Grand Japan Cruise

Day 1 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sat 15 July 2028 / Depart: Sat 15 July 2028 at 16:00

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Nagasaki

Arrive: Mon 17 July 2028 at 10:00 / Depart: Mon 17 July 2028 at 19:00

For most travelers, Nagasaki is a symbol of the horror and the inhumanity of war. An estimated 75,000 people perished in 1945 when the city became the second target of a nuclear attack. Today, Nagasaki's Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum draw visitors from around the world. But this beautiful city on Kyushu offers other sights. Often described as the San Francisco of Japan, the city occupies verdant hills surrounded by a deep-water bay. For three centuries, Nagasaki was Japan's sole window on the world. The city is also celebrated as the setting for Puccini's opera "Madame Butterfly."

Day 4 - Busan, South Korea

Arrive: Tue 18 July 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Tue 18 July 2028 at 16:00

The second largest city in South Korea, Busan is your gateway to a fascinating land whose culture is a unique amalgam of old and new. Modern high-rise towers dwarf ancient Buddhist temples. The city's bustling business district offers a stark contrast to the serene grounds of Yongdusan Park. In short, Busan is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose startling economic success often obscures one of Asia's most sophisticated and venerable cultures. Busan was the scene of bitter fighting during the Korean War. The United Nations Memorial Cemetery marks the final resting place for the troops from 16 nations who gave their lives during the conflict.

Day 5 - Sakaiminato

Arrive: Wed 19 July 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 19 July 2028 at 18:00

Wedged between sea, sky and mountains, this small fishing port has been esteemed for centuries for its superb seafood. Here, the Sea of Japan yields up both crab and hon-maguro, the prized Bluefin tuna esteemed by gourmets around the world. Sakaiminato is also your gateway to a very ancient region of Honshu. West of the city lies Izumo-taisha, one of the oldest and holiest shrines in Shinto. This area is dotted with burial mounds from Japan's Bronze Age. The town of Matsue boasts the celebrated "Black Castle," a six-story, black-walled castle that home to a clan of the mighty Tokugawa dynasty that ruled Japan for over 250 years. And to the east rises the great snow-capped summit of Mt. Daisen, considered one of the four most scenic mountains in all Japan.

Day 6 - At Sea

Day 7 - Aomori

Arrive: Fri 21 July 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 21 July 2028 at 17:00

The capital of the Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan, Aomori derives much of its beauty from the apple orchards and cherry blossoms that encompass its landscape and the snow-covered Hakkoda Mountains that look on from a distance. Throughout its history, the city has been stricken with misfortune time and time again - in 1910, a fire destroyed Aomori, and during World War II, the city was left in ruins following an air raid - yet it always prevails. Aomori is cherished by many who believe a local legend that the grave of Jesus Christ lies within the southern part of Aomori prefecture. However, Aomori is perhaps best known for its renowned Nebuta Festival, an elaborate yearly event in which participants illuminate giant paper representations of samurai warriors, animals, and popular cartoon characters while parading them through the streets.

Day 8 - At Sea

Day 9 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sun 23 July 2028 at 06:00 / Depart: Sun 23 July 2028 at 16:00

Day 10 - At Sea

Day 11 - Kagoshima

Arrive: Tue 25 July 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Tue 25 July 2028 at 15:30

From the 12th century to the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Kagoshima was the chief stronghold of the mighty Shimazu clan. The city lies at the top of the Satsuma Peninsula, a mountainous, geothermal wonderland of hot springs and geysers. The area is also rich in modern Japanese history: Saigo Takamori and the Satsuma samurai were leaders of the Meiji Restoration that toppled the shogun and restored the Emperor to power in 1868. In 1877, dissatisfied with the direction of the new government, Saigo led the Satsuma Rebellion, which ended in his death and the final defeat of the samurai. The symbol of Kagoshima is Sakura Jima - the volcanic island that sits just offshore. The volcano has erupted over 30 times in recorded history.

Day 12 - Jeju

Arrive: Wed 26 July 2028 at 09:00 / Depart: Wed 26 July 2028 at 18:00

Jeju-do lying off the south coast of Korea is the warmest and wettest place in the entire country. The island is at its most beautiful in spring when the azalea blooms in a riot of delicate colours and the wooded areas display the most fascinating shades of green. In Jeju the seasons determine the changing hues of color through the island. In the autumn the color that dominates is brown and orange due to the falling leaves, in summer the aqua blue waters of the sea and golden beaches take over as in spring the brilliant yellow flowers cover the landscape. Jeju Island, also known as the "Island of the Gods," is a popular vacation spot for Koreans and many Japanese. It remains one of the top honeymoon destinations for Korean newlyweds. The island's mixture of volcanic rock, frequent rains, and temperate climate, make it very similar to the Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. The island offers visitors a wide range of activities: hiking on Halla-san (South Korea's highest peak), catching sunrises and sunsets over the ocean, viewing majestic waterfalls, riding horses, or just lying around on the sandy beaches. One of the most outstanding features of the island is a regular maze of tunnels, caves and pillars formed by the cooling of lava flows from ancient volcanoes. Jeju-do is basically an island composed of extinct volcanoes formed by volcanic matter such as basalt and trachyte and layered with sedimentary rock. It still has a volcano- an extinct one, called Mt Hallasan, which, at 1950 m also doubles up as the island's main mountain. The main city on the island is Jeju City, the main base for trekking, sightseeing and exploring the rest of the island.

Day 13 - Kanmon Straits, Japan

Arrive: Thu 27 July 2028 at 14:30 / Depart: Thu 27 July 2028 at 16:30

The Kanmon Straits or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating Honshu and Kyushu, two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshu side of the strait is Shimonoseki and on the Kyushu side is Kitakyushu, whose former city and present ward, Moji, gave the strait its "mon".

Day 14 - Kochi, Japan

Arrive: Fri 28 July 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 28 July 2028 at 15:00

Kochi sits on the broad alluvial plain facing Urado Bay. This city in Shikoku takes its name from the great feudal castle that sits at its very heart. Completed in 1611, Kochi Castle was the seat of Yamauchi Kazutoyo, a noted warrior who supported Tokugawa Ieyasu in his successful quest to become Shogun. Tosa Province and Kochi Castle were Yamauchi's reward for faithful service. There is an historical irony here: 250 years later, a Kochi native son - a former low-ranked samurai and now ronin named Sakamoto Ryoma - played a pivotal role in bringing the Tokugawa Shogunate to an end and restoring the Emperor of Japan to political prominence. The prize once awarded for faithful service had become a hotbed of support for the Meiji Restoration. Kochi is one of the wettest places in Japan - and a frequent target for cyclonic storms or typhoons. Southeast of the city, warm oceans currents washing against the Aki Mountains create a subtropical landscape of hibiscus, palm and ficus at Muroto-Anan Quasi-National Park.

Day 15 - Nagoya

Arrive: Sat 29 July 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 29 July 2028 at 14:00

Nagoya, capital of Japan’s Aichi Prefecture, is a manufacturing and shipping hub in central Honshu. The city’s Naka ward is home to museums and pachinko (gambling machine) parlors. Naka also includes the Sakae entertainment district, with attractions like the Sky-Boat Ferris wheel, which is attached to a mall.

Day 16 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sun 30 July 2028 at 06:00 / Depart: Sun 30 July 2028