We were definitely in the minority on this cruise. It appeared that at least 80% of the passengers were Asian with the remainder being a mix of Australian, British, Russian and a handful of Americans/Canadians. I found the cruise to be very quiet and tame. The ship was sold out but one couldn't tell as the public venues were sparsely occupied. One sea day I had a pool and two hot tubs to myself for several hours. Stateroom service and main dining room service was wonderful. Likewise service at Horizons court was great and I enjoyed that they actually served you drinks while dining. Service at the Trident Grill and the pizza location could stand improvements. But, overall the food quality was fine and I was greatly satisfied with the cruise. If you are looking for a cruise to relax and spend some quiet time reading a book without having to fight for a lounger on deck, this is the cruise for you.

Unlike some of the previous reviews, we had no issue with embarkation/debarkation. We didn't experience long lines to go through immigration in S. Korea. We did not book any excursions through Princess as they appeared pricey and not particularly interesting. However, we found that public transportation around Japan was incredibly easy and affordable. A little research ahead of time prepared us to have a general idea of the things we wanted to see and do in each port. Our cruise left out of Yokohama. Prior to boarding we spent a little time walking around China Town in Yokohoma where we grabbed a quick lunch and some souvenirs. After boarding, our first stop was Nagoya: we took a train and the subway to Nagoya Castle for minimal cost. This did involve quite a bit of walking however so if you have mobility issues this would not be advisable. Our next stop was Nagasaki. We purchased the all day pass for the street car...but frankly the street cars are very crowded and I felt much like a sardine in a can. So we hopped off and decided to walk to the Museum of History & Culture, grab a coffee at a small cafe and later lunch on our own. The next stop was Busan, S. Korea. Princess did provide a free shuttle bus in Busan took us close to the fish market and shopping areas. My favorite port was Kagoshima. I had considered staying on the ship that day but I am so glad that we chose to explore the port. Princess did offer a shuttle for $10 per person which took you into town. Rather than take the shuttle, my husband and I paid approximately $25 for a cab to take us to the Kagoshima Aquarium. After exploring the aquarium we walked over to the ferry and took it across to Mt. Sakurajima. We explored the shrine closes to the ferry on Mt. Sakurajima and then walked down to the visitor center and enjoyed the free foot bath hot spring. If we had arrived to Mt. Sakurajima earlier we would have taken the bus up to the observatory and I regret not having the chance to do so but I spent a little too much time enjoying the Kagoshima Aquarium. Our last stop was Kobe. We didn't spend anytime there however as we quickly grabbed a train and headed to Kyoto and Arishiyama for some exploring on our own post-cruise. Definitely go to Arishiyama if you get the chance. The monkey park requires a lot of walking up a steep hill, but the other parts of the city are just amazing. There is a river with escorted boats/lots of girls in Yucatas/local food is excellent/Bamboo forrest, etc. (I liked Arishiyama as much, if not more, than Kagoshima.

For English speakers, Princess offered a couple Japanese language classes. I found these very helpful and quickly picked up basic Japanese phrases to get around. There were the typical art auctions. One thing to note: if you're a gambler or enjoy the Casino it was only opened on a limited basis (like 2 of the seven day cruise) as gambling was prohibited near Japan. We actually made it back home from this cruise with extra money leftover from vacation as a result. We did a lot of walking in ports and carried a backpack with us for souvenirs we purchased along the way. I did purchase the spa package which allowed for use of the steam rooms. In retrospect, I didn't use the steam rooms enough to justify the price and the drains in the rain forrest showers seemed to keep getting clogged and flooding the rest of the room. Overall, the cruise was very nice.