Princess Cruises will base two Japanese-built sister ships, Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess, in the Tokyo region for its 2027 Japan season. This marks the first time the company will deploy two ships in Japan in one season.
The 2027 programme includes 78 departures across 50 itineraries, with voyages lasting from seven to 28 days, representing Princess Cruises’ largest Japan deployment to date.
The season runs from March to December 2027 and opens for sale on August 20, 2025. Prior to the Japan season, both ships will be homeported in Singapore from December 2026 for sailings around South-east Asia.
The two ships, each with a capacity of 2,670 guests, were built at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in Nagasaki. The season covers 45 cruise destinations across six countries, operating from the Tokyo region.
Itineraries include cherry blossom voyages timed to follow the bloom from south to north across Japan’s four main islands, festival cruises featuring summer events such as the Aomori Nebuta and Tokushima Awa Odori festivals with late-night stays, circle and grand Japan voyages circumnavigating the country with stops including Osaka and Hiroshima, Okinawa and Taiwan itineraries exploring subtropical and cultural destinations, and Japan explorer cruises visiting cities such as Shimizu, Kobe and Kagoshima.
Seven festivals are featured with late-night port stays: Aomori Nebuta Festival (August 2 and 7), Hakodate Minato Festival (August 3), Akita Kanto Festival (August 6), Yamagata Hanagasa Festival (August 7), Kochi Yosakoi Dance Festival (August 12), Tokushima Awa Odori Dance Festival (August 13), and Kumano Fireworks Festival (August 17).
The season offers 12 late-night port stays in locations including Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakodate, Sakata, and Halong Bay, allowing extended time ashore.
Guests can visit 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as Mount Fuji (from Shimizu), Itsukushima Shrine and Hiroshima Peace Memorial (from Hiroshima), Ancient Kyoto Monuments (from Kobe or Osaka), and Jomon Prehistoric Sites (from Aomori or Hakodate).
Scenic sailings include views of Mount Fuji from Shimizu Bay, the Kanmon Straits and Japan Inland Sea, and Sakurajima Volcano from Kagoshima Bay.
The itineraries provide access to cities ranging from Tokyo’s Ginza district to Kyoto’s Zen gardens, Shimizu’s fish markets, and Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park.
Onboard, guests will find regional cuisine including noodles and freshly prepared sushi, Japanese beverages such as whisky, sake and shochu, traditional storytelling called rakugo, evening karaoke, and performances of folkloric dance.
