Gilded Shinto Trail – Hakodate, Busan & Hiroshima

About this cruise

Somewhere around day five the ship stops being transport and starts being home. This 20-night sailing from Tokyo on June 27, 2027 visits Hakodate, Sakata and Kanazawa, with additional stops along the Japan, Korea, China & Taiwan. There's a stretch of back-to-back port days, so those days are busy, but the sea days around them give you time to recharge. Karaoke bars, hot springs, and temples draped in moss. East Asia does culture and chaos in equal measure. Most ports give you about 9 hours, so you can do more than just tick off the main sights. As for the ship itself, Sapphire Princess keeps you well fed. 14 places to eat, with 7 included in the fare and a few specialty spots if you're in the mood. 20 nights is long enough to build a routine on board: favourite restaurant, favourite deck chair, favourite people. It starts to feel like a floating village. A proper voyage for people who like to take their time and hate rushing through destinations. It's peak season, so the weather is at its best and the ship will be full. That's part of the fun. Whether you've cruised before or not, this 20-night itinerary is a genuinely good one.