HISTORY

NAME:                ASUKA II (CRYSTAL HARMONY)
CLASS:              CRUISE SHIP
ENT/SERVICE:    1990
BUILT:                MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES / JAPAN
WEIGHT:            49,400 TONS
LENGTH:            791 TONS
WIDTH:              105 FEET
SPEED:              21 KNOTS - DIESEL ELECTRIC ENGINES

The Japanese company Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) began setting up the Los Angeles based Crystal Cruises in 1988. Founded in 1885, NYK are now regarded as the largest shipping company in Japan. They began phasing out their passenger services after the Second World War to concentrate on running cargo ships. Their return to passenger ships began when they ordered Crystal Harmony in 1988; the year the new cruise line was founded.

Harmony has 8 passenger decks, 2 pools, 8 bars, casino, fitness center, 277-seat theatre, 461 outside cabins of which 260 have verandas, 19 inside cabins, can carry 940 passengers and a crew of 545.

Harmony was mainly operated on cruises from San Francisco- Alaska, Los Angeles - Mexico, and cruises between Hong Kong & Beijing. Harmony was also occasionally operated on cruises around the world and on Northern European cruises between Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Ireland & England.

This ship was transferred to NYK in 2006 to be operated under the name Asuka 11. She will probably be operated on the same routes as the original Asuka such as cruises out of Yokohama - various ports throughout Japan, Japanese Islands & the Philippians, and world cruises.