Diamond in Japan--where does it dock & where does the shuttle take passengers

[honolulu traveler]

We'll be on the Diamond for 27 days starting mid-September. In several ports, I'd like specifics about where the ship docks and where the free shuttle will take us. In a couple of ports we have guides or friends meeting us, and I'm not sure where to tell them to meet. Specifically, I'm interested in Kagoshima but other ports as well. If I call Princess, past experience has led me to believe that their info isn't always accurate.

 

Aloha,

Marilynn

[Alessandrina]

You could tell your friends to pick you up at the cruise ship pier in the ports.

 

Here are a few ports and the shuttle from what I recall (it's all a blur, really!! as it was a busy itinerary on those three cruises).

 

 

Kagoshima: the free shuttle takes you from the port to the downtown area (where the department stores are). The pick up and drop off point was at a hotel near this area. Sorry can't recall the name of the hotel. It was a 25 - 30 minute ride.

 

Busan, South Korea: Phoenix Hotel. Centre of town, near the main shopping area. A 25 minute ride from the pier.

 

In some of the ports there was no need for a shuttle - Nagasaki, for one.

 

And in other ports we took shore excursions.

 

Hope this helps a bit!

[honolulu traveler]

Thanks so much. This is very helpful.

 

 

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[honolulu traveler]

You could tell your friends to pick you up at the cruise ship pier in the ports.

 

 

 

Here are a few ports and the shuttle from what I recall (it's all a blur, really!! as it was a busy itinerary on those three cruises).

 

 

 

 

 

Kagoshima: the free shuttle takes you from the port to the downtown area (where the department stores are). The pick up and drop off point was at a hotel near this area. Sorry can't recall the name of the hotel. It was a 25 - 30 minute ride.

 

 

 

Busan, South Korea: Phoenix Hotel. Centre of town, near the main shopping area. A 25 minute ride from the pier.

 

 

 

In some of the ports there was no need for a shuttle - Nagasaki, for one.

 

 

 

And in other ports we took shore excursions.

 

 

 

Hope this helps a bit!

 

 

One more question. Do you know how far the sightseeing bus terminal in Kagoshima is from the hotel that the shuttle stops at? I thought that might be a good meeting point since you can't remember the hotel's name.

 

 

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[caribill]

An article in USAToday about the Diamond in Japan

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2014/08/15/japan-cruise-diamond-princess/14053229/?csp=travel

[Alessandrina]

Kagoshima: I was looking on Google Maps of the department store where I went to (this was my port for shopping whilst my husband and son went on a tour) and zoomed in to re-trace my steps and find the hotel.

 

The hotel, I believe was the Hotel Sunflex - the pick-up and drop-off point for the shuttle. Hotel Sunflex is on Miami Dori (street).

 

Don't know where the bus terminal is, sorry.

 

The department store was called: YAMAKATAYA. It's on a main boulevard and tram route. And it was an 8 minute walk from the shuttle bus point (walk one street, turn right on a main street).

 

Cheers.

[honolulu traveler]

Perfect! Thanks for your extra effort with this; it is very helpful.

 

 

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[Alessandrina]

You are welcome!

If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to ask.

I've posted some responses on the "Asia" forum.

Cheers.

[caribill]

Kagoshima: I was looking on Google Maps of the department store where I went to and zoomed in to re-trace my steps and find the hotel.

 

The hotel, I believe was the Hotel Sunflex - the pick-up and drop-off point for the shuttle. Hotel Sunflex is on Miami Dori (street).

 

The department store was called: YAMAKATAYA. It's on a main boulevard and tram route. And it was an 8 minute walk from the shuttle bus point (walk one street, turn right on a main street).

 

Cheers.

 

Just because a particular place was the dropoff point in the past, it could be different on a future cruise.

[Alessandrina]

At Caribill: yes, very true! Good thing to keep in mind.

 

Also, thanks for your link to the USA Today article.