Cruise Destinations

Asia

Asia: Ancient Civilizations & Modern Wonders

Asia is a continent of infinite diversity—from ancient temples to cutting-edge cities, from Indian spirituality to tropical Southeast Asia. Each port reveals centuries of culture and tradition.

Asian Routes

Far East

Discover Japan, South Korea, and China's vibrant metropolises.

Indian Ocean

Sail across the vast Indian Ocean with India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia

Explore Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and exotic timeless beauty.

Destination Guide

About this destination

Asia is the cruise world's rising star: modern mega-ports, ancient temples, and service cultures built around hospitality. Sailings here range from comfortable three-night hops out of Singapore to 14-night explorations of Japan's inner sea.

Three regions anchor the map. The Far East covers Japan, South Korea and coastal China — cherry-blossom sailings in late March, autumn colours in November, and ports like Kyoto's gateway Osaka, Nagasaki and Busan. Southeast Asia is the warm-water circuit: Singapore's Marina Bay cruise hub, Phuket, Penang, Ho Chi Minh City and Halong Bay, with temple towns and night markets within taxi distance of most berths. Indian Ocean voyages connect Mumbai, Cochin, Colombo and the Maldives — the longest and most exotic of the three.

For Iranian travellers, Asia is refreshingly practical: many itineraries start and end in Singapore, Malaysia or Thailand, where visa-on-arrival or e-visa processes are straightforward for Iranian passports, and no Schengen is needed. The best sailing window is November to March, when humidity drops and northern China sailings are avoided. Our Persian-speaking guides support the Singapore and Phuket departures.

The routes in detail

Every route, explained

Far East

The Far East circuit is Asia at its most polished: sailings from Tokyo, Osaka, Busan and Shanghai through some of the world's cleanest, safest and most efficient cruise ports. Spring itineraries chase the sakura — late March to mid-April in Kochi, Osaka and Nagasaki — while autumn sailings frame Kyoto's maple gardens. Common calls include Busan's hillside temples, Jeju's volcanic coastline, and Japan's Seto Inland Sea, arguably the most beautiful sheltered water in Asia. Two-week versions continue to Taipei and Hong Kong. The sailing seasons are spring and autumn; summer brings typhoon risk. Many routes require only an e-visa or none at all for Iranian passports depending on the port list — checked per sailing by our team.

Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean voyages are the region's grand sweep: 10-to-20-night itineraries threading Mumbai's Gateway of India, Cochin's spice-port canals, Colombo's colonial arcades and the atolls of the Maldives. The Maldives calls alone justify the fare — turquoise lagoons, private-island beach days, and some of the world's best house-reef snorkelling. Extended versions continue to the Seychelles, Mauritius or even around India's southern tip toward Thailand. Weather splits the year: the dry December-to-March season is prime for Maldives calls, while May-to-September monsoon months shift sailings to calmer northern waters. Visas are the easiest in this guide — Indian e-visas, Sri Lankan ETAs and Maldives visa-on-arrival all process quickly for Iranian passports.

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is the warm, affordable heart of Asian cruising, centred on Singapore — arguably the world's best cruise hub, with a terminal in the city itself. Round-trip itineraries of three to ten nights thread Malaysia's Penang and Langkawi, Thailand's Phuket and Ko Samui, Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City and the karst towers of Halong Bay, and Cambodia's Angkor gateway at Sihanoukville. Between ports: night markets, Buddhist temples, floating villages and the best street food at sea level. Weather favours November to March; April to October brings afternoon monsoon showers rather than grey weeks. For Iranian travellers it is the region's easiest combination — e-visas for Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia process online within days.