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Which Japan itinerary


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Hi looking at 2 different Japan itineraries in August. One is with Hal and the other Azamara but the itinerary is more important to us. Also with the Russian stops on the Hal itinerary would an Australian need visas? Is it similar to St Petersburg where a tour would provide the visa?

appreciate any thoughts

 

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I would opt for the first without the Russian ports (although the visa issue is as you guessed, no need for a visa when touring with a licensed operator).

Reasons:

On our last cruise to Japan (with HAL) we hat Vladivostok as a port. Compared to all the great ports in Japan, Vladivostok felt like a waste of time. Many people on board felt like that.

The first itinerary has an overnight in Kobe. That gives you the chance to visit Kyoto without a rush (and Kyoto is a must see) plus to see Osaka and Kobe. 

 

Busan, as the necessary non Japanese port, gives you plenty of options. It´s an easy port to just stroll around in town and the fisch market and/or take a taxi to the fabulous Haedong Yonggungsa Temple.

 

 

You can find some info on the Japan cruises here:

 

Cruise with Millennium:

http://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Our-Trips/Celebrity-Millennium-Japan/celebrity-millennium-japan.html

 

On HAL:

 

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On ‎7‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 6:54 PM, BruceMuzz said:

Azamara also does a far better job with the cultural side of Japan. Their lecturers and other cultural programs are far better than HAL’s.

 

Not true for our cruises around Japan.

 

Azamara has the better itinerary that's the reason we took it in May 2019. However, the lecturer was a dud. He made 3 factual errors within the first 30 minutes including one that anyone would have noticed who had ever been in a Shinto Shrine. We are no experts on Japan, but it was our third time including a land trip. In addition, the excursion desk was inexperienced. I think it was  a new itinerary for Azamara, only the second time around. On the bright side, they had a Japanese ambassador on board with maps and help for outings on your own. 

 

We travelled on the MS Amsterdam to 8 Japanese ports as part of a Grand Voyage in the fall of 2018. All the cultural programs on the Grand Voyage were outstanding including for the Japanese ports. The land based guides varied from ok to excellent on both cruises.

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