Friday, 22 September 2023
Tucson, Arizona

Dear LFLatSea Companions and 

Friends Far and Near:

It is time once again to depart upon the high seas. I am excited to share my next adventure, coming up in just nine days.

After returning from my transatlantic and European river cruises this past June, I thought I would take a longer hiatus and rest from traveling. But just recently Holland America made me an offer I simply couldn't refuse. So I will be sailing a 13-day transpacific cruise on ms Westerdam from Seattle to Tokyo/Yokohama on Sunday, 1 October, and then spending one week in Kyoto/Osaka, Japan, and one week in South Korea, flying home from Seoul on 29 October.

North Pacific Crossing

13-Day Voyage 

30 Sep:  Tucson (TUS)-Seattle (SEA)

Delta Airlines

DL 2744 / First Class / 3h 18m / Non-Stop / Free Award Flight 

The Charter Hotel Seattle, Curio Collection by Hilton (1 night)

🛳️   🛳️   🛳️

1-15 Oct:  Seattle-Tokyo/Yokohama, Japan

Holland America ms Westerdam

Signature Suite 8055 (13 nights)

Sun 1 Oct   5:00pm Lv Seattle

Mon 2 Oct   Day at Sea

Tue 3 Oct   1:00pm Av Juneau, Alaska

Shore Excursion:  Mendenhall Glacier & Glacier Gardens

Tue 3 Oct   11:00pm Lv Juneau

Wed 4 Oct-Wed 11 Oct   Days at Sea

Thu 12 Oct   8:00am Av Kushiro, Japan

Shore Excursion:  Natural Hokkaido--Kushiro Marshland & 

Japanese Crane Reserve

Thu 12 Oct   5:00pm Lv Kushiro

Fri 13 Oct-Sat 14 Oct   Days at Sea

Sun 15 Oct   7:00am Av Yokohama

Debarkation 

Yokohama to Kyoto

 JR Rail Shinkansen (Bullet Train)

7-Day Green Car Japan Rail Pass  

Holland America ms Westerdam 

Signature Suite 8055

Built: April 2004 / Refurbished: 2021 / Length: 936 Feet / 

Beam (Width): 105.8 Feet 

Gross Tonnage: 82,500 / Passengers: 1,964 / Crew: 800 / Passenger Decks: 11

⛩️   ⛩️   ⛩️

15-20 Oct:  Mercure Kyoto Station Hotel (5 nights)

Kyoto

18 Oct:  Via Inn Umeda

Osaka, Japan

20-22 Oct:  Royal Park Canvas Hotel (2 nights)

Osaka

Free Hotel Nights

22 Oct:  Osaka (KIX)-Seoul, Republic of Korea (GMP)

Asiana Airlines

OZ 1135 / Business Class / 1h 50m / Non-Stop

🇰🇷   🇰🇷   🇰🇷

22-29 Oct:  Four Points by Sheraton Josun Hotel (7 nights)

Seoul

5-Day Korea Rail Pass

29 Oct:  Seoul (ICN)-Los Angeles (LAX)

Delta/Korean Airlines

DL-KE 9044 / Prestige Class / 11h 50m / Non-Stop

29 Oct:  Los Angeles (LAX)-Tucson (TUS)

Delta Airlines

DL 3850 / First Class / 1h 35m / Non-Stop / Free Award Flight

Although I have sailed seven transatlantic cruises over the years, both eastbound and westbound--four on Holland America, two on Oceania, and one on Cunard--this will be my first time sailing across the Pacific. I have been to Japan a number of times. My first visit was one week each in April and May 1986 (visiting my brother who was living in Tokyo, and on my own in Kyoto); then 12 days in December 1990 (visiting my brother and sister-in-law in Tokyo and traveling around central Japan by car with them); then one week in June 1994 (with Will after 18 days in China); and then 4 days in March 2019 (on a Westerdam cruise).

I have sailed on the Westerdam twice before:  Feb-Mar 2019--28 days East Asia; Nov-Dec 2022--28 days New Zealand and South Australia.

Although I am in the midst of preparations and packing, I will try to post one more blog entry--with photos from my previous trips to Alaska and Japan--before I depart on 30 September.