9 Nights Okinawa, Osaka, Kobe, & Kochi cruise aboard the Voyager of the Seas

Just wondering if anyone has done the 9 nights cruise sailing out of Hong Kong to Okinawa, Osaka, Kobe, and Kochi. We've never been to Japan and wondering if anyone has any experience with these ports of call. Is this a new itinerary offered by RCL this year? I didn't see this itinerary in their brochure.

Okinawa has a world class aquarium( the largest tank in the world which holds 3 Whale sharks.!!!!) the Peace Park is also a must do if the time allows for it. there is also a pretty dang cool underground cave system. the is also a cutesy/tourist trap like pineapple farm. Also a Zoo as well as a Botanical Gardens that is breathtaking in the right season. big tourist souvenir is the Ryukan blown glass. if they offer an excursion to the museum and store, its also worth a look if you like that sort of stuff. if you want truly kitschy stuff, China Pete's( right near the base) the north part of the island is all resorts with some pretty nice beaches.

can't really answer for the other three, we were stationed near Tokyo ( as well as Okinawa) and stuck close to there/Yokohama.

Okinawa has a world class aquarium( the largest tank in the world which holds 3 Whale sharks.!!!!) the Peace Park is also a must do if the time allows for it. there is also a pretty dang cool underground cave system. the is also a cutesy/tourist trap like pineapple farm. Also a Zoo as well as a Botanical Gardens that is breathtaking in the right season. big tourist souvenir is the Ryukan blown glass. if they offer an excursion to the museum and store, its also worth a look if you like that sort of stuff. if you want truly kitschy stuff, China Pete's( right near the base) the north part of the island is all resorts with some pretty nice beaches.

 

can't really answer for the other three, we were stationed near Tokyo ( as well as Okinawa) and stuck close to there/Yokohama.

Thank you so much for your recommendations on what to see and do in Okinawa. Haven't booked the cruise yet.. still thinking about this cruise as we don't know how close the cruise terminals are to these ports of call. More research to be done on my part.

Thank you so much for your recommendations on what to see and do in Okinawa. Haven't booked the cruise yet.. still thinking about this cruise as we don't know how close the cruise terminals are to these ports of call. More research to be done on my part.

We booked this one about ten days ago ... it's a one-time-only sailing, and we, like you, have always wanted to visit both Hong Kong and Japan. What cinched it for us was the airfare ... EVA (the Taiwanese airline) has the most incredible prices (as in just over $600 round-trip from Houston, with very reasonable layovers in Taipei ... 1 1/2 hours outbound, 3 hours returning). We're also quite familiar with the ship, since we've sailed Voyager many times out of Galveston. It all added up to a must-do for us.

We booked this one about ten days ago ... it's a one-time-only sailing, and we, like you, have always wanted to visit both Hong Kong and Japan. What cinched it for us was the airfare ... EVA (the Taiwanese airline) has the most incredible prices (as in just over $600 round-trip from Houston, with very reasonable layovers in Taipei ... 1 1/2 hours outbound, 3 hours returning). We're also quite familiar with the ship, since we've sailed Voyager many times out of Galveston. It all added up to a must-do for us.

Oh..so this is a one time sailing only? Maybe that explains why I didn't see this itinerary in the RCL brochure. Your airfare cost is incredible. Unfortunately for us, Canadians, the airfare from Vancouver to Hong Kong is pricey. I'm still debating on whether to book this cruise or not.. the RCL sales ends on Jan 10th so we need to make up our minds soon. Have you looked into any of the cruise ports yet to determine the distance between the cruise terminals and into the city?

Oh..so this is a one time sailing only? Maybe that explains why I didn't see this itinerary in the RCL brochure. Your airfare cost is incredible. Unfortunately for us, Canadians, the airfare from Vancouver to Hong Kong is pricey. I'm still debating on whether to book this cruise or not.. the RCL sales ends on Jan 10th so we need to make up our minds soon. Have you looked into any of the cruise ports yet to determine the distance between the cruise terminals and into the city?

Doing that right now ...

Doing that right now ...

Since you mentioned this is a one-time sailing, we booked this cruise yesterday. Will be doing my research on the ports of call over the next few months. I don't believe we need Visas for this cruise as we're just visiting Hong Kong and Japan.

We just got back from Kochi in October. The castle is definitely a highlight. I created a blog post detailing our day in Kochi with some pictures. http://adventureswithanthony.com/our-adventures/best-of-japan-cruise/october_17_2017/

Our cruise didn't do any of the other ports

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We just got back from Kochi in October. The castle is definitely a highlight. I created a blog post detailing our day in Kochi with some pictures. http://adventureswithanthony.com/our-adventures/best-of-japan-cruise/october_17_2017/

Our cruise didn't do any of the other ports

 

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Thank you for sharing your experience in Kochi. I'm relieved to know there will be a shuttle bus for the cruise passengers to get into the city. I enjoyed reading your adventure blog. Great information and thanks for posting the Cruise Compass in there as well.

Since you mentioned this is a one-time sailing, we booked this cruise yesterday. Will be doing my research on the ports of call over the next few months. I don't believe we need Visas for this cruise as we're just visiting Hong Kong and Japan.

We're looking forward to cruising with you. Hopefully we can get together aboard ship. To my knowledge, visas are not required.

We're looking forward to cruising with you. Hopefully we can get together aboard ship. To my knowledge, visas are not required.

Getting together aboard the ship sounds like a great plan. There's no roll call started for this sailing yet. Will try to set one up later if no one does it. :)

We booked this cruise last week. I found some great information about the ports on the What's in Port website. For Okinawa, I selected the Printable Map option, and it gave me an entire brochure.

We booked this cruise last week. I found some great information about the ports on the What's in Port website. For Okinawa, I selected the Printable Map option, and it gave me an entire brochure.

Thanks Cruzqween for the info. I'll check out the What's in Port website.

Do you feel the trip could be spoilt due to Typhoons both in HK and/or Japan. Would hate to spend all the cruise stuck inside a rocking ship sheltering from the rain.

Meant to ask as well, has anyone sampled virtual balcony inside cabins available on this ship.

Meant to ask as well, has anyone sampled virtual balcony inside cabins available on this ship.

We did have an accessible inside virtual balcony stateroom on Navigator a few years back, and are booked on one this cruise. It's pretty cool ... nice added touch.

Do you feel the trip could be spoilt due to Typhoons both in HK and/or Japan. Would hate to spend all the cruise stuck inside a rocking ship sheltering from the rain.

I guess that is the risk we must take. Mother Nature is difficult to predict. It's like sailing the Caribbean in August and hoping to avoid the hurricanes!

Must admit, we had not looked at the likelihood of cyclones. But we have sailed in heavy weather before, so it will be what it will be. We will make the best of it. Looking forward to it. This will be our first time sailing from Hong Kong on an Asian cruise, done a few out of Singapore, mainly Westerners aboard. Looking forward to the culture change.

Must admit, we had not looked at the likelihood of cyclones. But we have sailed in heavy weather before, so it will be what it will be. We will make the best of it. Looking forward to it. This will be our first time sailing from Hong Kong on an Asian cruise, done a few out of Singapore, mainly Westerners aboard. Looking forward to the culture change.

FYI - A Roll Call has been set up for this cruise. Hope to get more fellow cruisers to sign up.

Do you feel the trip could be spoilt due to Typhoons both in HK and/or Japan. Would hate to spend all the cruise stuck inside a rocking ship sheltering from the rain.

I lived in Japan a total of 5 years and saw exactly one Tai-fun and that was on the Kanto Plain( Tokyo) now if you asked about earthquakes, there were several that rivaled the typical rumbling in California. it's really no different than hurricanes in the Caribbean. it may happen. it might not.