Asuka III: Japan's First New Cruise Ship in 34 Years, in Photos and Data
Asuka III is a Japanese-flagged cruise ship operated by NYK Cruises. She entered service on July 20, 2025, as the line's first newbuild in about 34 years, since the original Asuka (1991). Her home port is Yokohama, and she now sails alongside Asuka II as part of a two-ship fleet.
This article draws on official announcements and press coverage to set out Asuka III's key facts, cabins and onboard life. A table at the end shows how she differs from Asuka II.
Key facts
| Operator | NYK Cruises (Yusen Cruises Co., Ltd.) |
|---|---|
| Gross tonnage | 52,265 GT (the largest Japanese-flagged cruise ship) |
| Length / beam | 230 m / 29.8 m |
| Top speed | 20 knots |
| Passenger capacity | 740 |
| Crew | approx. 470 |
| Cabins | 381 (all with balconies) |
| Flag / home port | Japan / Yokohama |
| Entered service | July 20, 2025 (named on July 11) |
| Builder | Meyer Werft, Germany |
* Some sources count four accessible cabins as well and give "385 cabins, 744 passengers". The figures here are the ones announced at the naming ceremony.
One notable feature is the fuel. Asuka III is the first Japanese cruise ship with engines that can run on LNG (liquefied natural gas), and she can also take power from shore while in port. The aim is to reduce her environmental impact, in line with Yokohama's carbon-neutral port efforts.
Cabin types
Every cabin has a balcony. Sizes and numbers are as follows.
| Royal Penthouse | 114.8 sq m ・ 2 cabins |
|---|---|
| Grand Penthouse | 93.0 sq m ・ 4 cabins |
| Captain's Suite | 87.1 sq m ・ 4 cabins |
| Panorama Suite | 67.3 sq m ・ 8 cabins |
| Asuka Suite | 48.5 sq m ・ 6 cabins (plus 2 accessible) |
| Midship Suite | 44.3 sq m ・ 52 cabins (plus 2 accessible) |
| Junior Suite | 33.0 sq m ・ 8 cabins |
| Asuka Balcony | 22.0 sq m ・ 271 cabins |
| Solo Balcony | 19.4 sq m ・ 26 cabins (for solo travelers) |
The most common type is the 22 sq m Asuka Balcony, with 271 cabins. The Solo Balcony is the Asuka brand's first cabin designed for travelers on their own. Fares vary a great deal with the cruise and the season, so none are listed here. Please check the latest prices with NYK Cruises or a travel agent before you book.
On board
At the heart of the ship is Asuka Plaza, a three-level atrium spanning decks 5 to 7.
There are six places to eat. Besides the main Four Seasons Dining Room for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can choose the EMS Garden buffet, Noblesse (French), Almare (Italian), Umihiko (kappo-style Japanese) and the Papenburg grill. You can match the venue to your mood each day.
Deck 11 has the Albatross Pool, an open atrium-style pool, and the Vista Lounge at the bow with its wide views. At the front of deck 12 is the Grand Spa, a panoramic bath with an open-air bath and a sauna. There is also a fitness center open 24 hours and regular yoga classes.
Artworks by calligraphers, lacquer artists and painters are displayed throughout, and the ship was conceived as a "floating art museum".
How she differs from Asuka II
Though both sail under the Asuka brand, the two ships have somewhat different characters. NYK Cruises describes Asuka II as a "suggestion-style" cruise and Asuka III as a "choose-your-own" cruise.
| Asuka II | Asuka III | |
|---|---|---|
| Entered service | 2006 | 2025 |
| Gross tonnage | 50,444 GT | 52,265 GT |
| Passengers | 872 | 740 |
| Cabins | 436 | 381 |
| Cabin type | All ocean view | All with balconies |
| Cruise concept | Suggestion-style | Choose-your-own |
Asuka II actively guides guests in how to spend their time on board. Asuka III is built so that guests can more easily choose their meals and activities to suit their tastes. Her passenger capacity is also smaller.
Asuka III in numbers
Divide passengers by crew and Asuka III works out to about 1.6 guests per crew member, against about 1.8 for Asuka II (calculated from 740 guests and about 470 crew, and 872 guests and about 490 crew). Both are generous staffing levels, but the figure is slightly higher for Asuka III.
Dividing gross tonnage by passenger capacity gives a rough measure of ship size per guest: about 71 GT for Asuka III and about 58 GT for Asuka II. The ship is bigger and carries fewer people, so the numbers point to a less crowded design. How busy she feels in practice depends on the cruise and how many guests are aboard, so treat this only as a guide.
Who she suits
She suits travelers who want a balcony cabin and their own pace, who like choosing where to eat each day, who are traveling alone and want a cabin made for one, or who want a new ship with Japanese-language service. In 2026, cruises are scheduled from Yokohama, Kobe, Nagoya, Hakata and other ports.
Photo credits
・Asuka III at Takamatsu port: Spaceaero2, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
・Asuka Plaza / Four Seasons Dining Room / EMS Garden: Ka23 13, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ship and cabin data: NYK Cruises announcements (July 2025), NYK naming-ceremony announcement, Travel Watch (February and July 2025), Traicy (July 2025). Checked November 2026. Please confirm the latest details on the official website.