For the first time in two and a half years, cruising will be resuming in Japan.
On November 15th, the government of Japan announced that it has opened up to international cruise ships again. In light of that news, Holland America’s ship Westerdam is gearing up for a series of voyages next year in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Currently, Westerdam is operating voyages in Australia and New Zealand, and will begin its Asia season following a January dry dock in Singapore. Starting February 3rd, the vessel will sail a series of Far East voyages showcasing the diversity of the countries it will visit.
Voyages will be 11 to 14 days long, sailing roundtrip from Yokohama, Japan or Singapore, or between Yokohama and Singapore. Cruises can be combined to form non-repeating Collectors’ Voyages. Countries on the schedule include Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia.
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Five itineraries will be offered: Indonesian Discovery; Japan, Taiwan & The Philippines; Japan Explorer; Japan Discovery; and Southern Japan. The ship will overnight in Singapore, Kobe, Osaka, and Phuket.
The season will conclude when Westerdam sets sail on April 24th on a 14-day North Pacific Crossing from Yokohama to Seattle, where it will homeport for a season in Alaska.
As protocols for cruising in Asia are finalized, each departure will be added to Holland America’s ‘Voyage Lookup’ tool, which allows guests to see specific health protocols for their sailing.
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