Live from Explorer March 28-April 11, 2023–Yokohama to Tokyo

[RachelG]

April 9, 2023–Kochi, Japan

 

We had a night smooth and quiet night sailing toward Kochi.  The sun came out bright, and it looks to be a beautiful day with temps in the 60s.  

 

We were docked at a smaller port with a small cruise terminal.  There was a guy on the dock waving a huge “Welcome to Kochi” banner.  Our tour was to Chikurinji temple and the Makino botanical garden which are right side by side.  The description said we would drive between them, but in reality, they share the same parking lot.

 

We drove past rice paddies and greenhouses, then up a very narrow winding and steep road through bamboo forest to the top of a small mountain.  On one side of the road, in the forest, there was a cemetery.  Most unusual cemetery I have ever seen as it followed the road going up and was in the woods.

 

We went to the temple first.  There was a big gong which George got to ring, then we climbed up some very irregular rough stone stairs to the shrine and pagoda.  The landscaping was very nice, and there was good shade.  The pagoda is 5 stories high, so pretty big.  I would say this would not be doable for anyone with balance or knee issues, but there is a good place to sit at the entrance and a small garden to see if you would be unable to do this part.

 

We then went to the Makino gardens which was started by a Japanese botanist.  It is huge.  Every imaginable type of plant from Japan with cherry trees and azaleas being in full bloom.  It is laid out in a manner to take advantage of the beautiful views and surrounding mountains so that literally everywhere you look is like a picture.  There is a big greenhouse with orchids as well.  We speed walked and still didn’t see everything.  I would definitely return.

 

Our guide was pretty good.  She talked just the right amount and spoke good English, but she kept trying to count us to no avail.  She did tell us that Kochi was particularly prone to tsunamis, and sure enough, when we got back to the dock area, we could see the huge concrete barriers they have erected to protect the port.

 

Back to the ship, we realized we wouldn’t have enough time to take the shuttle into Kochi for lunch and get back before all aboard at 2:30, so we ate at La Veranda.  It was a Mediterranean theme, and the hummus was some of the best I have had anywhere.  I could tell by the texture that it was made fresh.

 

There was a lecture about Japanese Imperialism and Expansionism at 2:30.  Then at 3:30, a Easter church service which was actually well attended.  It would have been better if they had engaged George to lead the singing, but was quite meaningful.

 

We were again 3rd at trivia. We seem to be stuck on that number a lot.  The crew capers show was tonight at 6.  We have been to it a bunch of times, so opted to enjoy drinks with our friends on next to last night.  Dinner in Compass Rose was very good.  They had the spectacular mushroom soup as well as Beef Wellington, so two of my favorites.  I even splurged with crème brûlée given it was Easter.

 

On the elevator, we bumped into Lorraine who will be taking over for Dru as CD at the end of this cruise.  Lots of hugs and laughter as we reunited.  We haven’t seen her since before Covid.

 

The show tonight was The Other Guys.  This was the group that did the Four Seasons show the other night, but they do other music as well.   They did a lot of 60, 70, and 80s music and were really quite good.

[RachelG]

5 hours ago, labonnevie said:

Rachel, sorry to hear the Covid news.
Can you describe what the 1% threshold triggers onboard the ship? Is it more than the crew wearing masks? Does the crew serve buffet style food? etc. 
What happens Tuesday when the passengers turnover? Just curious as we board then. 
Thanks as always for the posts and pics! 

So, if over 1% are positive, that includes passengers plus crew, the crew start mandatory mask wearing.  Passengers are advised but can decide whether or not they want to mask up.  masks are provided in all cabins.  I would say maybe 10% of passengers are wearing masks.  Buffets are on as usual and you can serve yourself.  Really the only difference is that crew are masked.  No idea what happens Tuesday.  And what do they do with the passengers in quarantine ??  Do they just let them loose?

[Techno123]

To be honest it should be anyone who feels a bit iffy or has the snuffles should voluntarily wear a mask whether required or nor. Hand washing/ sanitising in ALL restaurants should be mandatory on all ships whether there is Covid or not. There are many other infections that can be passed on in such a confined environment

[carolina cruisin]

42 minutes ago, Techno123 said:

To be honest it should be anyone who feels a bit iffy or has the snuffles should voluntarily wear a mask whether required or nor. Hand washing/ sanitising in ALL restaurants should be mandatory on all ships whether there is Covid or not. There are many other infections that can be passed on in such a confined environment

Totally agree - and then there is the "gentleman" - as previously reported - that made a "snarky" comment about me using hand sanitizer aboard a recent cruise.  It seems to me that washing/sanitizing hands is the least that someone could/should do.

[Techno123]

1 hour ago, carolina cruisin said:

Totally agree - and then there is the "gentleman" - as previously reported - that made a "snarky" comment about me using hand sanitizer aboard a recent cruise.  It seems to me that washing/sanitizing hands is the least that someone could/should do.

I'm from the UK but I'm sure it's the same in the US - it was drummed into us that hands were washed after using the toilet and before meals. As a nurse and biology teacher it does still shock me the number of people who don't bother to do either 😱

[RachelG]

 

April 10, 2023–Shimizu, Japan

 

First, most important news—internet speed has improved dramatically.  They had someone come onboard in Kochi and install some new equipment which has helped loading speed.  It still isn’t like on land, but it is very much easier to do things.

 

It looks to be another beautiful clear day. We were sailing along the coast and just barely could make out a covered peak in the distance.  We ate breakfast outside on the pool deck as all seats in La Veranda were taken, then went up to to watch the sail in.  By this time, Mt. Fuji was clearly visible from the ship, a big snow capped volcanic peak, way higher than any of the others, 12,388 ft.

 

Shimizu is a smaller city than many we have visited this trip, but the port has the requisite Ferris wheel.  There were people out to watch us sail in, some taking pictures.  Our excursion wasn’t until 12:15, so we walked into the town, with a shopping mall and a cute kids park that my grand babies would have loved.

 

Our excursion “Mt. Fuji Highlights” was really disappointing, not because it was a bad excursion or the guide was bad.  We actually had a great guide, and the two places we visited on the excursion were interesting and scenic.  But it had very little to do with Mt Fuji.

 

The first stop was a shrine where pilgrims pray before ascending Mt. Fuji.  It was a typical shrine, and really in a beautiful setting, but you couldn’t even see Mt. Fuji from there.  The second stop was a pine forest, ancient and really beautiful, but again no where close to Mt. Fuji.  

 

We were pretty disappointed, but the description of the excursion, which I looked up after we got back to the ship, was deceptive.  If I had know this, we would have just hired a private driver, as none of the other excursions appeared to be any more of a Mt. Fuji experience.  And yes, I know you can’t climb the mountain this time of year.  We would have just liked to get closer to it.  You could actually see the mountain better from our balcony on the ship than from either of the places on the excursion.

Multiple other people concurred.

 

Dinner with friends was excellent.  We were in Compass Rose.  I had a pork dumpling, tomato soup, and pasta puttanesca.  Everyone was too full for dessert.

 

The comedian was on again and pretty funny.  And then we unfortunately had to go back and pack.

[luv2tripalot]

Your post have been most helpful, we are boarding today. Safe travels Rachel!

[briar14]

Thank you, Rachel, for your good, informative reports. I will use them for our cruise next year. Safe traveling home. It is always sad when the suitcases appear on the bed!

[1rochelle]

Yes, thank you Rachel for all the great information.  We will be on the ship April 25.  Any additional information or advice is greatly appreciated.

[RachelG]

April 11, 2023–Tokyo, Japan and disembarkation 

 

When we woke up at 6:30 am, the ship was still moving.  We arrived in port after 7, and I was thinking no way are they going to be able to start disembarkation at 8 or even 8:30. Sure enough, we were out of our room at 8, sitting eating breakfast when the announcement came overhead that they were running late.  At 8:30, they were just starting to offload luggage.  But they were pretty efficient and Dru started calling groups soon after.  We were to get off at 9:00 and actually disembarked at 9:30.

 

Regent wanted $89 pp to transfer on a bus to Haneda airport.  We grabbed a taxi and got a private transfer for about $30.  Once at Haneda, I had a plan.  We would see if AA would let us check in and check our bags.  They were totally ok with it, and there was no line at all.  Then we left our carryons at the left luggage counter (yes, they still have suck a thing in Japan), and grabbed a taxi to the Shinjuku gardens.  Then taxi ride cost about $60, but it was quite a ways.

 

We found a little hole in the wall sushi place.  Literally a sushi counter with a dozen stools and 2 tables.  There was an old guy there, probably in his 80s, making sushi.  We did the point and guess method of ordering and ended up with wonderful sushi and miso soup for a great price.  This fellow has apparently been making sushi there for almost 50 years.

 

We spent the afternoon walking around the gardens.  It was bright a sunny, a perfect day.  There were lots of Japanese families picnicking in the park.  The cherry blossoms were still in full bloom.  There weren’t as many azeleas as we had seen in the other gardens we have visited on this trip, but they were beginning to bloom. There was a huge rose garden with perfect rose bushes in excellent health and covered with buds.  It will be spectacular in a week.

 

We got all our steps, plus, then grabbed a taxi back to the airport.  The driver was really FAST.  We arrived with extra time, which was a good thing because the line to go though security seemed to stretch forever and there is no separate line for business class.  It rivaled the customs and immigration line to enter the country.  It took almost an hour to get through.  

 

Once through, we spent our remaining yen on presents for the grand babies then went to the JAL first class lounge.  We could enter because George is exec platinum on AA.  One of the best lounge experiences ever.  It was quiet and clean.  They had great sushi made to order. So we ate more sushi.  And it is beautifully decorated.  Highly recommend.  

 

AA flights home uneventful.  Global entry is now just facial recognition.  You don’t have to scan your passport anymore.  But then we had to wait forever for the luggage.  There is always something.

 

I will post again in a few days with final thoughts when I get caught up.

 

[Stickman1990]

Glad you got to enjoy some of Tokyo on your departure day - the proximity of Haneda to the city makes that possible

 

Pretty sure those gardens you visited in Shinjuku were

Shinjuku Gyoen National Gardens 

 https://www.gotokyo.org/en/spot/75/index.html

 

https://www.env.go.jp/garden/shinjukugyoen/english/index.html

 

They're great to visit across all seasons and have a wide variety of garden styles to enjoy - a really peaceful haven in the midst of a busy district 

Edited April 11, 2023 by Stickman1990

[mj_holiday]

Thanks so much for taking the time to post your cruise.  We are on an extended version of your cruise next year and your information was very helpful in working through excursions.  Thanks again

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Really enjoyed your trip report!  Thanks for taking the time to post, and especially, to upload photos.  
 

Joanie

[Jlhalldc]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. I know how time consuming this must be and we all appreciate your views and photos. Thanks for offering your honest views...successes and failures. Good luck with your reentry to daily life off the ship. We always miss the menus, housekeeping and friends we made onboard. 

[MarcyLondon]

I have been following all your posts about the cruise. Thank you so much I have enjoyed them all and it's been very useful. Can I ask a question please. Were there any toilets on the coaches? Something that always worries me. 

 

Thanks for any advice

Marcy

[labonnevie]

Currently on Explorer Tokyo to Tokyo. Did the three day precruise program in Tokyo. 
Have yet to see a bathroom on a bus. 
That said, the public bathrooms in Japan are among the cleanest in the world. Never feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
However, you may not find paper towels or dryers in every bathroom after you wash your hands. 

[DeepFreeze63]

Sincere thanks to all posters. Got LOTS of great info and ideas for our 3/24 Explorer TKY to TKY.

[makai 7]

7 hours ago, MarcyLondon said:

I have been following all your posts about the cruise. Thank you so much I have enjoyed them all and it's been very useful. Can I ask a question please. Were there any toilets on the coaches? Something that always worries me. 

 

Thanks for any advice

Marcy

We just arrived home after the post cruise tour that went to Odowara.

there were no toilets on any coach for any tours in the Japan and Korea ports, and the coaches are very tight- small seats.  The tours all provided plenty of bathroom stops, most had western toilets but a few had the Asian style squatters.

[MarcyLondon]

On 4/14/2023 at 3:16 PM, labonnevie said:

Currently on Explorer Tokyo to Tokyo. Did the three day precruise program in Tokyo. 
Have yet to see a bathroom on a bus. 
That said, the public bathrooms in Japan are among the cleanest in the world. Never feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
However, you may not find paper towels or dryers in every bathroom after you wash your hands. 

Thanks labonnevie & makai 7. Was happy to hear there were lots of bathroom stops. 

Can we have any information about the precruise programme in Tokyo? Have only read one so far and it wasn't at all positive

[mrstanley]

What happened to the passengers from the previous cruise who were in quarantine and not allowed to disembark in Yokohama ?

[labonnevie]

11 hours ago, mrstanley said:

What happened to the passengers from the previous cruise who were in quarantine and not allowed to disembark in Yokohama ?

We have no idea. Crew removed masks yesterday (Saturday Japan time). No mention of the dreaded C on board that we have heard. Very few masks on board and on tours.
Cruise going very well with everyone seemingly enjoying it all. 
Service is as we remember, hard to fault much of anything. A bit of slow service one night in Chartreuse, and the tourenados tough and overcooked. Otherwise all good to great. 

Common issue is the difficulty in understanding the Japanese tour guides. Some say little, some say a lot, some you can understand, some you can’t. Most tours are waitlisted and in some places (Naze) just not available at all due to staffing issues with the tour vendors. 

[labonnevie]

12 hours ago, MarcyLondon said:

Thanks labonnevie & makai 7. Was happy to hear there were lots of bathroom stops. 

Can we have any information about the precruise programme in Tokyo? Have only read one so far and it wasn't at all positive

Briefly, hotel was very good. There were 380 for the precruise program, so every morning there were 11 or 12 buses. A bit of a cattle herd to be sure. Tour sites were a mixture of very good to total miss. But about what we expected. The lack of lunches and dinners and no evening programs were a miss, in our opinion. We ate at both the Chinese and Japanese restaurants in the hotel, both very good. If you have specific questions let me know. 

 

[RachelG]

On 4/14/2023 at 9:09 AM, MarcyLondon said:

I have been following all your posts about the cruise. Thank you so much I have enjoyed them all and it's been very useful. Can I ask a question please. Were there any toilets on the coaches? Something that always worries me. 

 

Thanks for any advice

Marcy

No toilets on buses, but the public toilets are everywhere and very clean.  But as someone else mentioned, there is usually no way to dry your hands.  I just shake mine dry.

 

On 4/15/2023 at 12:44 PM, mrstanley said:

What happened to the passengers from the previous cruise who were in quarantine and not allowed to disembark in Yokohama ?

no idea.  Would love to know what they did with them.

[RachelG]

A few final thoughts.  We mostly enjoyed this cruise.  The weather was mostly good to great.  The ship is in good condition, and except for a couple of notable misses (first night in P7) food was excellent.  Even though the ship was full, it didn’t seem crowded.  
 

george and I agree we would definitely go back to Japan and South Korea but probably would prefer to do it on one of Silversea’s expedition ships.  We are more into hiking and nature, and definitely not into long bus rides, and there were too many of those.  Part of the problem is that when you chose an excursion on the website, it often doesn’t really tell you how much time on the bus there is going to be.  They need to fix that.

 

They also need to fix the wifi issue.  Some of us still are working, and not being able to even download an email is a problem.  
 

I did think the destination team did a great job on getting excursions out on time,much better than any previous cruise.  They definitely seemed more organized.

[labonnevie]

Currently on Explorer, Tokyo rt. Couple of updates:

Near perfect weather through Busan, day 7. Unfortunately, day 8 we are paying the price as high winds (15 - 35 mph) scrubbed Jeju Island port today. As shame as we were scheduled to see the Women Divers, an expected highlight of the cruise. On to Nagasaki. 
Regent has added disembarkation day options for those with late flights. Transport to airport only is $89. Transport to airport with day room at Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo is $100. Transport to airport with Tokyo tour (mostly drive byes with stop at Tokyo Tower/Eiffel) is $139. Flights must be after 5pm for the later. In our case, this will help us use up some non refundable OBC.