Where Asians go when they cruise beyond AsiaWhere Asians go when they cruise beyond Asia

Though the numbers of Asian fly-cruisers are not substantial yet, some destinations, such as Alaska, are gaining popularity, according to moderator Ted Blamey, principal, CHART Management Consultants, who cited statistics from Cruise Lines International Association's 'Asia Cruise Trends' report.

Nevertheless, China is the second largest source market globally Antarctica and Iceland expeditions and ranks 10th for Greenland programs, while being among the 10 largest source markets for Norway, according to Hurtigruten's William Harber, president, China & Asia Pacific.

They love these locations that offer iconic sights such as polar bears, penguins and the Northern Lights.

According to Harber, Hurtigruten invites people to a 'once-in-a-lifetime journey' to the polar regions. 'We don’t offer a cruise but an adventure,' he said. The differentiator is that what's important is going on outside the ship.

Hurtigruten is currently operating an inaugural 88-day, pole-to-pole adventure that will be repeated in late 2018. Despite the fact that most Chinese have limited vacation time, there are still millions who can afford such a longer holiday, Harber said. The key is finding the right travel agent partners who can sell this specialized product.

For companies with smaller vessels like Celestyal Cruises, 'the ship is not the destination,' COO Chris Theophilides told the Seatrade audience.

Celestyal's priority is to present an authentic experience and help travelers discover hidden gems within three to four days. Besides being the only homeporting cruise operator in Greece, Celestyal offers sailings such as a seven-day 'idyllic Agean experience' and Cuba cruises visiting three ports.

The Asia Pacific market represents 14% of Celestyal's business, Theophilides said, and is forecast to rise to 20% over the next two years.

With 20 new expedition ships in the orderbook for 10 brands, is it likely more expedition cruises will operate Asia? Blamey asked.

Expedition cruising is the fastest growing segment of sea travel, Harber responded, and China is the fastest growing source market. Hurtigruten will offer more sailings to meet the demand.