Princess Cruises has detailed its most extensive program in Japanese waters to date, set for March to December 2027, with sailings placed on sale from August 20, 2025.
For the first time, two Japanese-built sister ships, Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess, will be stationed in the Tokyo region throughout the entire season. Both vessels, constructed at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Nagasaki and each accommodating 2,670 guests, will operate a combined total of 78 departures over 50 distinct itineraries, with voyage lengths ranging from 7 to 28 days.
The schedule will take in 45 ports across 6 countries, combining coastal and island destinations with cultural and festival-based calls. Certain itineraries are arranged to follow the cherry blossom front from south to north across the four principal islands, while others coincide with major summer events such as the Aomori Nebuta, Tokushima Awa Odori, and Kochi Yosakoi festivals, offering late-night stays in port. Extended circumnavigation voyages will visit Osaka, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, while routes to Okinawa and onward to Taiwan will call at Taipei and Hualien. Sailings designated as “Japan Explorer” will include Shimizu for access to Mount Fuji, Kobe for Kyoto, and Kagoshima.
The 2027 deployment also allows for longer days ashore at twelve “More Ashore” ports, including Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakodate, Sakata, and Halong Bay. Passengers will have the opportunity to visit 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, among them Mount Fuji, the Itsukushima Shrine, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, the Ancient Kyoto Monuments, and the Jomon Prehistoric Sites. Scenic passages will include transits of the Kanmon Straits and the Inland Sea, sailings beneath the slopes of Mount Fuji, and views of the Sakurajima Volcano from Kagoshima Bay.
Ashore, the program offers contrasts from the busy commercial heart of Tokyo’s Ginza district to the gardens and temples of Kyoto, the markets of Shimizu, and the memorial landscapes of Hiroshima. On board, both ships will feature Japanese culinary and cultural elements, including regional dishes, sushi preparation, Japanese whiskeys, sake, and shochu. Entertainment will reflect local traditions, from rakugo storytelling to karaoke and folk dance performances. Passengers securing reservations by August 27, 2025 will be eligible for Captain’s Circle savings of up to two hundred dollars per stateroom.