Samurai Echoes Journey – Busan, Niigata & Kochi

About this cruise

A week or so at sea, a few great ports, and nothing to organise once you're on board. This 10-night sailing from Tokyo on June 25, 2028 visits Hakodate, Niigata and Busan, with additional stops along the Japan, Korea, China & Taiwan. Expect a run of consecutive ports, 7 stops total, with the busiest days packed close together. The sea days around them feel earned. Street food that'll ruin you for takeaway back home, ancient shrines, and cities that run like clockwork. Keep an eye out for Niigata: Japan's Snow Country port of sake and rice. Roughly 9 hours ashore per stop. No need to rush. 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. With more nights comes more time for the ship's rhythm to kick in: morning coffee in the same spot, evening shows, late-night conversations on deck. Long enough that you stop checking your phone. Short enough that you're not bored. If you can, add a night in Tokyo before boarding. It's a good city to wander. And June means long, warm days. Good for the ports, good for the pool. That's 10 nights well spent.