The Port of Vigo will receive, for the first time in its history, a cruise ship with Japanese passengers on a three-month round-the-world trip

 The Asuka II will dock at the Transatlantic Pier on a round-the-world voyage that will conclude on July 16.
In Spain, Vigo and Barcelona will be the only ports this vessel visits.
 

The Port of Vigo will receive, for the first time in its history, a ship carrying Japanese passengers. Tomorrow, Saturday, one of Japan's most luxurious vessels, carrying tourists from the Far East, will arrive at the Vigo docks. Coming from Lisbon, Portugal, its arrival is scheduled for 6:00 a.m. It will remain docked at the Maritime Station until 6:00 p.m., at which time it will set sail for Honfleur, France.
The Vigo dock will thus welcome, for the first time, a ship from the Asian country, the 'Asuka II'. A Japanese-flagged vessel, easily known for its luxurious facilities and the high price tourists pay to travel on board.
The ship will include Vigo in its round-the-world voyage, which began on April 4th in the Japanese city of Yokohama and will conclude on July 16th, after visiting more than thirty locations. In Spain, Vigo and Barcelona will be the only ports it visits. Nearly a thousand people are on board, including passengers and crew.
To mark this inaugural stop, the President of the Vigo Port Authority, Ignacio López-Chaves, will visit the ship tomorrow, where he will participate in the traditional exchange of plaques with the ship's Captain.
Positioning in the Asian Market:
With this stop, the Port of Vigo positions itself in the powerful Asian market, especially relevant due to the high spending by its passengers upon arrival. In fact, the 'Asuka II' is distinguished by its luxurious accommodations and personalized service for its guests.
The Japanese cruise ship, owned by the century-old shipping company 'NYK Cruises' (Nippon Yusen Kaisha) – one of the largest in existence – was built in 1990 in a style and elegance reminiscent of Japan. Its technical specifications include a length of 241 meters, a beam of 30 meters, a draft of 8 meters, and a gross tonnage of 48,621 GT.
Considered the most luxurious cruise ship in Japan, the 'Asuka II' can accommodate 872 passengers and 470 crew members. It features two swimming pools, eight bars, a casino, and a fitness center. It also has a theater, 461 outside cabins – 260 of which have private balconies – and 19 inside cabins. The majority of the ship's passengers and crew are Japanese.
Built in the Nagasaki shipyards in Japan under the name 'Crystal Harmony' for the 'Crystal Cruises' shipping company, it was transferred from the 'Crystal Cruises' fleet to 'Nippon Yusen Kaisha' in 2006 and entered service under its current name, 'Asuka II'. It currently operates primarily for the Japanese market.
stopover
tomorrow, Saturday, the Vigo estuary will welcome the 'Sea Cloud II' on Sunday. Coming from Leixões, Portugal, this 117-meter-long and 16-meter-wide vessel is scheduled to anchor off the Cíes Islands archipelago, from where it will continue its route around 10:00 PM. During its stay in Vigo—it will be anchored for nine hours—it will carry a total of 93 passengers, almost all of them American (91 passengers), and 63 crew members.
This is the second stop for a themed or adventure cruise ship to the Cíes Islands archipelago in 2015, following the visit of the 'Silver Explorer' on May 9th.
While these ships are significantly larger than those typically called at the Port of Vigo, they are characterized by the high purchasing power of their passengers, who find the Cíes Islands their main reason for stopping in our city, and from where they take guided tours of the archipelago.
At 3,849 gross tons, the 'Sea Cloud II' stands out as more of a high-end sailing vessel than a cruise ship, capable of deploying 24 sails with a total area of ​​3,400 square meters. In addition to the hull, the masts of this sailing ship are made of high-strength naval steel. The mainmast reaches a height of 61 meters. With its rigging deployed, the 'Sea Cloud II' has a normal speed of seven knots, although with steady winds and in certain sea conditions it can reach up to 16 knots.
It can accommodate up to 96 passengers in different cabin categories, and a crew of 63. In its conception and design, the owners followed the style of the historic 'Sea Cloud' and invested $40 million in its construction.