Asuka II: 35 Years of Cruising – Cruise Industry News

Published

6 hours ago

July 27, 2025

The Asuka II recently completed 35 years of cruising after entering service for Crystal Cruises on June 21, 1990.

As the first Crystal ship at the time, the Harmony was built at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shipyard in Nagasaki.

Then described as the most luxurious ship ever built, the 50,142-ton vessel had its name chosen in a public contest that resulted in more than 2,100 entries.

After spending a few weeks in Japan, the Harmony set sail to North America ahead of its naming ceremony, which took place on July 20, 1990.

Television star Mary Tyler Moore served as the vessel’s godmother during the ceremony held in the Port of Los Angeles.

The Crystal Harmony then welcomed its first paying guests on July 24, 1990, kicking off a summer season in Alaska and Canada.

For its inaugural voyage, the vessel offered a 12-day roundtrip cruise from San Francisco before repositioning to the Caribbean later in 1990.

As reported by Cruise Industry News at the time, the ship’s inaugural season was marked by a fire in the Caribbean.

While there were no injuries to passengers or crew onboard, the incident left the ship with no power for nearly 16 hours and led to a cruise cancellation.

In 1991, the Crystal Harmony marked the company’s debut in Europe with itineraries in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

After 16 years of service for Crystal Cruises, the Harmony was transferred to a then-sister brand of the company, Asuka Cruises, at the end of 2005.

Renamed Asuka II, the vessel replaced the original Asuka, becoming the largest cruise ship sailing under the Japanese flag.

Now sailing along with the new Asuka III, the vessel continued to offer cruises aimed at Japan’s domestic market.

Sailing from Yokohama and other ports in the country, the ship’s itineraries feature visits to destinations in the Far East and the Pacific.

Earlier this year, the Asuka II also completed its final world cruise, a 103-night journey that included visits to 18 destinations in 12 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and more.

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Death investigation underway on Carnival Dream cruise ship

Published

1 hour ago

July 27, 2025

CNN Newsource | Orko Manna, KHOU

GALVESTON, Texas — The Carnival Dream cruise ship, based out of Galveston, is currently the focus of a death investigation. However, law enforcement sources have not confirmed if the incident is criminal in nature.

A spokesperson for the FBI’s Houston office stated, “I can confirm FBI Houston is aware of an incident that occurred around July 23, 2025, on the Carnival Dream cruise ship. An FBI maritime liaison agent, based out of the Texas City resident agency, is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and the cruise line regarding this incident.”

Passengers aboard the ship, which travels to Costa Maya, Belize, and Cozumel, reported waking up to the sound of sirens around 3 or 4 a.m. on the day of the incident. One passenger, speaking off-camera, mentioned hearing an announcement requesting medical assistance at the Serenity Deck.

In response to circulating theories about the incident, Carnival Cruise Line issued a statement saying, “There is no investigation about a suspicious death on Carnival Dream and it’s disappointing to learn that any guests might be spreading rumors about something they know nothing about.”

The FBI is the primary federal agency authorized to investigate potential crimes on the high seas. Their ability to investigate depends on several factors, including the ship’s location, points of embarkation and debarkation, and the nationality of the potential suspect or victim. Additionally, other countries may also seek to investigate certain incidents.

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Cruise & Ferry

Crew Member Dies After Jumping Overboard Icon of the Seas – Cruise Radio

Published

3 hours ago

July 27, 2025

Frank M

Crew Member Dies After Jumping Overboard Icon of the Seas Cruise Radio

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Cruise & Ferry

Death investigation underway on Carnival cruise ship, authorities say

Published

5 hours ago

July 27, 2025

KHOU Staff via CNN Newsource

GALVESTON, Texas (KHOU) – The Carnival Dream cruise ship, based out of Galveston, Texas, is the site of a death investigation, according to authorities.

Law enforcement could not confirm if the investigation is criminal.

A spokesperson for the FBI Houston office said in a statement to KHOU, “I can confirm FBI Houston is aware of an incident that occurred around July 23, 2025, on the Carnival Dream cruise ship. An FBI maritime liaison agent, based out of the Texas City Resident Agency, is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection and the cruise line regarding this incident.”

Passengers on board the ship, which starts and ends in Galveston, Texas, and travels to Costa Maya, Belize, and Cozumel, said that they woke up to the sound of sirens blasting around 3 or 4 a.m. on the day of the incident.

One passenger reported hearing an announcement that medical assistance was needed at the Serenity Deck.

Many passengers have been sharing theories about what happened online.

“There is no investigation about a suspicious death on the Carnival Dream, and it’s disappointing to learn that many guests might be spreading rumors about something they know nothing about,” Carnival said in a statement to KHOU.

The FBI is the primary federal agency responsible for investigating potential crimes at sea, but its ability to investigate depends on several factors including the location of the ship, the points of embarkation and debarkation and the nationality of the potential suspect or victim.

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