Ask anyone who’s cruised Japan what they’d change, and you’ll hear the same answer: more time. The lanterns come on, the izakayas fill up and the ship sails away right as the evening gets good. For a country this layered, a nine-hour port day never feels like enough.
Celebrity Cruises thinks it has the fix, and bookings just opened. The line’s new 2028 Japan season puts the Renewed Celebrity Solstice in the country for its entire year’s program, from cherry blossom spring onward. That’s one ship, one country and a schedule built for travelers who want to linger.
Word on Japan is clearly out. The country welcomed a record 42.7 million international visitors in 2025, and American arrivals jumped 21.4% to 3.3 million. Booking a 2028 sailing now is less about planning ahead and more about beating everyone else to the good cabins.
The ship stays overnight, so you can too
The headline feature here is sleep. Instead of racing back for a sunset departure, guests on these Japan sailings get overnight stays in Kyoto, Aomori and Kobe, with ships reaching Kyoto through its Osaka-area gateway. That means dinner at a back-alley yakitori counter, a night market stroll and a slow morning at a shrine before the crowds arrive. Tokyo anchors the season, with Mt. Fuji visible on the horizon on clear days.
What’s waiting in port
- Cherry blossom timing: spring 2028 departures line up with hanami season, when Ueno Park’s promenades and Osaka Castle Park turn pink and white.
- Festival season: itineraries are built around Japan’s flavors and festivals, so evenings ashore can land during local celebrations.
- A freshly updated ship: the Renewed Celebrity Solstice came out of drydock with new spaces including Sunset Park, Trattoria Rossa, Fine Cut Steakhouse and a game bar called The Parlor.
- Bucket-list sights: Shinto shrines, sacred Mt. Fuji and more than 1,600 temples and shrines in Kyoto alone.
Two years sounds like plenty of runway. It isn’t. Japan seasons sell out quickly, and itineraries with the most overnights tend to sell out first. If Japan has been on your list forever, this is the rare case where the smart move is to book the trip before you’ve even bought the guidebook.
Jennifer Allen is a retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and nationally syndicated journalist; she’s also a co-founder of Food Drink Life, where she shares expert travel tips, cruise insights and luxury destination guides. A recognized cruise expert with a deep passion for high-end experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations, Jennifer explores the world with curiosity, depth and a storyteller’s perspective. Her articles are regularly featured on the Associated Press Wire, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.