Princess Cruises in Japan

Good evening,

After my first trip to the Land of the Rising Sun with a very classic itinerary (Osaka / Tokyo) in April 2024, I’m revisiting my original idea: a cruise that would let me explore other parts of the country. The options are pretty limited since I’m restricted to school holidays. After some quick research on cruise sales sites, it seems Princess Cruises might be the best fit (dates + itinerary). I’ve only sailed with Costa before, so I have a few questions before deciding whether to go ahead with this idea: - Is Princess really upscale? Is there a dress code? - My English is pretty basic—will that be an issue? - For a cruise in Asia, what kind of food is served on board: the same as on other cruises worldwide, or specifically Asian? - What’s the average age of passengers? - Any other specifics I should know?

Thanks so much for your answers.

Hi Marina,

What a great project!

- Is Princess really upscale? Any dress code?

Upscale cruise? Not exactly, but better than budget options 😉. On Gala nights, Americans love to "dress up" and get their photos taken. But there’s no enforced dress code—nothing is ever mandatory on a cruise. You’ll find a lot of Asian-American passengers on these ships.

- My English is pretty basic—is that a problem?

It won’t be an issue if you have a translator on your phone. As for announcements over the PA, if you’re familiar with how cruises work, you’ll always manage.

- For a cruise in Asia, what kind of food is served on board: the same as other cruises worldwide or specifically Asian?

The Asian cuisine section might be larger, but there’s always a mix of international dishes.

- What’s the average age of passengers?

Hard to say, but during school holidays, you’ll see all ages, with a majority being 50 and up.

- Any other specifics?

For more details on Princess Cruises, I suggest reading the conclusion (page 5) of my review from my Princess cruise in June 2025.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply.