Costa Cruises will resume its Japan itineraries with the Aug. 26 departure of the Costa Classica from Shanghai on a four-day cruise to Fukuoka, Japan, and Cheju, South Korea. The Italian line said the decision “demonstrates Costa’s confidence in Japan’s tourism market and its support to the revitalization of the local tourism industry.” Costa has been operating cruises from China to Japan for more than five years.

SeaDream Yacht Club is offering travel professionals the opportunity to sail free by making five bookings on voyages departing Sept. 3 through Dec. 17.

The arrival of Princess Cruises’ Dawn Princess, which has a capacity of 1,950 passengers, to the port of Puntarenas earlier this week signaled the start of the new cruise season in Costa Rica.

Crystal Cruises has opened the books on cruises in early 2013 with two-for-one fares and free air. Among the new selections is a 74-day, 14-country World Cruise circling South America. Another 19 voyages covering most of the first half of 2013 are now open for booking and detailed at www.crystalcruises.com.

Construction work begins in earnest this week at Banana Coast in Trujillo, Honduras, a $20 million Caribbean cruise destination. A two-ship cruise dock and themed retail shopping village are under development and slated for completion in late 2012.

Compagnie du Ponant, which recently added 17 Caribbean sailings, is offering limited-time savings of up to 25 percent off a seven-night St. Martin roundtrip. The two 2012 sailings aboard the 330-foot mega-yacht Le Levant visit ports in the British Virgin Islands, French West Indies, Antigua and St. Kitts-Nevis.