Princess Cruises to expand sailings in Southeast Asia
As traveler interest in Asian destinations from Japan to Thailand and Vietnam booms, Princess Cruises is positioning itself as a cruise line of choice for cruise travelers seeking immersive Asia cruises.
From Japan's Okinawa Islands being highlighted in American Express Travel's 2026 Trending Destinations list to cities in Vietnam being showcased among Tripadvisor's Best of the Best Destinations, travel spots across Asia are experiencing a massive surge in popularity.
Princess Cruises is making strategic moves to meet the growing demand for both cultural exploration across diverse destinations in Japan and island-hopping adventures in southeast Asia with new deployment plans for 2027 and beyond.
In addition to offering more Japan cruise options aboard its two Japanese-built sister ships - including its most immersive Japan program yet planned for 2028 - Princess is set to expand its presence in Southeast Asia with an even bigger deployment from Singapore.
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Princess Cruises to sail three ships from Singapore
Princess Cruises is deepening its focus on Southeast Asia through a new three-year agreement with the Singapore Tourism Board to expand its presence in Singapore with a three-ship seasonal deployment. From 2027 through 2030, Princess is expected to sail more than 150,000 passengers from the island city-state, helping to meet surging demand for longer, more immersive Asia cruises.
As part of the agreement, Princess Cruises will deploy three ships, Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess, and Grand Princess, seasonally to Singapore, with the number of sailings set to double by 2030. The ships will offer extended itineraries of 10 to 28 days, with round-trip itineraries visiting sought-after Southeast Asian destinations such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand. Longer voyages between Singapore and Japan will offer access to even more Asia travel hot spots.
Related: Booking excursions outside of your cruise line
Sailings through Southeast Asia will offer opportunities to experience unique shore excursions like a mangrove cruise along the Kilim River in Langkawi, Malaysia; ancient temple visits in Hoi An, Vietnam; and a tour of the picturesque mountaintop Buddhist retreat at Fokuangshan Monastery in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
"Singapore is a cornerstone of our Asia Pacific strategy and an exceptional homeport from which to expand regional footprint. This multi-year deployment underscores our confidence in Singapore's connectivity and strong cruise ecosystem," said Princess Cruises Asia Pacific Vice President Matthew Rutherford. "We're seeing growing demand for longer, more immersive journeys, and this programme allows us to deliver richer itineraries across Southeast Asia and beyond while attracting more international guests to the region."
Singapore is becoming a top departure port for Asia cruises
Princess Cruises' expanded sailings from Singapore are expected to attract a strong base of international cruise passengers, particularly from key markets like Australia, the U.K., and the U.S.
A modern, sophisticated city with strong global air connectivity and appeal for pre- and post-cruise stays, Singapore is quickly becoming an Asia cruise departure port of choice.
"This three-year partnership with Princess Cruises is testament to Singapore's position as Asia's premier cruise hub. Princess Cruises' expanded deployment broadens our premium cruise experiences and supports our Tourism 2040 vision to drive quality tourism growth through a strong pipeline of differentiated products," said Singapore Tourism Board Assistant Chief Executive, Experience Development Group, Jean Ng.
Related: Princess Cruises brings deeper cultural immersion to Japan cruises
"With Asia Pacific emerging as a key growth region for cruising, Singapore is well-positioned to capture fly-cruise demand and connect the world to the best of Asia. We look forward to Princess Cruises bringing their exciting cruise itineraries to more travelers," she added.
Other cruise lines that sail from Singapore include Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Disney Cruise Line - which offers year-round cruises on the Disney Adventure featuring only days at sea.
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 12:10 PM.