Cruises to Japanup to -48%

Where do Japan cruises go — and which ports do they leave from?

The overwhelming majority of sailings explore Japan itself, with a smaller number of itineraries extending into China. Voyages range from short four-night breaks to extended 40-night journeys, with a median length of around 13 nights — enough time to take in several ports at a relaxed pace.

The most common embarkation ports are Tokyo and Yokohama (Tokyo), which between them account for the largest share of departures. Other embarkation points include Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Vancouver — so whichever direction you are approaching from, there is likely a sailing that suits your routing. Because most sailings depart from Japanese or other Asian ports, the cruise sits at the heart of a longer Asia holiday for most Australian travellers. CruiseAway can arrange the flights, pre- and post-cruise hotels, and transfers as a single package through our DreamAway Packages, so nothing is left for you to piece together separately.

Round-trip or one-way — what is the difference?

Most sailings in this collection are round-trip voyages that begin and end at the same port, making it straightforward to book flights in and out of one city. A meaningful share are one-way itineraries, finishing at a different port from where they began — often crossing between Japan and another Asian hub. If you choose a one-way sailing, a domestic or regional flight connects the two ends of the trip, and our team can build that into your booking from the start so there are no loose ends.

Which cruise lines sail to Japan?

Princess Cruises has the widest selection of Japan sailings in this collection. Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Cruises represent the ultra-luxury end, where fares are highly inclusive. Azamara is worth considering if you want overnight port stays — a genuine advantage in a country where the evenings are as rewarding as the days. Royal Caribbean brings a larger-ship experience, with a broad range of onboard activities and fare types. Oceania Cruises, MSC Cruises and Viking Ocean Cruises round out the choice, covering a wide span of styles and budgets. You can browse each line’s full Japan programme through the links above, or speak to our cruise experts for a recommendation tailored to how you like to travel.

Ships sailing to Japan

Several well-known ships cover Japan itineraries in this collection. Here is a closer look at the most active vessels.

Diamond Princess — Princess Cruises

Diamond Princess is the standout choice for immersive Japan itineraries. The ship carries an Izumi bathhouse — a traditional Japanese onsen experience at sea — that is rare on any vessel anywhere. Evenings can be spent at the Princess Theatre, followed by the Skywalkers Nightclub 15 decks above the waterline. Many Diamond Princess packages to Japan include return flights, making the whole trip easy to arrange from Australia. If you want to choose your cabin, explore the Diamond Princess cabins and deck plans.

• Inside cabin IA — 15.6 m², sleeps 4. Positioned on middle decks with central lift access and good stability.
• Premium Ocean-view cabin O5 — 18.3 m², sleeps 4. Panoramic window with a wide forward sea view.
• Balcony cabin B2 — 25.7 m², sleeps 4. Private balcony with seating and direct access to fresh air.
• Grand Suite S1 — 123.5 m², sleeps 4. The largest suite aboard, with nearly twice the space of other suite grades.

Sapphire Princess — Princess Cruises

Fresh from a 2025 refit, Sapphire Princess arrives with new restaurants, revitalised cabins and a modernised Lotus Spa. The Sanctuary adults-only pool deck — private cabanas, cold towels and serenity stewards — is the place to retreat after a full day ashore. Check the Sapphire Princess cabins and deck plans to find your preferred grade.

• Inside cabin IA — 15.6 m², sleeps 4. Middle-deck position for quieter conditions and good lift access.
• Premium Sea-view cabin O5 — 18.3 m², sleeps 4. Large panoramic window with an unobstructed forward view.
• Balcony cabin B2 — 25.7 m², sleeps 4. Private balcony with outdoor seating and sea air on demand.
• Grand Suite S1 — 123.5 m², sleeps 4. Over 123 m² with a separate living room and dining area.

Seabourn Encore — Seabourn

Seabourn Encore is built around understated luxury — the design feels closer to a five-star hotel than a cruise ship, and elegant dining is included in the fare as standard. The Grand Wintergarden Suite (GR), at approximately 115 m² with a private hot tub, is the largest suite aboard and considerably more spacious than the Owner’s Suite grade. Browse the Seabourn Encore cabins and deck plans for the full picture.

Azamara Pursuit — Azamara Cruises

Azamara Pursuit carries just 777 guests, which means smaller ports, closer-to-shore access and a crew that genuinely gets to know you. The line’s signature overnight and late-night port stays give you the kind of evening ashore that larger ships simply cannot offer — and your fare includes a private cultural event on land, exclusive to Azamara guests. See the full cabin choice on the Azamara Pursuit cabins and deck plans page.

MSC Bellissima — MSC Cruises

MSC Bellissima centres on a signature 80-metre LED sky promenade — a covered indoor boulevard lined with bars, boutiques and evening entertainment. Families will find waterslides and Cirque du Soleil performances at sea, while guests who book a suite grade enjoy a private enclave with a dedicated pool, butler service and fine dining included.

Silver Muse — Silversea

Silver Muse delivers the signature Silversea experience: personalised, unhurried and consistently high in service quality. Silversea’s all-inclusive fares cover butler-serviced suites, unlimited wines and spirits, onboard gratuities and Wi-Fi as standard — so the fare you see is close to the fare you actually pay. An enhanced all-inclusive tier adds a shore excursion credit and a fully refundable deposit. Cabin options are detailed on the Silver Muse cabins and deck plans page.

What do Japan cruise fares include?

What is covered varies significantly by cruise line, so it is worth comparing before you book.

Princess Cruises offers a Standard base fare — the cruise itself, with extras available to add — and a Plus tier that bundles casual dining meals each voyage, beverages up to a set limit per day, MedallionNet® Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photos with prints, and reserved theatre seating. Princess Premier, if available on your sailing, adds further inclusions on top.

Silversea fares are all-inclusive by design: butler-serviced suites, exceptional dining, unlimited wines and spirits, gratuities and Wi-Fi are all covered. An All-Inclusive Plus fare adds a shore excursion credit based on voyage length and a fully refundable deposit — worth considering if your plans are still taking shape.

Royal Caribbean offers a standard cruise fare alongside fare types such as last-minute offers and early-booking bonuses. Solo travellers will find a dedicated single-occupancy fare on some sailings. Our cruise experts can talk through which fare type suits your booking window and travel style.

Japan cruise deals — what discounts are available?

Reductions are available across a wide range of sailings, with discounts of up to 48% from the price previously listed for that cabin grade — though that maximum applies to a single departure. Most reduced sailings carry a discount of around 7%, so a sensible approach is to treat the headline figure as a ceiling and the typical saving as the working expectation. If a specific sailing or travel window matters to you, our team can tell you what is currently reduced and whether it matches your preferred dates.

If you need a sailing in a shorter timeframe, last-minute cruises are worth checking — Japan departures do appear there when availability opens up close to sailing.

Top ports on Japan itineraries

The largest volume of sailings use Tokyo and Yokohama (Tokyo) as their embarkation or disembarkation port — Yokohama is the main cruise terminal serving the Tokyo area, about 30 minutes from the city centre. Osaka and Kobe feature on many itineraries as port calls, giving access to the Kansai region. Incheon (the port for Seoul) and Keelung (Taipei) appear on sailings that extend beyond Japan into the wider region. For itineraries that continue into China, Shanghai and Hong Kong are the most common finishing ports.

When is the best time to cruise Japan?

Japan sailings run across a broad seasonal window, with itineraries available through spring, summer, autumn and into winter departures. The calendar you choose shapes which version of the country you see — different seasons bring different festivals, colours and crowd levels ashore. Because the departure window is wide, there is genuine flexibility to fit a Japan cruise around your own schedule rather than the other way around. Our cruise experts can point you towards the season and itinerary that best matches what you are hoping to experience.

Make it a full holiday with CruiseAway

Because most Japan sailings depart from ports in Asia, the cruise itself is usually one part of a longer trip. CruiseAway can arrange everything around it: return flights from your home city, hotels the night before you board or after you disembark, transfers between airport and port, shore tours, and travel insurance — all on one booking through our DreamAway Packages. If you prefer to build something more tailored, our cruise experts can put together a custom itinerary combining any combination of those elements.

Cruising to Japan sits within a broader world of cruises from Australia and Australian cruise holidays; if you are still comparing regions, both pages give you a wider view of what is on sale. You might also want to look at Princess Cruises’ 2026–27 Australia season, which includes Japan sailings alongside other Asia-Pacific itineraries. For those who enjoy Royal Caribbean, there are dedicated programmes covering Royal Caribbean from Sydney in 2027, Royal Caribbean from Brisbane in 2027, and Princess Cruises from Brisbane in 2027, all of which include sailings relevant to readers planning an Asia voyage.

Where a discount is shown, it is a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a comparison between cabin grades or against a brochure rate. Discounts and prices shown are not kept up to date: the reduction available now may be smaller, or may have ended, and prices may have changed.