Diamond Princess Returns for 36 Departures
to Scenic Island Country, Plus Royal Princess Debuts on a New Japan
& Northern Pacific Crossing
SANTA
CLARITA, Calif., Feb. 21,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The lure of Japan is calling with its ancient temples,
cherry blossoms, modern cityscapes and vibrant cuisine with the
newly released 2024 Japan cruise season on sale now from Princess
Cruises. New for 2024, Royal Princess makes her
Japan debut and marks the first
Royal-Class ship to sail in the region. The series of cruises
offers many opportunities to view the magnificent spring flowers,
as well as four breathtaking summer festivals.
Royal Princess sails a new Japan & North Pacific Crossing, calling to
the northern Tohoku and Hokkaido
regions during the magnificent cherry blossom season with the
option to combine with the cruise line's popular Voyage of the
Glaciers cruise to witness the majestic glaciers of Alaska. Guests can opt to disembark in
Anchorage (Whittier) for a 15-day voyage or continue to
Vancouver, B.C. for a 22-day
cruise. The cruise departs Tokyo
(Yokohama) on April 27, 2024.
"Japan has been a popular
homeport and destination experience for Princess guests for many
years and we're thrilled to offer such a culturally-rich season of
cruises in this region for the 2024 season," said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president.
Japan-built Diamond Princess
returns to Japan for a March
through August 2024 season, sailing
roundtrip from Tokyo (Yokohama), calling to 35 destinations in three
countries on 31 unique itineraries and 36 departures, ranging from
seven to 23 days.
Diamond Princess kicks off the season with a series of four
10-day Spring Flowers voyages,
calling at all four of Japan's
main islands and following the predicted blooming season as it
moves from south to north.
The Japan festival season
reaches its peak in the summer months, and in 2024 Diamond Princess
offers guests the opportunity to experience the following festivals
with late-night stays in each port:
- Aomori Nebuta Festival (Aug 2 and
Aug 7) which features Nebuta float
figures accompanied by traditional music, many vibrant dancers and
audience participation, all within easy walking distance from the
port.
- Kochi Yosakoi Dance Festival (Aug
12), one of Japan's 10
largest festivals, featuring teams of dancers with colorful
costumes and unique performances.
- Tokushima Awa Odori Dance Festival (Aug
13), one of the most famous summer dance festivals that
dates back to the 1500s and features dancers performing throughout
the city well into the night highlighted by the famous "Fool's
Dance."
- Kumano Fireworks Festival (Aug
17), a display of over 10,000 fireworks visible from the
decks of Diamond Princess.
Additionally, Diamond Princess will sail on nine-day Southern
Islands voyages that call to two Okinawan ports and two
Taiwan ports; nine-day and 10-day
Sea of Japan voyages that will
feature ports along the historic Kitamaebune trading route; 10-day
Hokkaido voyages that will visit
Otaru (for Sapporo), Hakodate and
Kushiro; and the popular 10-day Japan Explorer voyages that will
call to some of the country's most iconic destinations like Shimizu
(for Mt. Fuji), Osaka or
Kobe (for Kyoto), Hiroshima, and more.
The 2024 Japan program also features access to nine UNESCO World
Heritage Sites, including Mount Fuji (from Shimizu), Historic
Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (from Kobe or Osaka), Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji
Area (from Kobe or Osaka), Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and
Gokayama (from Kanazawa or Toyama), the Hiroshima Peace Memorial,
and the newly inscribed Iriomote Island (from Ishigaki) and Jomon
Prehistoric Sites (from Aomori or Hakodate).
Guests only unpack once to enjoy and explore all the sights
ashore, while onboard Princess delivers the ultimate in effortless,
personalized cruising featuring world-class dining, award-winning
entertainment, casinos, pools, fitness centers and spas, all
elevated by exclusive Princess MedallionClass service.
Additional information about the 2024 Japan season is available
through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS
(1-800-774-6237) or by visiting the company's website at
www.princess.com.
About Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises is The Love Boat, the world's most iconic cruise
brand that delivers dream vacations to millions of guests every
year in the most sought-after destinations on the largest ships
that offer elite service personalization and simplicity customary
of small, yacht-class ships. Well-appointed staterooms, world class
dining, grand performances, award-winning casinos and
entertainment, luxurious spas, imaginative experiences and
boundless activities blend with exclusive Princess MedallionClass
service to create meaningful connections and unforgettable moments
in the most incredible settings in the world - the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera,
Europe, South America, Australia/New
Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia,
Canada/New
England, Antarctica, and World Cruises. The company is part of
Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE:CUK).
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SOURCE Princess Cruises