Samurai Shorelines – Kobe, Busan & Hakodate

About this cruise

Somewhere around day five the ship stops being transport and starts being home. This 19-night sailing from Tokyo on August 24, 2028 visits Nagoya, Kobe (Osaka) and Kochi, 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, Diamond Princess keeps you well fed. 12 places to eat, with 7 included in the fare and a few specialty spots if you're in the mood. By night three you start recognising faces; by night ten you're swapping numbers. That's the magic of a longer sailing. 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. Hard to ask for much more than that, honestly.