Japan Intensive - do tell

[Roel94]

11 hours ago, Drebay said:

 

Takamatsu, Japan

 

Overall: Honestly at this point in the cruise (2/3 point with the big Kyoto day coming up) we were looking for a quiet day and we took it here. Nice sailing in the Inland Sea in the morning and a quiet (stunning) visit to the gardens in Takamatsu were the only things on our agenda.

 

Arrival:  Small welcome. Tents setup again with some samurai and other tourist info types around. White Party was in the evening so a little more action (including the girls high school acrobatic troupe who greeted guests on their return to the pier, performed on deck and were adorable later having dinner in the MDR).

 

Access: no shuttle and none needed.  Ship directly in town at a transportation nexus, with the pier, ferry terminal, bus station and main train station all within a few hundred meters of each other.
 

Ship excursion: Didn’t use. 
 

Sites we saw: (I) Ritsurin Gardens - WOW!  Fabulous traditional Japanese garden. Don’t know why this one isn’t on the list of the “Big Three” gardens in Japan. Probably because it’s a bit smaller (certainly than Konrokuen in Kanazawa that we saw the week before), but it’s a stunner nevertheless. Didn’t hurt that it was sunny in the high 60’s at peak bloom!  I mean this place will check all your Japanese garden boxes for sure. Easy access with either the direct train or bus.  (II) Shopping arcade - some in our group walked back via the covered shopping street and reported a very nice assortment of shops and local eateries (including an almost overwhelming tea shop). 

Park was wonderful.did a ships tour adding in the temple..not to many steps at temple. 
also there are sections of the old stone walking paths at gardens and hard to walk in places. The bridge was not easy either, 

 

not enough time here but another group thought to long, to much tomsee with tea house, water falls and more.

[ECCruise]

51 minutes ago, Roel94 said:

Easy to get..my agent got mine 

Already have it. Even did it on ship WiFi. 

[nonrev1]

Yes, we got ours too.  We were just not sure if it was needed or not.  

[D. B.]

On 3/19/2023 at 10:29 PM, Drebay said:

So onboard the Quest sailing out of Tokyo harbor bound for Aomori. Happy to provide some details about embarkation.  Note this is valid as of today’s embarkation and, as we all know, rules change rapidly (limited liability in other words LOL).

 

If you’re cruising right now - my advice is test beforehand. Line for tests on the pier were quite long (clearly an hour plus).  I can confirm that the requirement is also Test/time dependent. PCR tests are up to 72 hours before and rapid tests are 24 hours before embarkation (I saw one couple turned back to the testing line because they had certified rapid tests from Friday for the Sunday embarkation). Our group of 6 all used rapid tests and had a mixture of proctored (emed) and self-certified - all were accepted. Those that self-certified photographed the test with their passports and make sure it’s time/date stamped (which most cellphone cameras are). 
 

Masking onboard is self-selected and the majority of the crew are unmasked. 
 

Feels great to be back and first few hours it seems like it’s the “old Azamara”. Only single point of difference so far from our last Azamara cruise (NZ Mar 2020) is they’ve clearly upped their “Cherry game” which used to be the terrible neon maraschinos.  
 

We’re doing a combination of self-guide (it helps that my husband lived here for 15 years and is fluent in Japanese), private guides (ToursByLocals, Viator, Japan Guide Agency and Kanazawa Tours) and a single Azamara excursion (Matsue Castle). 
 

I’ll try and update periodically and answer questions when I can. 

As for acceptable Covid Testing. I received an Email from Azamara today (March 30th.) that states that Japan requires all persons boarding a Cruise Ship to have a Covid Test Proctored and Self Tests are not acceptable!

the people on the Quest Now were able to do a self test (not proctored) but have the rules been changed since they boarded.

We are in Japan Now and will be boarding on April 3rd. We brought our own Self Test kits with plans to do as others have done with a self test the morning of boarding with a date stamped photo of the test results with our passports.  Now it looks like we will be doing the $59 PP test at the terminal?

the cost is not a problem but the long line for the AZ test will be a delay in boarding unles AZ puts more staff on the test lines?

[nonrev1]

We will be leaving for Tokyo more than three days in advance due to the time zone difference. We are bringing a self test kit, but will sign up with a service that proctors it for you. You get a certificate and it is a proctored test. If you want the information, let me know. It is $25 if you don’t have insurance and free if your insurance will cover it .  The company is based in Los Angeles, but put in the time zone for Japan and it will give you available test times.

[nonrev1]

We are now in Tokyo and getting ready to board the ship for the April 3 sailing. Can’t believe after three years this day is finally here. We flew in and stayed at the Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba ( wonderful hotel) and from our window we can see the Azamara  Quest.  
This morning we took our online proctored Covid test, so we did not have to do it at the cruise terminal. It was a very convenient service and took less than 20 minutes. All from the convenience of our hotel room.  We studied hard for it and passed.  Lol.  If anyone is interested in their information, let me know and I will post it.  

[aminca]

21 minutes ago, nonrev1 said:

We are now in Tokyo and getting ready to board the ship for the April 3 sailing. Can’t believe after three years this day is finally here. We flew in and stayed at the Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba ( wonderful hotel) and from our window we can see the Azamara  Quest.  
This morning we took our online proctored Covid test, so we did not have to do it at the cruise terminal. It was a very convenient service and took less than 20 minutes. All from the convenience of our hotel room.  We studied hard for it and passed.  Lol.  If anyone is interested in their information, let me know and I will post it.  

I would appreciate it,  if you would provide the link or contact information for the testing company you used based in Los Angeles. Thank you. Alan

[nonrev1]

Total testing solutions.  We used the virtual testing option.  We signed up before we left the US.  We put in the country where we were taking the test and it automatically put in the correct time zone. You picked the timeslot you wanted and put in some information and immediately got an email giving you more information about the test. We got several email reminders and we clicked on a link and did a video call. It was very easy.  After we received an email and a text with our test results.  

[nonrev1]

We just tried a practice walk from our hotel to the cruise ship. It took less than 15 minutes and is a very easy walk for anyone who chooses this hotel, and does not have a lot of luggage. 

[aminca]

2 minutes ago, nonrev1 said:

Total testing solutions.  We used the virtual testing option.  We signed up before we left the US.  We put in the country where we were taking the test and it automatically put in the correct time zone. You picked the timeslot you wanted and put in some information and immediately got an email giving you more information about the test. We got several email reminders and we clicked on a link and did a video call. It was very easy.  After we received an email and a text with our test results.  

Thank you for the detailed information. Alan

[nonrev1]

Check in:  check in was easy and from what I read last cruise, this went much smoother.  They had a lot of people helping with check in and everything moved pretty fast.  For those on the next cruise still wondering about a photo of a negative test that was not proctored, it will NOT be accepted.  We saw people sent over to the Covid testing area.  It seemed to move pretty fast, too.  But, if you have the opportunity to test ahead of time or take an online proctored test like we did, I would suggest it.  

[nonrev1]

Today is a much needed sea day especially for those of us that are adjusting to a 13 hour time difference.  The daily program is filled with fun things like necklace making, sip and paint and Easter egg decorating.  There is a future cruise presentation along with a destination speaker, shore excursion presentation and various trivia games. Definitely enough to keep us busy.  A few missteps?   There is a write your name in Chinese activity which I wonder why it is not Japanese since this is a Japan intensive cruise.  Dinner tonight in Discoveries also has Chinese as the destination immersion cuisine.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, nonrev1 said:

There is a write your name in Chinese activity which I wonder why it is not Japanese since this is a Japan intensive cruise.

I remember in my youth there was a 'write your name in Martian' activity on some bubble gum wrapper.  All you need to do is write it backwards!  A good thing to know if I'm every abducted by a flying saucer!!!

[fruitmachine]

5 hours ago, nonrev1 said:

Today is a much needed sea day especially for those of us that are adjusting to a 13 hour time difference.  The daily program is filled with fun things like necklace making, sip and paint and Easter egg decorating.  There is a future cruise presentation along with a destination speaker, shore excursion presentation and various trivia games. Definitely enough to keep us busy.  A few missteps?   There is a write your name in Chinese activity which I wonder why it is not Japanese since this is a Japan intensive cruise.  Dinner tonight in Discoveries also has Chinese as the destination immersion cuisine.  

Is a "13 hour time difference" not just an 11 hour time difference in the other direction?

 

[I still feel for you!]

[gymfreak]

On 3/20/2023 at 1:45 AM, Drebay said:

Confirming. At the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal on Mar19 a Self-administered and self-certified RAT test taken within one day of embarkation was accepted. 
 

The process used by our group was to show them the picture in our phone. They checked the date stamp and then took a photo of the screen using the checkin iPads the staff have. 
 

 

Did exactly the same as above  on embarkation and they would not accept We had to take the ship test prior to boarding. I even took the packaging with barcode and tests in a sealed bag together with dated photo next to my passport  

[ECCruise]

We have appointments with Total Testing but annoying that they won't accept a self proctored test.  Would have made the process much simpler. 

[nonrev1]

Aomori - we chose to do a ship’s tour because we wanted to visit Hirosaki Castle/park and Neputa Village.  It is an hour from the port so a ships tour was the best option available.  We were a little early for the Cherry Blossoms…..but, if the cruise after ours has this port on their itinerary, it should be beautiful.  The tour was definitely worth the price and besides walking through the castle and park, also saw two shows at Neputa Village.  We had a beautiful view of Mt. Iwaki which was still covered in snow. The guide was very good and provided a lot of information.  When we returned to the ship we walked over to the Tourist Information Center and went through the duty free shops and split a delicious apple pie.  ( this was after the yummy apple sherbet at Hirosaki park) 

[roberts2005]

Is the Quest sailing full?   Does the ship feel crowded?

[nonrev1]

I was told around 653. ( don’t hold me to it but think it holds 680)  No, it does not feel crowded. 

[dcl999]

Drebay-Thank you so much for all your informative posts. I hope once you get home and recuperate from your travels you’ll finish posting about the last few stops. I’ve been overwhelmed trying to figure out how to plan shore excursions. 

Also want to thank those of you who are just starting your cruises for sharing your port experiences. 
Most of our previous cruises have been with Viking. We’ve just had to think about options where the included excursion didn’t suit us. 

Edited April 6, 2023 by dcl999
Add thanks to additional posters

[nonrev1]

Akita- today we went to Kakunodate to see the Samurai houses.  We booked train tickets in advance so we just had to get to the station and print them out.  As previously posted,  if you want to take an early train, you will need to take a taxi to the station,   The tourist information people at the terminal called for us and one arrived within 5 minutes.  It was a great visit and the tourism people in Kakunodate were wonderful helping us plan our Samurai house visits, provided maps and suggested a local noodle restaurant.  There is also very good information available on Frommers if you want some ideas in advance.  Today was an example of having too much to do in too little time.  When we arrived back in Akita we walked to the ship shuttle bus and on the way stopped at Senshu Park.  Could have spent much longer.  There is a lot to do in Akita that we missed but we wanted to return to the ship because they arranged to have 2 Akita’s ( the dogs😄) onboard and shortly after, a Namahage Drum performance.  

[nonrev1]

What we have learned so far……

I am sure there will be more to come and these are only our opinions. 
We picked up pocket wifi at the airport.  We are finding it extremely helpful since we mostly try to go out on our own.  Which leads to #2….download a translation app.  ( the pocket wifi keeps you connected during your adventure)  I use google translate.  It lets you have a “conversation”, convert English to Japanese / vice versa, and the camera lets you point at a menu for translation or point at different signs and it translates.  It is not always perfect, but we would have missed out on a lot without it.  Going through the Samurai houses you just point at one of the information plaques and it translates for you.  
 

[dcl999]

19 hours ago, nonrev1 said:

What we have learned so far……

I am sure there will be more to come and these are only our opinions. 
We picked up pocket wifi at the airport.  We are finding it extremely helpful since we mostly try to go out on our own.  Which leads to #2….download a translation app.  ( the pocket wifi keeps you connected during your adventure)  I use google translate.  It lets you have a “conversation”, convert English to Japanese / vice versa, and the camera lets you point at a menu for translation or point at different signs and it translates.  It is not always perfect, but we would have missed out on a lot without it.  Going through the Samurai houses you just point at one of the information plaques and it translates for you.  
 

Which translation app did you use? We’ve used google translate with mixed results. 

[nonrev1]

1 hour ago, dcl999 said:

Which translation app did you use? We’ve used google translate with mixed results. 

Our pocket Wi-Fi is Japan Wireless and the google translate app.  We have had no issues.  It has been very helpful especially with translating text and also conversation.  

[nonrev1]

Today we had a private tour with a company called Edge of Niigata.  Great tour and guide.   It was a 3 1/2 hour walking tour which covered the original old port town.   We started at Minato pia and ended at the Saito Family Villa.  We saw several shrines along the way and learned about the interesting history of the ordinal port area.  The tour was very informative and woild recommend it.  When the tour was over, we went for a saki tour and tasting.  Before the ship departed they brought  3 Geishas onboard.  With a translator, they answered questions and then one sang and played a musical instrument while the other two danced.  An amazing experience.