Live from the Diamond, July 10-27, 17-day B2B around Japan and Korea

[Ken the cruiser]

Hi all! It's time to start getting excited about our upcoming cruise around Japan with a couple of stops in South Korea!  We booked this family B2B cruise last September and it should be awesome! What's also cool about this B2B is that the only port we will be visiting twice is Osaka, besides of course arriving and leaving from Tokyo (Yokohama). We will be in the same Reserve Class Mini-suite on both legs, which is always a plus on a B2B.

 

  

 

Here are the two itineraries.

 

 

 

For those of you unfamiliar with the Diamond Princess, here's some information about this Grand Class ship.

 

 

My plan for this Live From thread is to share some of our experiences on this 17-day B2B cruise, with one exception. As with my other Live From threads, I have no plans to post pictures of food or drinks. Sorry. But if you would enjoy seeing photos taken on the ship as well as of the wildlife and scenery around Japan and Korea, please come along and I'll try my best. Of course, if you have any questions about the cruise or the ship, please feel free to ask and will try my best to find the answer.

 

[phabric]

I enjoyed reading your other reviews.  I will be following along.  I have not been to that part of the world.

[Silkroad]

Following. Looking forward to another fantastic voyage with you and your DW🙂

[cr8tiv1]

Thanks for taking us along.  Looking forward to "seeing" the ports I didn't get to in March.  

[JintyGirl]

Looking forward to this - we have a Japan cruise with Celebrity booked for 2024. 😊

[Ken the cruiser]

So far our pre-cruise preparation has been far less stressful than our cruises over the past few years, especially when it comes to testing and/or proving our vaccination status. As far as Japan goes, they eliminated their pandemic-related requirements on April 29, 2023.

 

For Travelers | COVID-19: New Normal Travel in Japan | Travel Japan（Japan National Tourism Organization）

 

 We are also arriving a day early and have booked a pre-cruise hotel through Princess, which includes transfers from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the ship the next day. Did I mention we were low stress cruisers. 😊

 

But we did discover there is an (optional) online Visit Japan Web registration process that would hopefully get us into the Japan Customs "fast pass" line once we arrive in Tokyo by simply showing a resulting QR code generated after completing its online registration process. The trickiest part was figuring out the full address and phone number of the hotel Princess booked us in before boarding the Diamond the next day, and how many days (6) we were going to be in Japan before cruising over to South Korea.

 

Login | Visit Japan Web (digital.go.jp)

 

That's it so far. 🤞

 

[sherrihall128]

Happy to follow along!

[dickinson]

Looking forward to your reports!

[Ken the cruiser]

If you're curious, here are the Princess excursions we will be going on during the first leg of the cruise. 

 

Day 3 - Akita - Oga Peninsula: Mt. Kanpuzan Observatory & Namahage Museum

 

Experience a world of legendary beauty with a drive to the Oga Peninsula. Rugged, breathtaking, and mysterious the area boasts steep cliffs, a few volcanic crater lakes and ancient legends. Soak up its splendor with a stop at the Mt. Kanpuzan Observatory. Climb the stone steps that lead to the rotating observatory and admire views from a bird's eye perspective. Enjoy the changing scenery as you rotate 360 degrees, and take advantage of the many varied photo opportunities courtesy of the landscape, which is devoid of trees.

 

Day 4 - Kanazawa - Kenrokuen Gardens, Samurai & Geisha Districts

 

Board your motorcoach and drive to Kenroku-en, one of the celebrated 'Great Gardens of Japan'. This 25-acre landscape garden was originally developed by the daimyo of Kanazawa Castle. Most of the garden was built during the late Edo Period. Kenroku-en boasts Japan's first fountain, a teahouse dating to 1774, and a pagoda donated to the Maeda clan by the great warlord Toyotomi. Continue to the Nagamachi District, once home to many of Kanazawa's samurai. Cross the Asano River to the Higashi Chayamachi, one of the city's four pleasure districts established in 1820 during the late Edo period. The district is home to traditional 'tea houses' where rich merchants and artisans held drinking parties and geisha performed. Explore the narrow streets and the two-story pleasure palaces.

 

Day 6 - Busan, Korea - Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

 

Accompanied by your local guide this enjoyable half day tour starts with a breath-taking journey through glorious countryside and along coastal roads, to the beautiful Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. One of the most striking landmarks in Busan thanks to its unusual location by the sea, you will climb around 108 steps to the entrance, past statues of Buddha and along a dramatic rocky backdrop. Head to Dongbaekseom Island, and the stunning APEC House, which was built for the 2005 APEC Economic Leader's Meeting. Surrounded by beautiful pine trees you will view the charming Mermaid Statue. Drive to the Gukje International Market and browse for souvenirs and crafts before heading back to port. On the way to the market you will see the impressive 24,000-foot Gwangan Grand Bridge, which was completed in 2003, and is the longest suspension bridge in Korea.

 

Day 8 - Osaka - Highlights of Osaka

 

A wonderful half-day adventure exploring two of Osaka's iconic treasures awaits on this fascinated guided tour. Begin with a scenic drive to Osaka Castle. Built in 1583, the castle was erected on two raised platforms atop a tall stone foundation to protect the ruler from sword-wielding samurai. The castle grounds cover 400 acres dotted with historic structures. Walk up to the top of the castle's observation deck and enjoy 360-degree vistas of the city. Your tour will then wend its way to the garden, notable for its cherry trees, and then to the museum, which features valuable artifacts from 1570 to 1600. Your next destination is the Sumiyoshi Shrine, one of the oldest shrines in Japan, founded in the 3rd century. The shrine was constructed in a unique architecture style, called Sumiyoshi-zukuri, purely Japanese without influence from the Asian mainland. Return to port with a camera filled with memories.

 

Day 9 - Toba - Best of Ise and Shima

 

Soak up the serenity of nature-made and man-made delights that dot Shima-hanto Peninsula. From Toba, you'll travel inland to the town of Uji-tachi, home of the Ise-jingu Shrine Complex. Acclaimed as one of the most famous sacred places in Japan, the Inner Shrine known as Naiku is dedicated to the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, one of the most revered Shinto deities. Dating back to the 7th century, the shrine buildings are made of solid cypress wood and use no nails but instead joined wood. Then, head south to Yokoyama and its famed Observatory. Sitting over 660 feet on Mt. Yokoyama, the deck boasts magnificent views of Ago Bay. Next, embark on a leisurely cruise along the rugged coastline around Kashikojima, the largest island in Ago Bay followed by lunch and return to Toba.

 

Due to website issues when trying to book excursions using our Princess OBC, we're going to wait to see what's available on the second leg once we're on the ship.

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[KLM3164]

Following along and looking forward to seeing some of your famous pigeon photos, as well as other wildlife of course. Wishing you a safe and smooth journey!

[Mah Jongg]

We were on the same ship in 2019 for a similar cruise and a TP home. We have visited all the ports you are visiting either on that cruise or a land tour we did years ago. We will do a TP from LA to Yokohama in fall 2024. I am following along to see what other options are available. BTW we used the Goodwill guides in several port, and did the same excursions in Kanazawa, Toba and Busan.

[jolli]

Hi Ken…your excursions all sound wonderful! We visited the Buddhist Temple by the Sea in Busan and loved it all…there are lots of stairs since it’s quite hilly and rocky but just take your time! Lovely views out over the ocean! 
As I was saying if you don’t want to travel into Osaka or Kyoto from Kobe and just want to spend the day in this port….there is a free HOHO Bus around the city Center….again this is a hilly port! Take the free shuttle from a stop near the shopping mall…shuttle from the ship stops right near the mall! Walk down the road and then turn first right and the bus stop is right there! Free HOHO runs every half hour and takes you around the city but the best stop is at the Herb Garden! You take the RopeWay…chairlift….to the top of the hill and then a leisurely walk back down through beautiful gardens all lovingly attended by Japanese ladies who do all this  work for free…simply because they love gardening! There are cafes and hot houses on the way down that you can pop into and look at arts and crafts of the area! This is what it was like when we were there in 2018…I hope it’s still the same! I shall post the details of this little tour later on! There is also a beautiful enclosed Japanese Garden that you can visit not far from the entrance to the Gardens and again I shall let you know where! Hope all this helps Ken! Cheers Annette

[jolli]

Hi Ken…your excursions all sound wonderful! We visited the Buddhist Temple by the Sea in Busan and loved it all…there are lots of stairs since it’s quite hilly and rocky but just take your time! Lovely views out over the ocean! 
As I was saying if you don’t want to travel into Osaka or Kyoto from Kobe and just want to spend the day in this port….there is a free HOHO Bus around the city Center….again this is a hilly port! Take the free shuttle from a stop near the shopping mall…shuttle from the ship stops right near the mall! Walk down the road and then turn first right and the bus stop is right there! Free HOHO runs every half hour and takes you around the city but the best stop is at the Herb Garden! You take the RopeWay…chairlift….to the top of the hill and then a leisurely walk back down through beautiful gardens all lovingly attended by Japanese ladies who do all this  work for free…simply because they love gardening! There are cafes and hot houses on the way down that you can pop into and look at arts and crafts of the area! This is what it was like when we were there in 2018…I hope it’s still the same! I shall post the details of this little tour later on! There is also a beautiful enclosed Japanese Garden that you can visit not far from the entrance to the Gardens and again I shall let you know where! Hope all this helps Ken! Cheers Annette

[jolli]

Sorry…it’s not a free city loop bus in Kobe….it costs 700 Yen for the day! 

[Ken the cruiser]

3 minutes ago, jolli said:

Hi Ken…your excursions all sound wonderful! We visited the Buddhist Temple by the Sea in Busan and loved it all…there are lots of stairs since it’s quite hilly and rocky but just take your time! Lovely views out over the ocean! 
As I was saying if you don’t want to travel into Osaka or Kyoto from Kobe and just want to spend the day in this port….there is a free HOHO Bus around the city Center….again this is a hilly port! Take the free shuttle from a stop near the shopping mall…shuttle from the ship stops right near the mall! Walk down the road and then turn first right and the bus stop is right there! Free HOHO runs every half hour and takes you around the city but the best stop is at the Herb Garden! You take the RopeWay…chairlift….to the top of the hill and then a leisurely walk back down through beautiful gardens all lovingly attended by Japanese ladies who do all this  work for free…simply because they love gardening! There are cafes and hot houses on the way down that you can pop into and look at arts and crafts of the area! This is what it was like when we were there in 2018…I hope it’s still the same! I shall post the details of this little tour later on! There is also a beautiful enclosed Japanese Garden that you can visit not far from the entrance to the Gardens and again I shall let you know where! Hope all this helps Ken! Cheers Annette

Thanks Annette! We’ll definitely refer to your thoughts on our second leg before we book any excursions in the area! 

[jolli]

Just now, jolli said:

Sorry…it’s not a free city loop bus in Kobe….it costs 700 Yen for the day! 

That’s US$5 for the day! Very cheap and ideal for looking around the city…you can stop off at different parts of city and then get back on! Don’t feel afraid …..Not many older Japanese speak English but if you have a map they are only to happy to help you and point you in the right direction! Always remember to say thank you in Japanese! 

[Justpackingmybags]

Following! This is on my bucket list, so I’m getting tempted just from the itinerary!

[cr8tiv1]

8 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

So far our pre-cruise preparation has been far less stressful than our cruises over the past few years, especially when it comes to testing and/or proving our vaccination status. As far as Japan goes, they eliminated their pandemic-related requirements on April 29, 2023.

 

For Travelers | COVID-19: New Normal Travel in Japan | Travel Japan（Japan National Tourism Organization）

 

 We are also arriving a day early and have booked a pre-cruise hotel through Princess, which includes transfers from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the ship the next day. Did I mention we were low stress cruisers. 😊

 

But we did discover there is an (optional) online Visit Japan Web registration process that would hopefully get us into the Japan Customs "fast pass" line once we arrive in Tokyo by simply showing a resulting QR code generated after completing its online registration process. The trickiest part was figuring out the full address and phone number of the hotel Princess booked us in before boarding the Diamond the next day, and how many days (6) we were going to be in Japan before cruising over to South Korea.

 

Login | Visit Japan Web (digital.go.jp)

 

That's it so far. 🤞

I wish this were the case.  I did all the web documents and received my QR codes.  Still had to stand in immigration line for almost 90 minutes upon arrival into Narita. They require you to have your fingerprints taken.  There is a separate line for wheel chairs and flight crew.  Japanese nationals also were separated out.  
 

Be prepared for many more immigration lines, especially after visiting Korea.  Princess will provide instructions.  Lines to leave.  Lines to return.  
 

Tip….take a washcloth with you off the ship.  No paper towels. And it’s going to be hot and maybe humid.  No trash cans either. 

[Travlin grrl]

Following too. I'm thinking of doing a cruise tour with this itinerary. Can't wait to hear about it and see your photos of the ship. Thank you for reviewing and sharing.  

[TRUEBLUE66]

Looking forward to your experience! 

We were on Diamond in 2019 for a round trip cruise from Kobe. My brother in law was living there at the time and we combined a land tour to Kyoto for a few days which was a highlight of our trip. 

On one of our ports of call we were wakened around 5.30 am by a group of schoolchildren on the quayside singing loudly! Apparently this was the first time Princess had called at this port and the locals went out of their way all day to make it special. 

We enjoyed that the ship put on lots of cultural events and that so many passengers from around the world had a japanese heritage. It made for a very different cruising experience which we really enjoyed.

 

[jinpasco]

We will also be following as Japan is on our future cruise list..thank you for thinking of all of us during YOUR vacation.

[Ken the cruiser]

10 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I wish this were the case.  I did all the web documents and received my QR codes.  Still had to stand in immigration line for almost 90 minutes upon arrival into Narita. They require you to have your fingerprints taken.  There is a separate line for wheel chairs and flight crew.  Japanese nationals also were separated out.  
 

Be prepared for many more immigration lines, especially after visiting Korea.  Princess will provide instructions.  Lines to leave.  Lines to return.  
 

Tip….take a washcloth with you off the ship.  No paper towels. And it’s going to be hot and maybe humid.  No trash cans either. 

Thanks for the heads up! I wonder what the overall wait time would have been if you had not applied in advance for the Visit Japan Web QR code. At least hopefully we'll have the option to "pick a line" once we land at the Haneda Airport in Tokyo. BTW we wouldn't have even known about this option if it wasn't for reading about it on CC as Princess makes no mention of it anywhere.

[mtnesterz]

23 hours ago, jolli said:

Not many older Japanese speak English but if you have a map they are only to happy to help you and point you in the right direction! Always remember to say thank you in Japanese! 

 

On that thought, here are 8 short lessons, like 3 minutes each that give the traveller some basic phrases for Japan. We are cruising Japan in October so following this thread with interest.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/program/video/easytravel_j/

Edited June 29, 2023 by mtnesterz

[cr8tiv1]

A nice gesture is something called "omiyage".  

 

https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/hawaii-stories/culture/omiyage

 

Oops...temiyage is the proper terminology.  

 

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by cr8tiv1

[Ken the cruiser]

Looks like there has been an itinerary change and we won't be stopping at Kanazawa on July 13 now. Instead, they have extended the time in Akita, the previous port, a few hours and turned Day 4 into a sea day.

 

ITINERARY CHANGE Please be advised the port authority has recently advised the berth for Diamond Princess in Kanazawa, Japan is not available on July 13, 2023 as scheduled. As a result, Diamond Princess will no longer call to Kanazawa on Thursday, July 13 but instead will spend the day at sea. To accommodate this change, we have extended our call to Akita, Japan by three hours and we will now depart Akita at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, July 12 rather than 4:00 PM as previously scheduled. Guests with Princess shore excursions booked for Kanazawa will be refunded to the original form of payment. Updated shore excursion information for Akita will be available on board. The revised itinerary displays in full at the end of this notification. Thank you for your attention to this notification.