Fly Stay Cruise - 19 Day Ocean Crossing: Alaska's Wilderness to Tokyo's Lights

Your trans-Pacific adventure begins today. Crossing east over the International Date Line, you arrive into Vancouver International Airport the same calendar day. Make your way to your downtown Vancouver hotel where you check in for the first of two pre-cruise nights. The evening is at leisure to recover from the flight and begin exploring the city. Special Information:A Canadian eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) is required for Australian & New Zealander passport holders. Please apply via the official Canadian government website before travel. Airport transfers in Vancouver are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your Vancouver airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed. Hotel check-in time is at 3pm. If arriving prior to this, you will be able to leave your luggage with hotel reception and explore Vancouver until check-in becomes available. The hotel may grant early check-in, however this is strictly subject to availability and at the hotel's discretion.

After breakfast, your full day is at leisure to explore Vancouver. Stroll the seawall around Stanley Park with its totem poles and views of the mountains across Burrard Inlet, ride the SeaBus across to North Vancouver for Capilano Suspension Bridge or Grouse Mountain, or wander the cobblestone streets of historic Gastown with its steam clock, galleries and restaurants. For lunch, head to Granville Island Public Market for fresh seafood and artisanal food stalls, or sample the city's famous dim sum in Chinatown. The Vancouver Art Gallery, the Museum of Anthropology and the Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden are all worthwhile cultural stops. Tonight, enjoy a final dinner ashore before embarkation tomorrow.

This morning after breakfast, check out of your hotel and make your way to Canada Place Cruise Terminal in downtown Vancouver for cruise check-in. Once on board Westerdam, settle into your stateroom and begin exploring the ship. Take in the Crow's Nest panoramic lounge, the World Stage theatre, the Lido Market and the open-deck pools as Westerdam departs Vancouver in the afternoon, sailing under the Lions Gate Bridge and out into the Strait of Georgia for your trans-Pacific voyage to Japan. Tonight, enjoy your welcome dinner on board and meet your fellow travellers. An optional upgrade to Holland America's Have It All package is available for those who would like to add drinks, Wi-Fi, specialty dining and shore excursion credits.Special Information:Check-in at Canada Place Cruise Terminal commences at 12pm. Transfer from your Vancouver hotel to Canada Place is not included; the terminal is in central downtown Vancouver and 5-15 minutes by taxi from most downtown hotels. Port transfers can be booked separately via Traveller Hub. All guests must be on board at least 2 hours prior to the ship's scheduled departure of 4pm.

A full day of scenic cruising through the Inside Passage, one of the most beautiful coastal routes in the world. Sheltered by hundreds of islands, the route winds north through old-growth coastal rainforest, past tidewater glaciers, snow-capped peaks and inlets carved by glacial ice. Keep watch from the Crow's Nest, the upper decks and your stateroom for bald eagles, humpback whales, orcas and the occasional black bear ashore.

Arrive in Ketchikan, the southernmost town in Alaska and the salmon capital of the world. Once on shore, explore historic Creek Street with its stilt buildings perched above Ketchikan Creek, visit Saxman Native Village to see the world's largest collection of standing totem poles, or take an optional excursion to Misty Fjords National Monument by floatplane or boat for spectacular wilderness scenery. Other options include lumberjack shows, salmon hatchery tours and Tlingit cultural experiences.Special Information:A US ESTA is required for Australian passport holders entering the United States, including a single Alaskan port of call. Please apply via the official US Customs and Border Protection website before travel.

A relaxed day at sea as Westerdam begins her trans-Pacific crossing toward Japan. Take advantage of the ship's facilities including the Greenhouse Spa, fitness centre, library and onboard entertainment.

A second day at sea. Settle into the rhythm of a trans-Pacific crossing - the Crow's Nest for morning coffee, an Explorations Central talk on Japanese culture and language, lunch at the Lido, and an afternoon by the pool or in the spa.

A second day at sea. Settle into the rhythm of a trans-Pacific crossing - the Crow's Nest for morning coffee, an Explorations Central talk on Japanese culture and language, lunch at the Lido, and an afternoon by the pool or in the spa.

A third day at sea. Continue enjoying the relaxed pace of life on board.

Today Westerdam crosses the International Date Line, leaving Sunday 20 September and arriving directly into Tuesday 22 September. Monday 21 September does not occur on this voyage - a quirk of trans-Pacific travel as you "lose" a day crossing west across the IDL. The crossing is often marked with a small onboard ceremony, and is one of the unique experiences of a trans-Pacific cruise.Special Information:Due to the westward crossing of the International Date Line, Monday 21 September 2026 does not exist on the cruise calendar. The ship's clocks advance directly from Sunday 20 September to Tuesday 22 September.

A day at sea on the western side of the International Date Line, with Japan drawing closer.

A final day at sea before your first Japanese port of call tomorrow. Attend a final Explorations Central enrichment lecture on Japanese culture, language or etiquette to prepare for the days ahead.

Arrive in Kushiro on the southeastern coast of Hokkaido, your first port in Japan. Kushiro is the gateway to Akan-Mashu National Park, home to caldera lakes, hot springs and the indigenous Ainu people of Hokkaido. Visit the Kushiro Shitsugen wetlands, a vast marshland home to the red-crowned crane, or head inland to Lake Akan for traditional Ainu villages, hot spring resorts and the curious marimo algae balls unique to the lake. Kushiro itself offers a lively waterfront fish market, traditional charcoal grilled robatayaki dining and the famous Nusamai Bridge.Special Information:Australian passport holders may enter Japan visa-free for short stays. The Visit Japan Web pre-registration is recommended to expedite immigration on cruise arrival.

Arrive in Aomori on the northern tip of Honshu, famous as the home of the Nebuta Matsuri festival and its giant illuminated lantern floats. Visit the Nebuta Museum WA RASSE on the waterfront to see the festival floats up close, take an excursion inland to Hirosaki Castle and its surrounding samurai district, or visit the Sannai-Maruyama Site, an extensive Jomon-era archaeological site with reconstructed prehistoric dwellings. Aomori is also the gateway to Lake Towada and the spectacular Oirase Gorge, particularly beautiful as the autumn colours begin to turn.

A final day at sea as Westerdam cruises south along the Honshu coast toward Tokyo Bay. Pack and prepare for tomorrow's arrival in Japan's capital.

After breakfast on board, Westerdam arrives into Tokyo at the International Cruise Terminal and your 13 night trans-Pacific cruise comes to a close. Disembark the ship and make your way to the Shinjuku Washington Hotel Tokyo where you check in for the first of two post-cruise nights. The rest of the day is at leisure to begin exploring Tokyo. Shinjuku is one of Tokyo's most vibrant districts and a great base for first-time visitors. From the hotel you can walk to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, the neon-lit Kabukicho entertainment district, the towering observation decks of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (free entry), or the shops and restaurants around Shinjuku Station, the world's busiest. Tonight, dive into Tokyo's incredible food scene with sushi, ramen, tempura or a kaiseki tasting menu.Special Information:Australian passport holders may enter Japan visa-free for up to 90 days. Transfer from Tokyo International Cruise Terminal to your Shinjuku hotel is not included. The terminal is approximately 20km from Shinjuku and accessible by taxi (45-60 minutes depending on traffic) or by rail.

After breakfast, your full day is at leisure to explore Tokyo. Visit the ancient Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa and shop the lantern-lined Nakamise-dori, ride the Tokyo Skytree to the observation deck for sweeping city views, wander the imperial gardens at the heart of the city, or experience the youth fashion of Harajuku and the Meiji Shrine forest nearby. The bustling Shibuya Crossing and the trendy boutiques of Omotesando are easily reached by Tokyo's efficient metro system, as is the historic Tsukiji Outer Market and the modern Toyosu Market for early-morning sushi. Tonight, enjoy your final Japanese dinner - perhaps a traditional izakaya in Shinjuku's Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane).

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and make your way to Tokyo Narita or Haneda Airport for your included international flight home.Special Information:Transfer from your Tokyo hotel to the airport is not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book Tokyo airport transfers for an easier departure experience (additional charges apply).

Welcome home. Your flight lands home today, completing your ocean crossing from Vancouver to Tokyo. We hope you return with memories of the Inside Passage, the Alaskan wilderness, the unique experience of crossing the International Date Line, the rare ports of Kushiro and Aomori in northern Japan, and the energy and lights of Tokyo. Thank you for travelling with Inspiring Vacations - we look forward to welcoming you on your next adventure. Special Information:Due to the flight time you may arrive into Australia on the 30th September.