Review: Diamond Princess in Japan and South Korea

An hour or two after Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess left Yokohama, Japan, I decided to take in the sunset from my stateroom’s balcony. I watched the horizon in awe as what I first thought was a hazy cloud formation gradually revealed itself to be Mount Fuji, with the deep orange sun descending near its peak. I couldn’t have asked for a more transcendent experience to kick off my first-ever cruise from Japan, a country that is currently experiencing a record-breaking year of tourism.

During the next eight days, I thoroughly enjoyed getting acclimated to life onboard Diamond Princess, a Gem-class ship that, fittingly, was built in Japan in 2004. Diamond and its twin, Sapphire Princess, are actually slightly enlarged versions of Princess’ Italian-built Grand class of ships, and measure 115,875 gross tons with a capacity for 2,670 guests (plus, up to 1,100 crew).

At 20 years old and last refitted in 2019, the still spotless and sparkling Diamond Princess may no longer be the line’s most-cutting edge hardware, but the ship has plenty of character and a homey vibe, thanks to public spaces filled with warm wood tones, recessed lighting and pleasing elements of polished brass and marble. It also has four large pools, each with their own surrounding deck areas and, unlike its newer Royal- and Sphere-class ships, a full wraparound promenade that encircles Decks 7 and 8.

Like the newer ships, Diamond has a canopied Sanctuary overlooking the bow with cushioned loungers (which can be booked on a full- or half-day basis) and and fawning attendants. It also has the Lotus Spa with men’s and women’s changing areas, a relaxation room and a thermal suite that can be used before and after treatments; the giant Movies Under The Stars LED screen, which broadcasts sporting events and movies throughout the day; and the popular Sabatini’s Trattoria Italian specialty restaurant. Also essential to the Princess experience is the cruise line’s Medallion technology, with its handy mobile app and automatic cabin door-unlocking sensors.

There is an old-school charm to certain venues, such as Skywalkers Nightclub, which towers over the stern with its star-studded ceiling and fluted, “Flash Gordon”-style pillars; the Santa Fe Dining Room, with its adobe andpetroglyph elements; and the Wheelhouse Bar, which is festooned in nautical memorabilia from Princess’ former parent company, P&O Cruises.

Meanwhile, the three-deck-tall Grand Plaza atrium and much of the ship’s artwork have a Japanese flair, and there are Japanese-themed venues unique to Diamond Princess, including the Izumi Japanese baths on aft Deck 16 and the Kai Sushi specialty dining venue. Kai Sushi, which has a set menu for $14.99 and/or a la carte items, has proven especially popular and is now featured on the new Sun Princess and the upcoming Star Princess.

On my cruise, Diamond made calls at Kagoshima (which is near the tip of the southernmost main island of Japan, Kyushu); Busan, South Korea; and two ports, Akita and Aomori, on the northern shores of Japan’s biggest island, Honshu.

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Princess offered excellent excursions, with visits to Sakurajima volcano in Kagoshima; serene Buddhist and Shinto temples, including Japan’s tallest daibutsu (bronze buddha) in Aomori; and even an authentic 16th-century Samurai neighborhood in Akita. One of the highlights in bustling Busan was a visit to the fish market and the sprawling marketplace where visitors can get deals on everything from cosmetics and hats to Korean ginseng.

Rich in culture, history and scenic beauty, the ports were welcoming. Locals greeted guests, and warm and informative guides — as well as passersby — lined up to wave us off.

Another nice aspect of the itinerary was having three sea days, interspersed at the beginning, middle and end of the cruise, providing a chance to rest up between long excursion days and enjoy the ship. Some of the onboard activities catered specifically to Japanese guests, and others — like the Explore Japan events — promoted Japanese culture, such as origami, Japanese language lessons and bon odori (traditional folk) dance classes.

On our cruise, 60% of the 2,800 guests were Japanese, and announcements were made in both languages.

Of course, the requisite Princess Cruises activities were also available, including quizzes, sports events, pool games, singalongs, karaoke and a wide variety of staged entertainment, including big production shows put on in the Princess Theater.

One of the things I enjoyed so much about the cuisine was being able to sample Japanese specialties in the main dining venues, including tempura, sushi and a miso soup station that was part of my morning ritual in the Horizon Court buffet. Even with the added Japanese selections, fans of Princess’ traditional cuisine will still find the usual fare, such as pizza at Prego, burgers and sandwiches at Trident Grill and other Western favorites in the five main dining rooms and the buffet.

In 2025, Diamond Princess returns to Japan for an expanded season of cruises ranging from eight to 22 days.