Info on cruise around Japan

[grammyandahhpoo]

We am looking to book on  RCL Quantum of the Seas cruise around Japan in April 2021.  Almost all of the

ports are cities I haven't heard of before, not the typical Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, etc.   I was wondering

if anyone had visited the following cities and could give me some insight as to if this would be a good cruise?

 

Sapporo(Muroran)    Hakodata   Akita   Kanazawa    Sakaiminato    Busan, South Korea    Kumamoto

 

Thanks SO much for your help.    B.  

[1025cruise]

You might want to check the ports of call forums.

[Joseph2017China]

21 minutes ago, grammyandahhpoo said:

We am looking to book on  RCL Quantum of the Seas cruise around Japan in April 2021.  Almost all of the

ports are cities I haven't heard of before, not the typical Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, etc.   I was wondering

if anyone had visited the following cities and could give me some insight as to if this would be a good cruise?

 

Sapporo(Muroran)    Hakodata   Akita   Kanazawa    Sakaiminato    Busan, South Korea    Kumamoto

 

Thanks SO much for your help.    B.  

 

Well, Kumamoto is BORING!.  However, there is a historical site that was closed when I went that is a distance (1 hour maybe) that is the main attraction.  An earthquake damaged the area.  On that very same trip, Busan SK was changed to Nagasiki because of a disagreement between China and SK.  Busan as I recall is a big fish market and had several other sites of interest, so it should be good.  The other places, I have no idea.  Another poster said to go to the ports of call boards, but you won't find much there.  But you still should use the search functions to find the specific cities.  This trip will take a lot of research on your part. 

[grammyandahhpoo]

J   thanks for you information, since I didn't know any of these cities I was wondering if they were kind of uneventful.  I have researched them all to some degree but of course only glowing information is shown on their individual Google pages .   

 

I always do a lot of research no matter where we are traveling and since we will never go back to Japan I am doing extra research. B

 

 

[bearette]

There is a port review of each port on cruise critics main pages(not on the on the message boards).  See if anything is there. They had some information on lesser know middle eastern ports so your ports might be there too.

[Biker19]

While a couple of smaller local ships have restarted, this may signal a return by the major lines:

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23930-msc-gets-green-light-for-japan-start.html

 

 

MSC Cruises announced it has received a certificate of compliance from Japanese maritime classification society ClassNK for its health and safety protocol and will restart cruising in Japan in April 2021.

 

The certification now paves the way for the line to open sales in December  to local residents for cruises homeporting in Japan and start to work with ports in the country to prepare for the forthcoming season, the company announced.

 

Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises’ CEO, said, “We are extremely pleased to have received this certification and are now confident that we will be able to restart our Japan operation serving the local market by April 2021.”

 

Junichi Hirata, ClassNK’s General Manager of Innovation and Sustainability Department, said, “This is the first important step of a longer-term plan for MSC Cruises to resume Japanese cruise operations in the first half of 2021, and we will now work closely with the line towards that goal.”

 

Hiroya Nakano, Director-General of City of Yokohama’s Port and Harbor Bureau, concurs and said, “It is great news that MSC Cruises has received this certificate of approval from ClassNK for its health and safety guidelines. The Port of Yokohama is committed to cooperate accordingly for the re-starting of international cruises in spring 2021.”

 

Health and safety operating protocols of port authorities in Japan and MSC Cruises will also follow guidelines established by JOPA, the Japan Oceangoing Passenger Ship Association.

 

The MSC Bellissima, which was launched in 2019, will be deployed to Japan, homeport in Yokohama to sail six- to nine-night cruises in April, May and June 2021. She is also scheduled to operate in the country during October and November 2021. 

 

Onorato added: “To be the first international cruise line in Japan to be awarded this key certification of compliance is a further testament to our robust and rigorous health and safety protocol which led the way for the entire global industry when in August we became the first major line to resume cruise operation in the Mediterranean.  

 

“We have now safely and responsibly carried more than 30,000 customers in the Mediterranean and can now look forward to offer the same for our guests who live in Japan.

 

 “Our industry-leading protocol, as well as the unique sets of data gathered through the operation of our two ships calling Italy, Greece and Malta during the past few months, is currently being reviewed by authorities in other regions where the Company’ other ships are scheduled to restart.

 

“We believe, therefore, that this certification – in a country where the industry was at the centre of much attention very early in the pandemic – and the confirmation by authorities in Italy through their latest ministerial decree that cruising can continue, will go a long way to demonstrate the trust that we have been able to build with the protocol’s effective measures and their rigorous application for the benefit of guests, crew and the communities we serve.” 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Biker19

[IRMO12HD]

I've been to Hakodate (on Hokkaido, the northernmost island).We were on HAL, but I imagine many of the cruiselines share the same excursions.  We went on an excursion to Onuma Quasi-National Park, which we really enjoyed.  It involved a medium-length bus ride to the Park (which is by a large lake, with a great view of an extinct volcano), a boat ride around the lake, a chance to walk on the many walking trails, a stop at a small winery with free samples, and the bus ride back to the ship.  After that, I left the ship on my own and took the shuttle bus to the town center, and made my way with some new-found Australian friends to Goryokaku -- a fortress dating back to the 1860s, with a tall sightseeing tower ( I didn't go up in it) and lots of walkways and explanatory signs (in English as well as Japanese).  I felt really comfortable and welcomed.

[compman9]

On 5/5/2020 at 1:50 PM, grammyandahhpoo said:

We am looking to book on  RCL Quantum of the Seas cruise around Japan in April 2021.  Almost all of the

ports are cities I haven't heard of before, not the typical Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, etc.   I was wondering

if anyone had visited the following cities and could give me some insight as to if this would be a good cruise?

 

Sapporo(Muroran)    Hakodata   Akita   Kanazawa    Sakaiminato    Busan, South Korea    Kumamoto

 

Thanks SO much for your help.    B.  

 

I have heard of all of those places, because I love adventure and absorb myself with geography and travel literature - So, for me, I would visit all of those in a heartbeat

 

However, at the other end of the spectrum are people that cannot pin the capital city of their own country on a map

 

If you can work out whereabouts you fit within those to ends of the spectrum, you will have your answer

 

🦉

 

 

[Cruise Wonderland]

6 hours ago, Biker19 said:

While a couple of smaller local ships have restarted, this may signal a return by the major lines:

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23930-msc-gets-green-light-for-japan-start.html

 

MSC Cruises announced it has received a certificate of compliance from Japanese maritime classification society ClassNK for its health and safety protocol and will restart cruising in Japan in April 2021.

 

The certification now paves the way for the line to open sales in December to local residents for cruises homeporting in Japan and start to work with ports in the country to prepare for the forthcoming season, the company announced.

 

This is positive news. However, even if Quantum can still set sail for the Japan voyages in April 2021 just like MSC Bellissima, it might be for Japanese passengers only. Existing international bookings would probably be cancelled by Royal Caribbean later.

[celoplyr]

Kanazawa is a major Japan tourist town (I had a boss who went there once for a conference and she wasn't happy because it's hard to get to but everyone loves it).

 

Have you tried wikitravel? That's my major go to for looking up destinations.