In its second season of sailings in Asia, Windstar Cruises is introducing new itineraries – including an Asian pop culture journey from Toyko to South Korea and Bangkok.
From September 2018 to April 2019, the 212-passenger Star Legend will sail on four new 11-day sailings, in addition to four returning cruises from its 2017/18 season, for a total of 27 sailings in the region.
New Asia itineraries include cruises between Singapore and Bali (Benoa), offering stops in Jakarta and Semarang in Indonesia, where guests can explore Dutch trading buildings in the Old Quarter or Borobudur. Among other on-shore highlights are Mount Bromo and Komodo National Park, while the cruise also takes guests to Pulau Bawean and Pulau Menyawakan, remote island locations not accessible by large cruises or scheduled flights.
Windstar will also cruise from Bangkok to Singapore, stopping by Malacca, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi.
Pop Culture Kings of Asia sailings will take guests from Tokyo to Beijing (or reverse), combining big cities such as Toyko, Osaka and Seoul (via Busan) with off-the-beaten path spots like Karatsu (Japan) and Tarnano/Uno.
This will allow guests to experience the birthplaces of J-pop, Harajuku culture and Korean dramas as well as shopping at top retail spots.
As well, the Comprehensive China Exploration cruise will sail from Hong Kong to Beijing, visiting Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei. The cruise also stops at Japan’s Ishigaki Island, known for clear waters and coral reefs, and China’s Qingdao.
These join four existing itineraries of Grand Japan, a 10-day voyage coinciding with fall and cherry blossom seasons; Icons of South-east Asia, a 12-day cruise from Hong Kong to Bangkok (or reverse); The Best of the Philippines & Borneo, a 14-day cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong; and Malay & Singapore Sojourn, a seven-day Singapore round-trip cruise that now features an overnight in Phuket.
Meanwhile, longer sailings include the returning Star Collector: The Grandeur of South-east Asia, a 26-day cruise from Singapore to Bangkok (or reverse) combining Windstar’s most popular itineraries. Star Collector Voyages in Asia range from 14 to 47 days.
New for 2018/19 in Asia are Star Collector: Shrines and Cities of Asia, a 22-day cruise from Tokyo to Hong Kong; and Star Collector: Epic East Asia, a 47-day cruise from Bangkok to Tokyo departing February 8, 2019.
