Samurai Shoreline – Busan, Hakodate & Kochi from Yokohama

About this cruise

If you want the classic cruise without a massive time commitment, this is a strong option. 10 nights from Yokohama on May 18, 2026, visiting Hakodate, Niigata and Busan, 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 8 hours, so you can do more than just tick off the main sights. As for the ship itself, Diamond Princess takes the food seriously, with 12 restaurants to choose from. 7 are included, and the rest are worth the splurge. 10 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. The sweet spot for most travellers: you get to know the ship, see the ports, and come home before the laundry piles up. Pro tip: fly in the day before. Yokohama has plenty to offer, and you'll board relaxed instead of rushed. A spring departure helps too: decent weather and a calmer feel at each port. Whether you've cruised before or not, this 10-night itinerary is a genuinely good one.