Norwegian Cruise Line is bringing a big ship back to Japanese waters. The Norwegian Jade, fresh off an Alaskan summer and a routine drydock refit, left Vancouver on September 21, 2026 on a 16-night transpacific repositioning cruise to Yokohama, where it will base for an autumn season around Japan and South Korea.

The repositioning voyage doubles as a proper itinerary in its own right. Passengers get Alaska calls at Ketchikan, Sitka, Whittier and Kodiak, plus scenic cruising past Hubbard Glacier, before a stop in Hakodate on Japan's northern island and arrival in Yokohama on October 7. For anyone eyeing a one-way Asia trip, repositioning cruises like this are usually the best value per night at sea you'll find.

Once in Japan, the 2,400-guest Jade runs nine- to 14-night sailings through late November — the ship's first time in the region since 2019. Departures come from Yokohama, Tokyo and Incheon (the port for Seoul), with the standout being a two-week loop around Honshu and Shikoku in late October. That sailing hits 12 Japanese ports plus Busan in South Korea, including Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Sakata, Shimonoseki, Nagoya and Shimizu. It's an unusually deep dive for a cruise itinerary: most Japan sailings stick to two or three ports, while this one strings together castle towns, Hiroshima's Peace Park and Mount Fuji views at Shimizu.

The ship doesn't stop there. In early December it repositions to Hong Kong for a Southeast Asian winter, then returns to Japan in late February for a spring season running through late April, before heading back to North America for another Alaska summer. The Jade also arrives freshly upgraded, with a new Vibe Beach Club and a Starbucks in the atrium added during its drydock.

Why it matters: Japan cruise capacity is booming but 12-port circumnavigation itineraries are rare, and this one covers a lot of ground without a single hotel check-in. It suits travellers who want a broad first sweep of the country — city, coast and countryside — without the hassle of trains and luggage, or repeat visitors chasing ports like Kanazawa and Sakata that are harder to combine in one land trip.

Story via Cruise Industry News.