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.
