of rural Japan. The beach is also a good spot to enjoy Katsuo no Tataki, the traditional local dish of lightly grilled and seasoned bonito tuna.

Day 23 - Osaka

Arrive: Tue 23 February 2027

Day 24 - Osaka

Depart: Wed 24 February 2027

Day 25 - Toba, Japan

Arrive: Thu 25 February 2027 / Depart: Thu 25 February 2027

Day 26 - Shimiju, japan

Arrive: Fri 26 February 2027 / Depart: Fri 26 February 2027

Sprawling, semi-rural Shimizu Ward is dominated by forested coastal mountains, with hiking trails and ropeway rides to dramatic viewpoints above Suruga Bay. Miho Beach Park is popular for swimming and water sports in summer, and there are baseball and soccer fields nearby, plus an aquarium at the Marine Science Center. Busy fisheries supply sushi bars and seafood markets with local specialties like sakura shrimp.

Day 27 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sat 27 February 2027 / Depart: Sat 27 February 2027

Day 28 - At Sea

Day 29 - Osaka

Arrive: Mon 01 March 2027 / Depart: Mon 01 March 2027

Day 30 - At Sea

Day 31 - Busan, South Korea

Arrive: Wed 03 March 2027 / Depart: Wed 03 March 2027

Busan is the second largest city in South Korea, and the country's seaside connection to Japan and the West. Lovely urban scenery, the Pusan International Film Festival, and near-by hot springs has made Busan a popular leisure destination. Busan has the sophistication of a major city, as well as famous beaches that lure visitors from all over the world. The city is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose economic success often obscures, to Westerners, one of Asia's most sophisticated and venerable cultures.

Day 32 - Sakaiminato

Arrive: Thu 04 March 2027 / Depart: Thu 04 March 2027

Renowned for its bounty of fresh seafood, Sakaiminato is a fishing town backed by mountains in the Honshu region. Izumo Grand Shrine is one of Japan’s most important Shinto temples, and the six-story, black Matsue Castle is one of the oldest surviving Tokugawa Samurai castles. View the snow-capped Mount Daisen, the vermilion, elaborately carved Hinomisaki temples or soak in the Kaike Onsen hot springs by the sea. The Adachi Museum holds a collection of modern Japanese art, while the Tottori Flower Road is a 124-acre flower garden. On the streets, a number of statues commemorate the Yokai figures created by the locally-born manga artist Mizuki Shigeru.

Day 33 - Kanazawa

Arrive: Fri 05 March 2027

One of Japan’s best-preserved cities, Kanazawa escaped war damage and natural disasters to reward visitors with a wealth of architecture as an important clan castle town from the mid-17th century until the middle of the 19th. The mighty Kanazawa Castle did not survive intact, but its famous Ishikawa Gate, the Sunjikken Longhouse and lavish Kenrokuen Garden hint at the grandeur. Of special note are the surviving Higashi Geisha District and Samurai District streets. The Temple area holds the Myoryuji Temple with its hidden passages and secret doors giving it the nickname the Ninja Temple. The Oyamajinja Shrine is a later addition, its three-story gate with impressive stained glass windows reveal a Dutch influence. Museums worth exploring include the Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum, with examples of the arts and crafts using the pure gold decoration for which the region is famous. Another museum celebrates the Buddhist philosopher D. T. Suzuki, credited with introducing Zen philosophy to the West, and a striking 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Nearby Mt. Utatsu is renowned for its Three Shrines. VIEW CRUISES

Day 34 - Kanazawa

Depart: Sat 06 March 2027

One of Japan’s best-preserved cities, Kanazawa escaped war damage and natural disasters to reward visitors with a wealth of architecture as an important clan castle town from the mid-17th century until the middle of the 19th. The mighty Kanazawa Castle did not survive intact, but its famous Ishikawa Gate, the Sunjikken Longhouse and lavish Kenrokuen Garden hint at the grandeur. Of special note are the surviving Higashi Geisha District and Samurai District streets. The Temple area holds the Myoryuji Temple with its hidden passages and secret doors giving it the nickname the Ninja Temple. The Oyamajinja Shrine is a later addition, its three-story gate with impressive stained glass windows reveal a Dutch influence. Museums worth exploring include the Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum, with examples of the arts and crafts using the pure gold decoration for which the region is famous. Another museum celebrates the Buddhist philosopher D. T. Suzuki, credited with introducing Zen philosophy to the West, and a striking 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Nearby Mt. Utatsu is renowned for its Three Shrines. VIEW CRUISES

Day 35 - Niigata, Japan

Arrive: Sun 07 March 2027 / Depart: Sun 07 March 2027

Day 36 - Akita, Japan

Arrive: Mon 08 March 2027 / Depart: Mon 08 March 2027

Day 37 - Aomori

Arrive: Tue 09 March 2027 / Depart: Tue 09 March 2027

Located on the northernmost harbor of Japan’s main island of Honshu, Aomori is the traditional departure point for Hokkaido Island. It is famous for its summer Nebuta Matsuri festival, and has a museum that recaptures the color and pageantry for those who visit in other seasons. Explore the earliest prehistoric cultures of Japan at the Sannai Maruyama archaeological site, or visit the Aomori Museum of Art for a look at more contemporary works. Nearby Hirosaki boasts a 17th Century castle. Visit either the Auga or the Furukawa public fish market, where you can create your own version of a donburi rice bowl with pristinely fresh local seafood.

Day 38 - Miyako,Iwate, Japan

Arrive: Wed 10 March 2027 / Depart: Wed 10 March 2027

Day 39 - Ishinomaki, Japan

Arrive: Thu 11 March 2027 / Depart: Thu 11 March 2027

Ishinomaki is a city on Japan’s Honshu mainland. Housed in a striking spaceship-shaped building, the Mangattan Museum is dedicated to the work of manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. Along the coast, San Juan Bautista is a replica of a 17th-century Japanese galleon. Offshore, Kinkasan Island is home to wild deer and the 8th-century Koganeyama-jinja Shrine. Trails lead to the island’s summit for panoramic city views.

Day 40 - Hitachinaka, Japan

Arrive: Fri 12 March 2027 / Depart: Fri 12 March 2027

Day 41 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sat 13 March 2027 / Depart: Sat 13 March 2027

Day 42 - At Sea

Day 43 - Kochi, Japan

Arrive: Mon 15 March 2027 / Depart: Mon 15 March 2027

Japan’s Shikoku island is a popular place of pilgrimage among Japanese Buddhists. Kochi has three of the 88 temples on the route. Chikurinji Temple, with its five-story pagoda, is one of them. Located on Mount Godaisan, it also features an adjacent botanical garden. The town is most famous for its castle, originally built in the early 17th century, but largely rebuilt following a fire in the mid-18th century. It is one of only 12 existing feudal-period castles in Japan. South of the town, Katsurahama beach is a popular destination, although swimming is not allowed due to strong currents. A picturesque shrine located on a high point overlooking the sea is the perfect postcard image of rural Japan. The beach is also a good spot to enjoy Katsuo no Tataki, the traditional local dish of lightly grilled and seasoned bonito tuna.

Day 44 - Hososhima

Arrive: Tue 16 March 2027 / Depart: Tue 16 March 2027

Day 45 - Kagoshima

Arrive: Wed 17 March 2027 / Depart: Wed 17 March 2027

Capital of Japan's southernmost prefecture, Kagoshima faces the Kinko-wan Bay and the active Sakurajima Volcano. Kagoshima played an important role in Japanese history, starting in the early 7th century when Bounotsu Port was a base for trading with China and other Asian nations. The region, formerly known as Satsuma was dominated by 29 generations Shimazu lords for over 700 years until the 1867 Meiji Restoration. Between the 9th and 15th centuries, Satsuma was an important trading port with the countries of east Asia, as well as Europe, becoming one of Japan’s earliest points of contact with the West.

Day 46 - Nagasaki

Arrive: Thu 18 March 2027 / Depart: Thu 18 March 2027

Nagasaki is situated on the West Coast of Kyushu on a scenic bay. Located closest to the Asian mainland, it has historically been an important trading center and highly influenced by Chinese culture. When Japan chose to isolate itself from the Western world for two hundred years starting in the mid 1600's, Nagasaki was the only port open to foreign vessels. In recent history, Nagasaki was the second city after Hiroshima to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, bringing an end to World War II.

Day 47 - Busan, South Korea

Arrive: Fri 19 March 2027 / Depart: Fri 19 March 2027

Busan is the second largest city in South Korea, and the country's seaside connection to Japan and the West. Lovely urban scenery, the Pusan International Film Festival, and near-by hot springs has made Busan a popular leisure destination. Busan has the sophistication of a major city, as well as famous beaches that lure visitors from all over the world. The city is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose economic success often obscures, to Westerners, one of Asia's most sophisticated and venerable cultures.

Day 48 - Fukuoka

Arrive: Sat 20 March 2027 / Depart: Sat 20 March 2027

Located on the northern tip of Japan’s Kyushu Island, Hakata harbor’s location close to the Asian mainland made it an important port from very ancient times, serving the early administrative center at Dazaifu near by. In the 13th century, the Mongol Kublai Khan tried twice to subdue the city, but his attacks were both foiled by typhoons, which earned the last one the name Kamikaze, meaning “Divine Wind.” In the late 19th century, Hakata and the nearby samurai city of Fukuoka were merged. Today Fukuoka is a large, modern and eminently livable city that still benefits from its proximity to Korea and other “Asian Tiger” economies. Attractions for visitors include a park surrounding the ruins of the samurai Fukuoka Castle; the Shokufuji Temple, Japan’s first Zen temple; and the Japanese Garden and Gokoku Shrine in Ohori Park. The Genko Historical Museum holds displays of Japanese and Mongol armor from the period of the Mongol invasions. Modern highlights include the shopping and entertainment complex of Canal City and the waterfront Momochi Seaside Park development. Near by, the old 7th Century city of Dazaifu offers the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine with 6,000 flowering plum trees, the tranquil Komyozenji Temple with a lovely Zen garden, and the impressive, modern Kyushu National Museum.

Day 48 - Scenic Cruising

Day 49 - Hiroshima

Arrive: Sun 21 March 2027 / Depart: Sun 21 March 2027

Hiroshima means “wide island” in Japanese. The city was established in the 16th Century on Japan’s largest island, Honshu, and grew into an important shipping center and prefecture capital, boasting a fine castle. Although it was an important city in Japan throughout the imperial period, its reputation in the greater world was burned into history when it became to target of the first atomic bombing of a civilian target in August of 1945. The United States airplane Enola Gay dropped a nuclear device nicknamed “Little Boy” on the city that morning, obliterating everything within a two-kilometer radius and directly killing 80,000 people. Approximately 70 percent of Hiroshima’s buildings were destroyed. Within a year, injury and radiation illness had killed an additional 90, 000 to 116,000 citizens. The attacks on Hiroshima and nearby Nagasaki quickly led to the surrender of Japan and effectively precipitated the end of World War II in Asia. Within a few years, Hiroshima had begun to rebuild, and the city became the focus of an international movement to eliminate nuclear weapons from future wars. Relics of its past such as the impressive Hiroshima Castle and the tranquil Shukkeien Garden were rebuilt, and the city undertook the construction of a Memorial Peace Park, which today attracts visitors from around the world. The park, which holds a museum and a memorial “Atomic Dome” constructed on the closest remaining building to the blast site, is a moving and impactful place of pilgrimage in this re-born City of Peace. One notable feature is a colorful memorial to Sadako Sasaki, a young woman whose dying wishes for world peace were recounted in the story A Thousand Paper Cranes.

Day 50 - At Sea

Day 51 - Osaka

Arrive: Tue 23 March 2027

Day 52 - Osaka

Depart: Wed 24 March 2027

Day 53 - At Sea

Day 54 - Shimiju, japan

Arrive: Fri 26 March 2027 / Depart: Fri 26 March 2027

Sprawling, semi-rural Shimizu Ward is dominated by forested coastal mountains, with hiking trails and ropeway rides to dramatic viewpoints above Suruga Bay. Miho Beach Park is popular for swimming and water sports in summer, and there are baseball and soccer fields nearby, plus an aquarium at the Marine Science Center. Busy fisheries supply sushi bars and seafood markets with local specialties like sakura shrimp.

Day 55 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sat 27 March 2027 / Depart: Sat 27 March 2027