tl;dr – Japan does a lot of things right when it comes to hospitality.
If you’ve been reading You Are Travel for a while, I’ve mentioned a few times that I’m not too big on cruises. While I love the water (ocean, seas, rivers) and enjoy being on boats/ships, cruises just aren’t how I fancy spending a vacation. That said, I haven’t stopped writing about all the luxury hotel chains that are launching cruising ventures, and as it turns out, there’s one that has caught my eye – Mistui Ocean Cruises.
Japanese mega-conglomerate Mitsui, whose many child companies include Mitsui Fudosan – the real estate and hospitality firm that operates The Mitsui Kyoto Hotel (fantastic, by the way) – has another child in Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. These Mitsui cruises, which are mainly Japanese itineraries, offer the authentic ‘Japanese’ experience and hospitality.
The itineraries are intriguing.
Seeing Japan by boat (if that’s your style) could be a reasonable alternative to zipping around Japan via Shinkansen, driving, or hopping on quick flights.
I’m a fan of Japan – the food in particular – so the draw of freshly prepared, authentic, quality Japanese cuisine is at least 75% of the reason I’d go.
The entertainment also looks unique.
I came across a review that seems to vouch for the authenticity of Mitsui Cruises, while also acknowledging that the experience is welcoming for Westerners.
At least one of Mistui’s ships used to be used for Seabourn journeys, and I’ve long heard good things about the on-board Seabourn experience.
Maybe I’ll get around to checking one of these Mitsui cruises out one day.
