30-Day Japan Fall Foliage, Shanghai Nights & Seoul Sunsets Cruise

Day 1 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sat 06 November 2027 / Depart: Sat 06 November 2027 at 19:00

Day 2 - Shimiju, japan

Arrive: Sun 07 November 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 07 November 2027 at 18:00

Sprawling, semi-rural Shimizu Ward is dominated by forested coastal mountains, with hiking trails and ropeway rides to dramatic viewpoints above Suruga Bay. Miho Beach Park is popular for swimming and water sports in summer, and there are baseball and soccer fields nearby, plus an aquarium at the Marine Science Center. Busy fisheries supply sushi bars and seafood markets with local specialties like sakura shrimp.

Day 3 - At Sea

Day 4 - Kagoshima

Arrive: Tue 09 November 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 09 November 2027 at 18:00

Capital of Japan's southernmost prefecture, Kagoshima faces the Kinko-wan Bay and the active Sakurajima Volcano. Kagoshima played an important role in Japanese history, starting in the early 7th century when Bounotsu Port was a base for trading with China and other Asian nations. The region, formerly known as Satsuma was dominated by 29 generations Shimazu lords for over 700 years until the 1867 Meiji Restoration. Between the 9th and 15th centuries, Satsuma was an important trading port with the countries of east Asia, as well as Europe, becoming one of Japan’s earliest points of contact with the West.

Day 5 - Nagasaki

Arrive: Wed 10 November 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 10 November 2027 at 17:00

Nagasaki is situated on the West Coast of Kyushu on a scenic bay. Located closest to the Asian mainland, it has historically been an important trading center and highly influenced by Chinese culture. When Japan chose to isolate itself from the Western world for two hundred years starting in the mid 1600's, Nagasaki was the only port open to foreign vessels. In recent history, Nagasaki was the second city after Hiroshima to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, bringing an end to World War II.

Day 6 - Jeju

Arrive: Thu 11 November 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 11 November 2027 at 20:00

Jeju (Cheju) Island is a volcanic island, dominated by Halla-san (Halla Mountain), a volcano 6,398 feet high and the tallest mountain in South Korea. The island was created entirely from volcanic eruptions approximately 2 million years ago. Because of the relative isolation of the island, the people of Jeju have developed a culture and language that are distinct from those of mainland Korea. The most distinct cultural artifact is the ubiquitous dol hareubang ("stone grandfather") carved from a block of lava. Jeju translates to “Island of the Gods” and lives up to its name with beautiful beaches, waterfalls and volcanic rock formations.

Day 7 - Scenic Cruising Kanmon Straits

Day 8 - Hiroshima

Arrive: Sat 13 November 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 13 November 2027 at 22:00

Hiroshima means “wide island” in Japanese. The city was established in the 16th Century on Japan’s largest island, Honshu, and grew into an important shipping center and prefecture capital, boasting a fine castle. Although it was an important city in Japan throughout the imperial period, its reputation in the greater world was burned into history when it became to target of the first atomic bombing of a civilian target in August of 1945. The United States airplane Enola Gay dropped a nuclear device nicknamed “Little Boy” on the city that morning, obliterating everything within a two-kilometer radius and directly killing 80,000 people. Approximately 70 percent of Hiroshima’s buildings were destroyed. Within a year, injury and radiation illness had killed an additional 90, 000 to 116,000 citizens. The attacks on Hiroshima and nearby Nagasaki quickly led to the surrender of Japan and effectively precipitated the end of World War II in Asia. Within a few years, Hiroshima had begun to rebuild, and the city became the focus of an international movement to eliminate nuclear weapons from future wars. Relics of its past such as the impressive Hiroshima Castle and the tranquil Shukkeien Garden were rebuilt, and the city undertook the construction of a Memorial Peace Park, which today attracts visitors from around the world. The park, which holds a museum and a memorial “Atomic Dome” constructed on the closest remaining building to the blast site, is a moving and impactful place of pilgrimage in this re-born City of Peace. One notable feature is a colorful memorial to Sadako Sasaki, a young woman whose dying wishes for world peace were recounted in the story A Thousand Paper Cranes.

Day 9 - Matsuyama

Arrive: Sun 14 November 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 14 November 2027 at 17:00

Day 10 - Kochi, Japan

Arrive: Mon 15 November 2027 at 09:00 / Depart: Mon 15 November 2027 at 18:00

Japan’s Shikoku island is a popular place of pilgrimage among Japanese Buddhists. Kochi has three of the 88 temples on the route. Chikurinji Temple, with its five-story pagoda, is one of them. Located on Mount Godaisan, it also features an adjacent botanical garden. The town is most famous for its castle, originally built in the early 17th century, but largely rebuilt following a fire in the mid-18th century. It is one of only 12 existing feudal-period castles in Japan. South of the town, Katsurahama beach is a popular destination, although swimming is not allowed due to strong currents. A picturesque shrine located on a high point overlooking the sea is the perfect postcard image of rural Japan. The beach is also a good spot to enjoy Katsuo no Tataki, the traditional local dish of lightly grilled and seasoned bonito tuna.

Day 11 - Osaka

Arrive: Tue 16 November 2027 at 08:00

Day 12 - Osaka

Depart: Wed 17 November 2027 at 18:00

Day 13 - Shingu, Japan

Arrive: Thu 18 November 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Thu 18 November 2027 at 16:30

Day 14 - At Sea

Day 15 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sat 20 November 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 20 November 2027 at 19:00

Day 16 - At Sea

Day 17 - Osaka

Arrive: Mon 22 November 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Mon 22 November 2027 at 21:00

Day 18 - Scenic Cruising Kanmon Straits

Day 19 - Busan, South Korea

Arrive: Wed 24 November 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 24 November 2027 at 18:00

Busan is the second largest city in South Korea, and the country's seaside connection to Japan and the West. Lovely urban scenery, the Pusan International Film Festival, and near-by hot springs has made Busan a popular leisure destination. Busan has the sophistication of a major city, as well as famous beaches that lure visitors from all over the world. The city is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose economic success often obscures, to Westerners, one of Asia's most sophisticated and venerable cultures.

Day 20 - At Sea

Day 21 - Incheon

Arrive: Fri 26 November 2027 at 07:00

Incheon, famous as the site for MacArthur's strategic landing during the Korean War, provides Korea one of the few ports along the Yellow Sea. Off the coast are numerous islands, some still uninhabited. Many people who live in Inchon make the arduous trek to Seoul each day, and Seoulites flock here on the weekends to enjoy fresh fish and visit the islands. Inchon has been the major port serving Seoul since the early days of the Chosen Dynasty. Seoul became Korea's capital city in 1394 at the beginning of the Choson Dynasty (1392-1910). Currently home to 10.1 million people, it is the financial, political, commercial, recreational, educational, and cultural center of the Republican nation. Seoul is a blend of the old and new, where skyscrapers tower above the graceful architecture of ancient gates, palaces, and temples, thus reflecting the legacy of its previous era.

Day 22 - Incheon

Depart: Sat 27 November 2027 at 16:00

Incheon, famous as the site for MacArthur's strategic landing during the Korean War, provides Korea one of the few ports along the Yellow Sea. Off the coast are numerous islands, some still uninhabited. Many people who live in Inchon make the arduous trek to Seoul each day, and Seoulites flock here on the weekends to enjoy fresh fish and visit the islands. Inchon has been the major port serving Seoul since the early days of the Chosen Dynasty. Seoul became Korea's capital city in 1394 at the beginning of the Choson Dynasty (1392-1910). Currently home to 10.1 million people, it is the financial, political, commercial, recreational, educational, and cultural center of the Republican nation. Seoul is a blend of the old and new, where skyscrapers tower above the graceful architecture of ancient gates, palaces, and temples, thus reflecting the legacy of its previous era.

Day 23 - At Sea

Day 24 - Shanghai

Arrive: Mon 29 November 2027 at 08:00

"Paris of China" and "Pearl of the Orient," the vibrant city of Shanghai is a shining symbol of the economic emergence of the world's largest nation. A comfortable jumble of old and new, it is a city in seemingly unstoppable transition. Like the rest of China, Shanghai is undergoing one of the fastest economic expansions the world has ever seen, yet has striven to retain its historical roots. Today's Shanghai is a montage of stunning architecture, mixed with noble reminders of long-gone eras. Shanghai, as you soon discover, has many faces.

Day 25 - Shanghai

Depart: Tue 30 November 2027 at 17:00

"Paris of China" and "Pearl of the Orient," the vibrant city of Shanghai is a shining symbol of the economic emergence of the world's largest nation. A comfortable jumble of old and new, it is a city in seemingly unstoppable transition. Like the rest of China, Shanghai is undergoing one of the fastest economic expansions the world has ever seen, yet has striven to retain its historical roots. Today's Shanghai is a montage of stunning architecture, mixed with noble reminders of long-gone eras. Shanghai, as you soon discover, has many faces.

Day 26 - At Sea

Day 27 - Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan

Arrive: Thu 02 December 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Thu 02 December 2027 at 16:00

Miyako Island is 300 km south of Okinawa island, and is famous for its beaches, said to be Japan’s most beautiful. Maehama beach is for swimmers, while Yoshino has great coral reefs for snorkelers and the white-sand Sunayama has dramatic rock formations. Cape Higashi-Hennazaki is a long, narrow cape with the picturesque lighthouse at the end. The city’s Botanical Garden boasts over 1600 tropical varieties. Nakasone Tuyumya was an important leader of Miyako and the Okinawan people in the 16th century. Near the port in Hirara is memorial to him and his descendants, a designated national cultural asset. At the island’s north end, the graceful Ikema Ohashi bridge leads to the small Ikema Island.

Day 28 - Hualien, Taiwan

Arrive: Fri 03 December 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 03 December 2027 at 18:00

Located on the Pacific coast of Taiwan island, where the Hualien River enters the sea, Hualien is a gateway to the island’s most spectacular natural splendors. It was here that Portuguese sailors in the 16th century caught a first glimpse of the grandeur and named the island Formosa. For a first visit nothing could beat a tour to the Taroko National Park, a swathe of mountain peaks, deep-cut canyons, rivers and waterfalls that is simply breathtaking. The rivers here have carved deep gorges into the marble cliffs, and attractions such as the Tunnel of Nine Turns make it even more dramatic. This path leads through marble-walled tunnels, interrupted by natural windows that let the light stream down from above, culminating in a rushing waterfall.

Day 29 - Keelung (Taipei), Taiwan

Day 30 - At Sea

Day 31 - Hong Kong

Arrive: Mon 06 December 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Mon 06 December 2027

Hong Kong is divided into four sections: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and the numerous outlying islands. One hundred sixty-four square miles of dense real estate dominate Hong Kong Island, including enormous skyscrapers with futuristic architecture, opulent hotels, residential compounds on Victoria Peak, and some of the oldest Chinese communities in the region. All these elements create one of the most exotic and exciting ports of call in the world; one that is universally loved by tourists and its own enterprising citizens.