Port time questions

[donaldsc]

I am going to be on a Diamond Princess Japan cruise in October 2023.  I have a couple of port time questions.  We are booked on a 19 day cruise which is really a B2B cruise.  The changeover port is Yokohama so we are in Yokohama twice - on Nov 9 for changeover and on Nov 18 for cruise debarking.  Both times we supposedly dock at 6:30 AM and we leave at 5:00 PM.

 

I am hoping to do private tours on my Yokohama stops.  I have a day tour booked for Nov 9 changeover day.  Also since my flight home does not leave from  Haneda airport until 7:20 PM I have booked a day tour to Kamakura on our debarkation day.    The plan is to do the day tour and then have the guide take me to the airport transport bus station to get to the airport.  

 

My potential problem is that this whole thing is dependent upon getting off the ship fairly early.  I would like to have the guide meet me at 8:30 at the ship for my Nov 9 changeover tour and then have same guide meet me at 8:30 on the Nov 18 for the debark day airport tour.  I need to know if I will be able to get off the ship at this time.  Some people say that is possible.  Princess will not commit to a time but they say that it could take as long 3 to 4 hours after the ship docks.  My TA says not to count on getting off early.  Who is right.  

 

So what do you guys think  What has been your experience?  Would I be able to make my 8:30 AM - 9:00 tours or is Princess right and it might be as long as 4 hours which means that I might not get off the ship until 10:30?  After all we are not entering Japan for either post stop so I do not see why customs or immigration should be an issue.  Also this is after Covid restrictions so Covid should not be a problem.

 

One other question.  The guide on my debark day tour plans to get to Haneda airport at about 4:30 PM which gives me almost 3 hours to get onto the plane.  Is that enough time.

 

Thanks for volunteering to help. We are looking to seeing Japan although getting private guides for this trip has been very difficult. If you want to communicate off line you can send me an e-mail at donald.schoengold41@gmail.com.  

DON

[donaldsc]

2 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

I am going to be on a Diamond Princess Japan cruise in October 2023.  I have a couple of port time questions.  We are booked on a 19 day cruise which is really a B2B cruise.  The changeover port is Yokohama so we are in Yokohama twice - on Nov 9 for changeover and on Nov 18 for cruise debarking.  Both times we supposedly dock at 6:30 AM and we leave at 5:00 PM.

 

I am hoping to do private tours on my Yokohama stops.  I have a day tour booked for Nov 9 changeover day.  Also since my flight home does not leave from  Haneda airport until 7:20 PM I have booked a day tour to Kamakura on our debarkation day.    The plan is to do the day tour and then have the guide take me to the airport transport bus station to get to the airport.  

 

My potential problem is that this whole thing is dependent upon getting off the ship fairly early.  I would like to have the guide meet me at 8:30 at the ship for my Nov 9 changeover tour and then have same guide meet me at 8:30 on the Nov 18 for the debark day airport tour.  I need to know if I will be able to get off the ship at this time.  Some people say that is possible.  Princess will not commit to a time but they say that it could take as long 3 to 4 hours after the ship docks.  My TA says not to count on getting off early.  Who is right.  

 

So what do you guys think  What has been your experience?  Would I be able to make my 8:30 AM - 9:00 tours or is Princess right and it might be as long as 4 hours which means that I might not get off the ship until 10:30?  After all we are not entering Japan for either post stop so I do not see why customs or immigration should be an issue.  Also this is after Covid restrictions so Covid should not be a problem.

 

One other question.  The guide on my debark day tour plans to get to Haneda airport at about 4:30 PM which gives me almost 3 hours to get onto the plane.  Is that enough time.

 

Thanks for volunteering to help. We are looking to seeing Japan although getting private guides for this trip has been very difficult. If you want to communicate off line you can send me an e-mail at donald.schoengold41@gmail.com.  

DON

 

I should have added that we are both Platinum if that will get us off earlier.

 

DON