Princess Asian Cruise

[sailingmickey]

We will be on the 28 day Asian cruise on the Ocean Princess; does any one know if we can walk off the ship and around the cities in the following ports: Hakata Japan, Okinawa Japan and Vladivostok Russia?

Thank you in advance for any and all responses!

[Margarita Jane]

We have just returned from Diamond Princess trans Pacific and one of our ports was Vladivostok. We did not do a formal tour. We downloaded a walking tour from the internet and just walked around the town. After following the walking tour for awhile, we decided it was too much about architecture for our taste. We ended up visiting some sites we saw as we walked. There is a submarine museum near the port, as well as shopping areas and Yul Brenner's family home. Others on our roll call arranged a tour that included a dacha and were very happy with their visit.

[sailingmickey]

Thank you, so much,from my internet searching it looked liked we could to our own walking tour. Glad to hear I was right.

[MM9U]

Hakata (Fukuoka) Japan: Ships dock at the international ferry terminal. (NOT the domestic one, a separate building on a separate pier!) While it is a bit of a walk downtown (25 minutes?) it is a completely safe area. You can also take a bus from the terminal connecting to the subway line, an easier option. I travel to Hakata about once a month, and if I have the time I walk from the terminal to my hotel in Canal City.

 

There is a tourist information desk in the ferry terminal, which can provide you with maps and guides in English, and can answer basic questions in simple English. ("Which bus goes to Tenjin?" No problem. "Where's a good place to buy dolls?" Maybe. "What do you think I should do with six hours?" Not a chance.)

 

The Tenjin shopping area downtown, the Canal City mall, many temples, and a great deal of really good ramen is all within walking distance.

 

Mark

[CruisingGoddess]

We have just returned from Diamond Princess trans Pacific and one of our ports was Vladivostok. We did not do a formal tour. We downloaded a walking tour from the internet and just walked around the town. After following the walking tour for awhile, we decided it was too much about architecture for our taste. We ended up visiting some sites we saw as we walked. There is a submarine museum near the port, as well as shopping areas and Yul Brenner's family home. Others on our roll call arranged a tour that included a dacha and were very happy with their visit.

 

I was told that we would need a visa in Vladivostok if we did not take a Princess excursion. Is this true? If so, where did you get your visa?

 

We will be on the 28 day Asian cruise on the Ocean Princess; does any one know if we can walk off the ship and around the cities in the following ports: Hakata Japan, OkinawaJapan and VladivostokRussia?

 

Thank you in advance for any and all responses!

 

 

Are you going in April? If so, we're on the same cruise! Make sure you check out our roll call:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=26451148#post26451148

 

I think we'll start seeing people organize private tours as the sailing gets closer.

[greatam]

I was told that we would need a visa in Vladivostok if we did not take a Princess excursion. Is this true? If so, where did you get your visa?

 

Unless something changes, NO visa needed for a day in port. I was booked on the Diamond Princess, September 18, Whittier to Beijing, but we were getting off the ship in Vladivostok to ride the Trans Siberian RR. I purchased a Russian visa on my own so we could get off the ship PERMANENTLY. NO ONE else needed a visa for the day in port. A long story but they checked us in and let us on the ship in Whittier, then basically told us we were "captured" until Beijing UNLESS we had a "tour company" meet us in Vladivostok. We did not-I had the train tickets purchased on my own from the Russian RR. Even had permission IN WRITING from the Captain and he intervened BUT we still didn't get our cruise from Whittier to Vladivostok. Just too much BS from the Purser's office. We got all our money back (ship was oversold) and were promised TWO free 7 day cruises but got nothing in writing. Still waiting for the free cruise certs (Xmas presents for the two boys and their wives).

Enjoy your cruise!!!

[kuldalai]

There is not really that much to see and do in Okinawa. IIRC a Japanese Temple and the old underground HQ of the WWII Japanese Imperial Army .

 

Both are a long way from the Dock, so just take the ships Shore Excursion .

[CtheW0rld]

There is not really that much to see and do in Okinawa.

 

completely agree. i stayed on the ship. the temple is a 1980s reconstruction. remember, the island was pretty much bombed flat in WWII - so there is very, very, very little 'authenic' things to see. i don't understand why ships even stop there.

 

cabs are $$$$ - so do take a ship's excursion if you must.