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The Asuka III celebrated its first full year of service for Asuka Cruise earlier this year after being delivered to the Japanese company on April 10, 2025.
The LNG-powered vessel was built at Meyer Werft and became the first new cruise ship introduced by the Japanese company in over 25 years.
After being handed over by the German shipyard, the 744-passenger ship embarked on a long repositioning voyage to Japan ahead of its maiden season.
With no guests onboard, the vessel sailed around Africa, arriving in Asia in early June 2025.
During the repositioning voyage, the Asuka III met with two other Asuka ships, cruising by the original Asuka, which now sails for Phoenix Reisen, off the Canary Islands.
The ship also sailed alongside the Asuka II near the coast of the island of St. Helena, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic.
Upon arriving in Yokohama, the ship underwent additional preparations before welcoming passengers for its inaugural cruise on July 20, 2025.
As part of its first season, the 51,950-ton vessel offered itineraries from various ports in Japan, visiting 30 destinations in the country, including Hakodate, Otaru, Takamatsu, Shingu, Muroran and Moji.
The deployment was highlighted by a Japan Circumnavigation cruise, which sailed roundtrip from Yokohama and included visits to ports like Kanazawa, Maizuru and Beppu over the course of 12 nights.
Before welcoming its first guests, the Asuka III was also christened at the Osanbashi International Passenger Terminal on July 11, 2025.
Tamiko Soga, wife of Takaya Soga, president of Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, served as godmother for the naming ceremony, which was joined by the Asuka II.
In 2026, the Asuka III is scheduled to continue to offer a range of itineraries from Japan, with cruises departing from Yokohama, Kobe, Nagoya and Hakata.
The ship is also scheduled to offer a 22-day itinerary to the South Pacific in early 2027, visiting Guam, Palau and more.
Fuente: cruise industry news
