hubofhockey

If anyone here has used the Kansai Pass, I have some questions. Is it worth it? Is it more convenient or easier just to use an IC card? This pass seems to work for both Kyoto and Osaka. We will be in Kyoto 2.5 days before our cruise and 1.5 days in Osaka during our cruise. It seems as if you can use the pass on non-consecutive days and we would use it two days in Kyoto and one day in Osaka (doing an excursion to Nara the second day in Osaka). The cost is around $35 per person. I have no idea if $12 per day for worry free transit is good.

Ha!, I was advised that Hirosaki Castle may not be worth the long trip, so probably just doing things near port, Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse and lunch at A-Factory.

We’re going in six weeks. In Aomori, we’re just taking a train to Hirasaku and going to the castle. Busan looks great. We hired a driver to do the classics on the coast. Expensive, so sharing it with two other couples.

It's not an "international package". The Unlimited Plan will work just fine there and, from what I understand, the cell signals are strong enough to pick up on the ship. The Sakura website says everywhere they tested gets at least a 4G signal from Docomo or Softbank.

Bet you WIFI income has replaced the rip off photo income they used to get.

Pocket WIFI, GoogleFi, or an eSim will probably work as good or better than what Celebrity provides. We have the basic included with our Aqua Class, but we will also have GoogleFi and, from what I understand, it will be better than the package that comes with our Millennium cruise.

You should check and see what Tours by Locals has. My guess is that most everyone uses public transportation with guides, but there has to be alternatives, especially for some with mobility issues.

Thanks for your response. Google Fi uses Softbank as well. There is no cost savings on Google Fi. My post above is misleading. Google Fi is $110 for two phones unlimited, but it's probably to closer to $130 with taxes and regulatory fees to state and federal government. Two phones on Google Fi is probably similar cost to Ninja pocket wifi. I suppose the main reasons for the choice are using phones for calls using your US phone # and convenience. For the most part, we will only Facetime over WIFI , so US number not needed, but it would be useful for calling within Japan even with charges. I called Google Fi and they told me to activate a week before my trip to Japan just to make sure everything is working and leave them a week to work on problems if so. I have heard that Google Fi works well in Japan and all over Asia, but may have issues in Eastern Europe. We have a cruise next year on the Iberian coast and other parts of western Europe, so if it works this May, we'll do it again next May.

For two people, for a month, Google Fi is $110. You get free calls to the USA, unlimited data, 5G coverage in Japan, and can keep your regular phone number. Ninja pocket WIFI with insurance and power bank is $139. It requires pick up and return at the airport and no phone (I suppose you can use facetime audio or whatsapp). Google Fi would work on day in Busan, South Korea as well (Ninja, my guess would not). I suppose the other advantages to Google Fi would be each spouse being able to call the other seamlessly, probably even on the ship in ports. I was going to get the pocket WIFI, but I would like to know what the advantages to pocket WIFI are. Seemingly, you can tether with either. I am concerned with connectivity while on the ship in Japan. I have heard that Ninja works well even on the ship. The Celebrity Basic WIFI was forced on us by getting Aqua and that seems like money flushed.

I called Celebrity. Check in times are 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm. The Celebrity customer service rep told me that we could choose 30 days in what check in times we want. You won't be able to board the ship, but maybe you can drop your luggage off and then go back later on. I will probably stick with our original plan to arrive at Shin-Yokohama at 3 pm and then take a taxi to the cruise terminal, just to be on the safe side.

5/27 is actually our departure day. We're coming in from Kyoto on 5/15 after spending 4 days in Tokyo and 2.5 in Kyoto. Figured we would would spend the morning at the Bamboo Forest and Monkey Park in Arashiyama and grab bento boxes at the Kyoto Station and taking the 1 pm train. At this point, Yokohama is not on our list. I figure that arriving at the cruise terminal before 3:30 for a 7:00 pm departure is pretty safe, but maybe they stop embarkation at 5.

This thread was supposed to be about what is a safe time to arrive at the cruise terminal before original embarkation on the Celebrity Millennium, which departs Yokohama at 7 pm. (I'm good on luggage)

We will have one larger bag each (standard, bigger than a carryon). You can reserve seats on a Shinkansen in seats that have oversized luggage. The Green cars, which we are reserving, also have luggage racks at the end of the cars, but mine will fit. Here is a photo of the overhead racks. At this point, my issue is really time and not luggage.

Looks like most itineraries out of Yokohama have a 7 pm departure time. For now I plan on taking a 1 pm train from Kyoto to Yokohama and the take a taxi to the terminal, getting there about 3:15. Was wondering if there would be harm arriving between 4 and 5 pm or is 3:15 about right. Nothing against Millennium (like the ship), but have only a couple of days in Kyoto and planning on spending two days in Osaka when we get there (maybe the second short day in Nara).

Thanks to both of you. The first day in Osaka is a full day and we’re eating dinner at night there as well. If there is a cruise line excursion, maybe that makes sense.

We're staying 4 nights in Tokyo and 2 nights in Kyoto before our cruise. There is an overnight in Osaka. They cut our second day to 3 pm, which is pretty impactful. Would a second day in Osaka (first is a walking tour/subway with a TBL guide) be preferable to going to Nara? Wasn't sure if Nara is must see or if time would be better spend in Osaka.

They are doing several months in a row in Japan and it makes no sense to keep the Sushi on 5 concept during those months. They'd do better with a burrito joint in there during that time.

Nice to see low carb beers available.

Agree. These M class ships are smaller and do more in the lines of destination cruising. They can get into better and smaller ports. The Eclipse is not going to Japan anytime soon. You can book Retreat for Luminae or Aqua for Blu. The options for Tuscan, LPC, or Sushi on 5 are fine (not sure why anyone would go to Sushi on 5 on a Japan cruise). We don’t even book Celebrity’s larger ships. We focus on the M class, otherwise we’ll do Oceania or Azamara. If you want small ship experience with better food and choices, book those lines (and pay more).

The ones who know how to code make a lot of money at very young ages. Don’t kid yourself. They’re out there.

You would think, but they are going after a younger demographic these days.

Tom Sunday is the one YouTuber reviewers whom I take most seriously. He doesn’t pull punches and calls it as he sees it. He’s balanced. Laura is not as she lies right to the camera, defending the indefensible.

I am not bent out of shape about it at all. The price of everything is going up and it's only $800 and not as if it includes ALL excursions All ports. Let's just say that Viking is not an option for us. I like our all in price, so not sweating the details at all.

New to Oceania. It's an obvious money grab from those of us who don't spend a dime on overpriced cruise line excursions. I value the $800 credit at about $400, so making it up elsewhere. Used an online bid site and got gratuities thrown in ($360) and $1,000 refundable OBC and a nice group rate. If after the cruise, I don't see value, we'll exclude Oceania from our rotation. We do like Azamara, but waiting for the new ownership group there to clean up their act (pre-cruise) because their pricing, itineraries, and inclusions offer good value.

Easier? Definitely. Is Oceania going to leave money "on the table"? Doubtful.