Japan Cruise Ships Complete Guide — Quick Answer Asuka II, Nippon Maru, Diamond Princess Budgets

⚡ 30-Second Answer: 5 main categories of Japan cruises = ①Domestic luxury cruise (Asuka II, ¥200-500K / 7-14 days) ②Domestic mid-range cruise (Nippon Maru, ¥150-300K) ③International cruise (Diamond Princess, ¥150-400K) ④Costa Cruises (Costa Venezia, ¥100-250K) ⑤Short cruises (Tokyo Bay, ¥1-5K). For tourists, beginner-friendly short cruises are recommended.

Quick reference	Value
Asuka II	¥200-500K
Nippon Maru	¥150-300K
Diamond Princess	¥150-400K
Costa	¥100-250K
Tokyo Bay short cruise	¥1-5K
Last verified	June 2026

30-Second Answer

Japan's cruises offer world-class service and facilities. Tourists can choose from beginner-friendly short cruises, international cruises, and luxury domestic cruises.

🚢 Top 5 Major Cruise Ships

1️⃣ Asuka II (Japan Luxury)

• Operator: NYK Cruises
• Gross tonnage: 50,142 tons
• Cabins: 436
• Feature: Japan's most luxurious
• Fare: ¥200,000-500,000 / 7-14 days
• Launched: 1991

2️⃣ Nippon Maru

• Operator: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines
• Gross tonnage: 22,472 tons
• Cabins: 202
• Fare: ¥150,000-300,000
• Launched: 1990

3️⃣ Diamond Princess

• Operator: Princess Cruises
• Gross tonnage: 115,875 tons
• Cabins: 1,337
• Feature: International cruise
• Fare: ¥150,000-400,000

4️⃣ Costa Venezia

• Operator: Costa Cruises
• Gross tonnage: 135,500 tons
• Feature: Chinese + Italian cuisine
• Fare: ¥100,000-250,000

5️⃣ Pacific Venus

• Operator: Japan Cruise Line
• Gross tonnage: 26,594 tons
• Fare: ¥100,000-250,000

⏱ Cruise Length

Short (1-3 days)

• Tokyo Bay: ¥1,000-5,000 / half-day
• Yokohama Port: ¥5,000-15,000

Mid (3-7 days)

• Domestic routes: ¥100,000-200,000
• Tokyo - Kobe: Many

Long (7-14 days)

• Japan loop: ¥300,000-500,000
• Asia tour: ¥150,000-400,000

World Cruise (90-130 days)

• Asuka II: ¥3M-15M

💰 Cabin Types

Standard

• Inside: ¥150K-250K
• Ocean view: ¥200K-350K

Mid

• Balcony: ¥250K-400K
• Mini suite: ¥350K-600K

Suite

• Suite: ¥500K-1M
• Royal suite: ¥1M-3M

🍽 Dining & Activities

Included in standard fare

• 3 meal restaurant
• Buffet
• 24h room service
• Theme nights

Extra charge

• Specialty restaurants: ¥5,000-15,000 / meal
• Premium drinks: ¥1,000-5,000
• Spa: ¥10,000-30,000
• Shore excursions: ¥10,000-30,000 / port

Entertainment

• Shows: Free
• Pool + gym: Free
• Casino: On some ships
• Club: Free

🌐 Major Ports of Call

Domestic

• Tokyo Port / Yokohama Port
• Kobe Port
• Hakata Port
• Nagasaki Port
• Kanazawa Port
• Hiroshima Port
• Naha Port
• Otaru Port

Overseas

• Korea: Busan, Jeju
• China: Shanghai, Tianjin
• Taiwan: Keelung, Kaohsiung
• Hong Kong
• Vietnam: Ha Long Bay
• Singapore

🛂 Tourist Procedures

International cruise

• Tourist visa: Check each country
• Customs: At each port
• Quarantine: When required

Domestic cruise

• Passport: Not required (Japanese nationals)
• Tourists: Passport + residence card
• Vaccines: Not required

Required documents

• Passport
• Cruise ticket
• Insurance documents
• Credit card

🌐 Tourist-Friendly Services

Multilingual

• International cruises: Full English/Chinese/Korean
• Japanese cruises: English support growing
• Apps: Multilingual

How to book

• Klook: Tourist-focused
• Official sites: Multilingual
• JTB / HIS: For Japanese travelers

Pricing structure

• Early booking discount: -10-20%
• Companion discount: 2nd person -20-30%
• Seasonal range: ±30-50%

📅 Best Season

Spring (Mar-May)

• Cherry blossom cruises: Limited
• Tokyo Bay yakatabune (traditional Japanese houseboat)

Summer (Jun-Aug)

• Fireworks festival cruises
• Evening cooling on the water

Autumn (Oct-Nov)

• Autumn foliage cruises: Port sightseeing
• Comfortable weather

Winter (Dec-Feb)

• Aurora: Hokkaido
• Winter seascapes

💰 One-Week Cruise Budget

Budget (Costa / major international)

• Cabin (inside): ¥150,000
• Meals included
• Extras: ¥10,000-30,000
• Port tax: ¥10,000
• Total: ¥170,000-200,000

Mid (Nippon Maru)

• Cabin (balcony): ¥250,000
• Meals included
• Extras: ¥30,000-50,000
• Port tax: ¥10,000
• Total: ¥290,000-310,000

Luxury (Asuka II)

• Cabin (suite): ¥600,000
• Meals included
• Extras: ¥50,000-100,000
• Port tax: ¥10,000
• Total: ¥660,000-710,000

🌐 Short Cruises (Half-day - 1 day)

Tokyo Bay yakatabune (traditional Japanese houseboat)

• ¥10,000-25,000 / person
• 3-5 hours
• Meal + all-you-can-drink

Symphony

• Tokyo Bay: ¥3,500-12,000
• 2-3 hours
• Lunch / dinner

Sunset cruise (Yokohama)

• ¥2,500-5,000
• 1-2 hours
• Photogenic

Osaka Bay cruise

• ¥1,000-3,500
• 1 hour
• Sightseeing route

🌐 Popular Cruises by Nationality

🇺🇸 Americans

• Diamond Princess: Full English support
• Asuka II World Cruise: Luxury

🇨🇳 Chinese

• Costa Cruises: Chinese menu
• Asia tours

🇰🇷 Koreans

• Busan departures: Good access
• To Tokyo / Osaka

🇪🇺 Europeans

• Asuka II: Japanese cultural experience
• Long-haul tours

🇸🇬 Singaporeans

• Tokyo Bay departures: Short
• Combined with Tokyo sightseeing

🏖 Shore Excursions

Standard pattern

• 6-12 hours ashore
• Sightseeing tour
• Meal
• Souvenirs

Official tours

• ¥10,000-30,000 / port
• Multilingual guides

Independent sightseeing

• Taxi / rental car: ¥5,000-15,000
• High flexibility

⚠️ Cruise Cautions

Seasickness

• Bring motion sickness medication
• Choose window-side cabins

Communications

• WiFi: Paid ¥1,000-3,000 / day
• Use SIM at ports

Dress code

• Formal night: Suit
• Casual: Regular clothes

Safety

• Location of life jackets
• Evacuation routes

💳 Payment Methods

Onboard

• Credit card: Standard
• Cash: Limited
• Cruise card: Onboard use

Ports

• Local currency
• Credit card
• PayPay etc.

🌐 Multilingual Support

International cruises

• English/Chinese/Korean: Full support
• Spanish / French: Available
• Multilingual staff

Japanese cruises

• Japanese-centric
• English: Growing

5 Common Tourist Mistakes

1. Couldn't enjoy due to seasickness → Prepare medication
2. Expensive WiFi → Use at ports
3. No formal wear
4. Overlooked extra charges
5. Shore excursion budget overrun

Pre-Departure Checklist

• Cruise booking
• Passport + visa
• Insurance
• Motion sickness medicine
• Formal wear
• WiFi plan

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Recommended for beginners?

A: 3-5 day short cruise, Costa Cruises is Chinese-friendly.

Q: OK for solo travelers?

A: Yes, single cabins available, single supplement +25-50%.

Q: With children?

A: 3+ years old OK, rich kids programs.

Q: Dietary restrictions?

A: Allergy support, vegetarian, halal available on many cruises.

Q: Tourist discounts?

A: Early booking discounts, honeymoon discounts, senior discounts etc.

Editorial info: Yen Finder Editorial / Last verified June 2026. Fares and schedules vary; please check each cruise company's official site for the latest information.