Cunard’s cruise ship the Queen Mary visited Tokyo on Thursday and was on its way to Nagasaki when the disaster struck Japan. The cruise line has now decided that the ship should head directly for Beijing, where it will arrive on Monday. From there it will cruise to Shanghai, where it will embark on Wednesday and then on to Hong Kong for an arrival on Friday.

Azamara Quest departed from Nagasaki some time last week and was on its way to Osaka. The cruise ship was due there on Sunday, but alternative arrangements have now been made. The Quest is now on its way to Gyeongju in South Korea, where it will arrive on Tuesday.

A company spokesperson said, although Kyoto (Osaka) did not sustain any serious damage, the company has nevertheless decided to cancel the ship’s visit to the port.

A number of cruise ships in Hawaii, Mexico and California also had to make small changes to their itineraries after the Japan disaster, but no damage or injuries have been reported.

A spokesperson for the Cruise Lines International Association explained that "a ship at sea is one of the safest places to be. It is when a tsunami approaches the coast that it causes damages as the wave builds in height and causes widespread flooding."