MS Asuka II

Asuka II moored at Kobe, Japan in September 2006.
History
Japan
Name:
  • 1990–2006: Crystal Harmony
  • 2006 onwards: Asuka II (飛鳥II)
Owner:
Operator:
  • 1990–2006: Crystal Cruises
  • 2006 onwards: Nippon Yusen Kaisha[1]
Port of registry:
Builder: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki, Japan[1]
Yard number: 2100[1]
Launched: 30 September 1989[1]
Acquired: July 1990[1]
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics
Type: Cruise ship
Tonnage:
Length: 241 m (790 ft 8 in)[2]
Beam: 29.6 m (97 ft 1 in)[2]
Draught: 7.8 m (25 ft 7 in)[2]
Decks: 8[3]
Installed power:
  • Four MAN diesel Engines
  • 32,800 kW (combined)[4]
Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)[2]
Capacity: 960 passengers[4]
Crew: 545[4]

MS Asuka II (飛鳥II) is a cruise ship owned and operated by Nippon Yusen Kaisha. She was originally built by the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in Nagasaki, Japan, as Crystal Harmony for Crystal Cruises. In 2006, Crystal Harmony was transferred from the fleet of Crystal Cruises to that of Crystal's parent company, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, and entered service under her current name.[1] As of February 2009, she was the largest cruise ship in Japan.

Service history

1990–2006: Crystal Harmony

MS Asuka II as Crystal Harmony

During Crystal Harmony's maiden voyage in the South American and Caribbean waters, the ship caught on fire due to a fuel leak in an auxiliary engine room some 200 mi (320 km) from Cristóbal. Crystal Harmony drifted without power for sixteen hours but after repairs made it to port under her own steam and disembarked her passengers in Panama. She sailed to the island of Curaçao, escorted by a tugboat, for repairs.[5]

2006 onwards: Asuka II

MS Asuka II berthed at Port Louis - April 2012

After fifteen years of service, Crystal Harmony was retired from the Crystal fleet in 2005. She was transferred to the parent company Nippon Yusen Kaisha to replace the Asuka. She then underwent renovation and re-entered service as Asuka II.

Features

Asuka II features 8 passenger accessible decks. The ship has 2 swimming pools, 8 bars, a casino and fitness centre. There is also a 277-seat theatre. There are 461 outside cabins, 260 of which have private balconies. There are 19 inside cabins.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Asklander, Micke. "M/S Crystal Harmony (1990)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2008-12-31. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Asuka II – Ship Outline" (in Japanese). NYK Cruises Co., Ltd. Retrieved 2010-05-06.
  3. ↑ "Asuka II". 20th Century Ships. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
  4. 1 2 3 Larsen, Robert. "M/S Asuka II". Skip-siden (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2009-03-09.
  5. ↑ "Crystal Harmony in Wetdock". Cruise Indistry News. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
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