Australians are increasingly ditching traditional single-destination holidays in favour of longer, multi-stop itineraries, and Royal Caribbean International is reshaping its Asia cruise program to match the trend.
The cruise line has unveiled a new “open-jaw” holiday format for the 2027/2028 season aboard Spectrum of the Seas, allowing travellers to start and finish their cruise in different cities rather than returning to the same port.
The move comes as demand grows for more immersive long-haul holidays, with new research showing 75 per cent of Australians are now seeking multi-destination travel experiences to maximise the value of overseas trips.
Royal Caribbean says the new one-way itineraries are designed to act as a seamless bridge between land-based holidays across Asia, reducing the need for backtracking or additional internal flights.
The launch also coincides with Japan’s growing popularity among Australian travellers, with the destination recently overtaking Bali as Australia’s top holiday choice.
For the first time, Australians will be able to cruise between Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo in a single itinerary, while also visiting destinations including Mount Fuji.
New one-way Asia sailings revealed
Highlights from the new season include:
- An eight-night Best of Japan and Korea sailing departing Shanghai on 9 May 2027 and ending in Tokyo, priced from $2,021 per person for a balcony stateroom.
- A 10-night Best of Japan and Korea sailing departing Shanghai on 11 October 2027 and finishing in Tokyo, priced from $2,683 per person for a balcony stateroom.
Royal Caribbean said the itineraries are designed to give travellers more time exploring destinations instead of retracing their journey or navigating multiple airport transfers.
The fares are priced in Australian dollars, include taxes and fees, and were available as of 12 May 2026.
