Queen Elizabeth Japan

[alibabacruisers]

We also got the Suica card before our cruise in 2019 and we chose a hotel in Yokohama for several weeks before the cruise.  We also got a SIM card as well and both the SIM and the Suica card arrived within days of ordering and was very easy to activate and use.  

[MomentsNotice]

2 hours ago, sfred said:

 

You're very welcome.  Best wishes for a great voyage!

 

Something I forgot to mention before is that if you decide to do the trains, a good way to pay the appropriate fares is with a Japan Rail (JR) Suica card.  It's the JR version of a London Transport Oyster card, i.e., a prepaid stored-value card for all trains in the Tokyo area, both commuter trains and the metro.  You obtain Suica cards and load the card with a Japanese Yen balance at either JR ticket machines (that you can interact with in English) or in-person ticket offices at major stations and also at Haneda and Narita airports.  A special version of Suica, called Welcome Suica, is available to foreign tourists. Welcome Suica is valid for only four weeks and waives the usual Suica card issuance fee.  Like the London Oyster, you tap on/off with Suica at the ticket barriers and it automatically debits the correct fare, allowing for transfers.  It takes away quite a bit of the worry about whether you've bought the correct ticket.  Each person needs his/her own card.

 

The Japan metro version of Suica is called Pasmo.  It serves the same function, just issued by a separate rail operator.  Suica can be used a little more widely than Pasmo, but the difference is minor.

 

New Suica and Pasmo cards are temporarily in short supply due to a chip shortage, but I imagine that will have been cleared up by the time you are there next year.

 

Mrs. sfred and I easily took trains when we boarded QE for the voyage across to Alaska in 2019.  We had one large piece of luggage and two smaller carry-on sized bags.  We all did fit into the carriage, but only just.   I've been to Tokyo and Japan many times for work and can speak and read a little Japanese which helps, but there is enough English signage to get by without.

 

 

2notes:

suica and Pasmo cards built into the iPhone wallet (at least the USA version does). You can reload cash with a Mastercard (usa visa and amex don’t seem to work for me and others)

 

you can use suica and pasmo to purchase many things in Japan including at convenience stores. And don’t forget to try the amazing egg sandwiches in the convenience stores. Family mart my personal favorite because a bit chunky  but also like lawsons combo (one egg, one tuna sandwich)

[Down-Unders]

On 3/28/2023 at 11:23 AM, MomentsNotice said:

Haven't been on a Cunard ship in quite some time. Considering QE 9 day around Japan this April. In general, does QE provide either paid or complementary transportation from dock to nearest town on port days or are we totally on our own if we don't take their tour? 

Thanks in advance. 

Complementary bus to every port we visited on our Japan cruise.  Enjoy!

[alc13]

Absolutely, a Suica or Pasmo card is a must.  Another invaluable item that we used throughout the trip was a pocket Wi-Fi.  We got ours from Ninja, who have a storefront in Haneda so we could pick it up when we arrived in Japan.  And incidentally, Haneda is much closer to Tokyo and Yokohama than Narita.

[Trinnyessex]

Thanks again , it looks like the  voyage that I’m on embarks Tokyo so that would be a result .👍 Doesn’t mention Yokohama like some voyages I looked at just now . Lots of planning to do and will try learn some simple phrases of the Japanese language . We fly into Haneda and booked in the Park hotel in Shiodome 

[alc13]

On the subject of language, Google Translate has an image reader in it, so you can translate signs and menus when you need to.

 

The first time I visited Japan, about 20 years ago, I had a paper map to help me navigate the town I was in.  I put my finger on the map location when I started and traced the route as I walked, so I wouldn’t get lost.  Google is a big help these days.

[Trinnyessex]

Spoke to Cunard who have confirmed to me they will not know which port they are using until 21 days before departure. Our TA will keep check and will let us know so we can then decide on hotel 👍