Holland America Line is set to offer a new 53-day cruise to Japan in September 2024.
A first for the company, the itinerary sails roundtrip from Seattle onboard the Westerdam.
In addition to the Far East, the voyage also includes port calls in Alaska and Hawaii.
According to Holland America, the nearly two-month cruise, which is included in the company’s Legendary Voyages program, is highlighted by the opportunity to explore 13 Japanese port cities during the autumn season when temperatures are cooler.
“This cruise allows us to offer Japan ‘from your doorstep’ with no more than a domestic air flight to Seattle,” said Paul Grigsby, vice president of Deployment & Itinerary Planning at Holland America Line.
“Because we can linger on our way, we have chosen to visit some of the best ports in Alaska, including Kodiak and Dutch Harbor, before landing at Kushiro, Hokkaido as first port of call in Japan”, he added.
Other noteworthy aspects of the itinerary include scenic cruises along Alaska’s Inside Passage and Stephen’s Passage, as well as visits to Juneau, Sitka, Kodiak and Dutch Harbor.
Guests will also be able to visit sites important to World War II history during the voyage, Holland America said, including the Children’s Peace Monument and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Once in Japan, the Westerdam is set to make calls to Kushiro, Hakodate, Yokohama (Tokyo), Kobe, Kochi, Hiroshima, Kanmon Straight, Fukuoka (Hakata), Sakaiminato, Toyama, Kanazawa, Nagasaki, Ishigaki Island and Naha.
The 2004-built vessel is also set to offer scenic cruising around Iwo Jima and Midway Island before returning to the U.S. with stops in three destinations in Hawaii: Nawiliwili, Kauai and Honolulu.
Overnight stays are planned for Yokohama (Tokyo), Kobe and Honolulu.
“This cruise offers an immersive Japan experience, covering the northern and mountainous regions, the population centers of Kobe and Yokohama as well as the east coast of Japan where we steam as far north as Toyama,” Grigsby noted.
“Since it is a September cruise, there is the possibility of viewing the leaves beginning to turn in the high country around Mt. Tateyama near Toyama.”
