Tag Archives: Yokohama

Diamond Princess Set for Japan Reposition

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After resuming service on the West Coast in November, the Diamond Princess is setting sail to Japan on Sunday.

Scheduled for a complete program in the Asian country, the Princess Cruises’ vessel is departing on a repositioning voyage to Yokohama – a port near Tokyo.

The 25-night Pacific Crossing itinerary sails from the West Coast and includes visits to ports in Hawaii, the Pacific and Asia.

Starting on March 15, the Diamond Princess is set to offer a series of five- to 19-day cruises to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

In addition to Yokohama, the program also includes departures from Kobe and features a total of 38 destinations in three countries, as well as 43 unique itineraries and 57 departures.

Ports of call include Sakata, Naha, Nagasaki, Otaru, Hakodate, Nagasaki, Ishigaki, Cheju, Busan, Keelung and more.

Upon completing its program in Japan, the Diamond Princess is set to reposition to Southeast Asia for a winter season visiting Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and others.

Built-in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Nagasaki, the Diamond Princess originally entered service in March 2004.

According to Princess, the 113,000-ton vessel was designed to cruise to Japanese ports and offers the Princess MedallionClass experience, which allows guests to personalize their cruises with a “touchless and effortless” service.

Extensively refurbished over the years, the Diamond Princess underwent a major renovation in 2019. At the time, the 2,600-guest ship received new features, such as Japanese bidets in suites and public restrooms.

The ship’s Movies Under The Stars screen was also updated, receiving new surround sound digital audio, while the main pool deck LED lighting received enhancements for a more vibrant and colourful entertainment experience.

Further general refurbishments include upgraded digital audio systems for the Princess Theater, Explorers Lounge and Club Fusion, as well as new furnishings in the Horizon Court buffet area, and more.

Holland America Line will return to Japan in the new year

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Nieuw Amsterdam in Vancouver Photo Credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

HAL will deploy Westerdam to Japan early next year off the back of a stint in Australia and New Zealand; the ship will start its Asia season on 3rd February after a January dry dock in Singapore.

Japan lifted its curbs on cruising last month. Westerdam will sail roundtrip from Yokohama or Singapore, or between the two destinations.

Cruises range from 11 to 14 days and can be combined to create non-repeating Collectors’ Voyages. Across five itineraries, guests will be able to visit Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, with overnight calls in Singapore, Kobe, Osaka and Phuket.

The season will conclude with a 14-day North Pacific Crossing from Yokohama to Seattle departing on 24th  April when Westerdam redeploys for its Alaska season.


“We’re grateful for the work that the Japanese authorities have done to allow for a return to cruising,” said HAL president Gus Antorcha.


“Holland America Line’s guests love longer voyages to unique parts of the world, and we’ll be sailing to some incredible locations as our season in Japan and the rest of Asia begins.”


HAL will provide details of any specific health protocols for each departure in advance via its voyage lookup tool.

Nearly 150 Total Coronavirus Cases Confirmed on Cruise Ship in Japan

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An aerial view shows Italian cruise ship Costa Atlantica in Nagasaki, southern Japan April 21, 2020. Kyodo/via REUTERS

Nearly 150 cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed among crew members of an Italian cruise ship docked in Japan after health authorities finished testing everyone on board, an official said on Saturday.

The Nagasaki prefecture official said 57 more crew had tested positive, bringing the total infections on board the Costa Atlantica to 148, roughly one-quarter of the vessel’s 623 crew members.

Authorities began testing after one crew member tested positive for the virus earlier this week. No passengers are on board the vessel, which has been docked in Nagasaki in southwestern Japan since February for repairs and maintenance after the pandemic prevented scheduled repairs in China.

The official told a news conference that the prefecture was discussing with the national government how to handle a large number of positive infections on the ship.

He added that there was no change in plans to send those testing negative to their home nations as soon as possible.

The infection cluster on board the vessel comes as hospitals are running out of beds in some parts of Japan, where the national tally of virus cases has risen above 13,000. Some 350 people have died. Nagasaki, excluding the ship figures, has seen a relatively low number of 17 infections and one death.

Of those infected on board the Costa Atlantica, only one crew member has been admitted to hospital, while others remain onboard, having shown slight or no symptoms.

Nagasaki authorities had quarantined the vessel on arrival and ordered its crew not to venture beyond the quay except for hospital visits.

But prefecture officials said earlier this week that some of the crew had departed without their knowledge, and sought detailed information on their movements.

The cruise ship infections follow a similar incident earlier this year when more than 700 passengers and crew tested positive for the virus on the Diamond Princess cruise liner docked in Yokohama. (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu and Chris Gallagher; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Ros Russell)