Now In Korea
Weekend Escape: 5 Nights on Costa Serena, a Floating Hotel from Busan
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
A reporter boarded the Italian Costa Serena for a 5-night, 6-day cruise departing Busan to visit small Japanese ports like Kanazawa, Maizuru (with Kyoto day trips) and Sakaiminato. The 290m, 114,500-ton ship—designed with a Roman-myth theme—offers resort-style amenities: 1,500 cabins (including popular balcony rooms), pools, water slides, spa, fitness center, a 1,500-seat theater with nightly shows, casinos, shopping, and diverse dining across 12 outlets. Passengers ranged from families to seniors, enjoying activities tailored to each age group. Port calls highlighted off-the-beaten-path charms: Kanazawa’s Shirakawa-go and Higashi Chaya tea district and Kenrokuen garden; Maizuru’s access to Kyoto sights like Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) and Arashiyama bamboo grove; and Sakaiminato’s seafood markets and Mizuki Shigeru Road (a street celebrating manga yokai). The article notes Korea’s cruise market is still small (about 50,000 annual passengers) but growing, with strong potential for specialized products (e.g., family, academy, expedition, or themed cruises) and for Korea-origin departures to be price-competitive. Industry sources say tailored offerings by age and interest, better port infrastructure, seasonal routes, and policy support could turn latent demand into rapid growth, positioning cruises as a next-generation package holiday where the ship itself is the destination.
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