28-day circle Japan

Departures & Pricing

Upgrades, transfers, accommodation and more can be quoted on enquiry — call 1300 414 198.

Noordam

Details · Holland America Line

Noordam

Noordam is a Holland America Line Vista-class ship that entered service in 2006, carrying around 1,970 guests. A regular in Australian and New Zealand waters, she offers the line's classic mid-size experience with a notable art collection, the Greenhouse Spa and Pinnacle Grill dining.

Guests

1,916

Crew

800

Gross tonnage

82,500

Speed

23 knots

Length

285 m

Launched

2006

Deck plans

11

Noordam · Deck plans

Deck 11 — Sports Deck

− + Fit

Source: Holland America Line, captured 5 August 2026. Deck plans are provided by the cruise line and are subject to change at any time.

Itinerary

1. 1

   Tokyo, Japan

   Departs 07:00 pm.

   Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It's a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza, an international shopping mecca, stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience.

2. 2

   Shimizu, Japan

   Arrives 07:00 am, departs 03:00 pm.

3. 3

   Osaka (for Kyoto), Japan

   Arrives 10:00 am, departs 11:59 pm.

   For centuries, Osaka was Japan's cultural and commercial gateway to Asia - the point of entry both for trade goods and, most importantly, cultural influences that shaped Japanese society. From tea to Zen, from art to science and philosophy, Osaka was Japan's contact with the great East Asian cultures that flourished in China and Korea. The city reached its zenith in the late 16th century, when the great feudal lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi made Osaka his capital. Toyotomi was master of Japan, and an immense administrative and commercial center rapidly developed around Osaka Castle. After Toyotomi's death, the nation's seat of power shifted from Osaka to a sleepy little fishing village called Edo - modern Tokyo. While overshadowed by Tokyo, Osaka remains Japan's second largest city and a vital commercial center.Modern Osaka is home to monuments from Japan's past including Toyotomi's immense castle and the Sumiyoshi Shrine. The city is also your gateway to Kyoto, Japan's ancient imperial capital and the nation's cultural and spiritual center.

4. 4

   At Sea

5. 5

   Hiroshima, Japan

   Arrives 08:00 am, departs 11:59 pm.

   On August 6, 1945, human history was irrevocably altered when the American bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The bomb was code-named "Little Boy," but its detonation left half the city in ruins and aflame. Today, Hiroshima is a monument not only to the destructive forces harnessed by men but also to the indomitable will of the human spirit to overcome tragedy. At the heart of the city lies Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome. The gutted walls of the city's old Industry Promotion Hall and the skeletal frame that supported its copper dome, vaporized in the blast, are instantly recognizable symbols of Hiroshima.Travelers to Hiroshima will discover a more serene note at nearby Miyajima Island. One of the top-three scenic spots of Japan, the island is home to ancient Itsukushima Shrine, a designated National Treasure.

6. 6

   Scenic Cruising Kanmon Strait

7. 7

   Busan, South Korea

   Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

   The second largest city in South Korea, Busan is your gateway to a fascinating land whose culture is a unique amalgam of old and new. Modern high-rise towers dwarf ancient Buddhist temples. The city's bustling business district offers a stark contrast to the serene grounds of Yongdusan Park. In short, Busan is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose startling economic success often obscures one of Asia's most sophisticated and venerable cultures.Busan was the scene of bitter fighting during the Korean War. The United Nations Memorial Cemetery marks the final resting place for the troops from 16 nations who gave their lives during the conflict.

8. 8

   Sakaiminato, Japan

   Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

9. 9

   Scenic cruising Maizuru Bay

10. 9

    Maizuru, Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 09:00 pm.

11. 10

    Kanazawa, Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

12. 11

    At Sea

13. 12

    Hakodate, Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

    It took Commodore Perry and American gunboat diplomacy to open Japan to the outside world after two centuries of self-imposed isolation. In 1859, the port of Hakodate became the first Japanese city fully opened to Westerners under the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Foreigners soon flocked to Hakodate, and today visitors wandering the cobblestone streets of the city's Motomachi District can view their Western-style frame houses. Hakodate, once a fishing port famed for its high quality fish and shellfish, quickly became Hokkaido's largest city and one of Japan's most important ports. The Great Hakodate Fire of 1934 dealt the city a near fatal blow - a blow from which Hakodate was slow to recover. Today the city is Hokkaido's third largest - surpassed by Sapporo and Asahikawa - but retains its foremost position as the finest Japanese producer of sushi's raw product: the high quality seafood caught in Hokkaido's cold waters.It may not compare to Tokyo's Tsukiji's Fish Market, but at Hakodate's four-block-long Morning Market, vendors offer a stunning array of fresh fish and shellfish prized for sushi including salmon roe, sea urchin, scallops and crab. Restaurants and food stands prepare a wide arrange of dishes including domburi topped with fresh seafood.

14. 13

    Miyako, Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

15. 14

    Hitachinaka, Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

16. 15

    Tokyo, Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 07:00 pm.

    Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It's a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza, an international shopping mecca, stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience.

17. 16

    At Sea

18. 17

    Kobe (for Kyoto), Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 07:00 pm.

    Kobe is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyogo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshu. Its name comes from "kanbe", an archaic title for supporters of the city's Ikuta Shrine. With a population of about 1.5 million, the city is part of the Keihanshin (Keihanshin) metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kyoto.The earliest written records regarding the region come from the Nihon Shoki, which describes the founding of the Ikuta Shrine by Empress Jingu in AD 201. For most of its history the area was never a single political entity, even during the Tokugawa Period, when the port was controlled directly by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Kobe did not exist in its current form until its founding in 1889. Kobe was one of the cities to open for trade with the West following the end of the policy of seclusion and has since been known as a cosmopolitan port city. While the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake diminished much of Kobe's prominence as a port city, it remains Japan's fourth busiest container port. The city is the point of origin and namesake of Kobe beef as well as the site of one of Japan's most famous hot spring resorts, Arima Onsen. Kobe is also your gateway to Kyoto, Japan's ancient imperial capital and the nation's cultural and spiritual center.

19. 18

    Kochi, Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 04:00 pm.

    Kochi sits on the broad alluvial plain facing Urado Bay. This city in Shikoku takes its name from the great feudal castle that sits at its very heart. Completed in 1611, Kochi Castle was the seat of Yamauchi Kazutoyo, a noted warrior who supported Tokugawa Ieyasu in his successful quest to become Shogun. Tosa Province and Kochi Castle were Yamauchi's reward for faithful service. There is an historical irony here: 250 years later, a Kochi native son - a former low-ranked samurai and now ronin named Sakamoto Ryoma - played a pivotal role in bringing the Tokugawa Shogunate to an end and restoring the Emperor of Japan to political prominence. The prize once awarded for faithful service had become a hotbed of support for the Meiji Restoration.Kochi is one of the wettest places in Japan - and a frequent target for cyclonic storms or typhoons. Southeast of the city, warm oceans currents washing against the Aki Mountains create a subtropical landscape of hibiscus, palm and ficus at Muroto-Anan Quasi-National Park.

20. 19

    Kagoshima, Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 04:00 pm.

    From the 12th century to the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Kagoshima was the chief stronghold of the mighty Shimazu clan. The city lies at the top of the Satsuma Peninsula, a mountainous, geothermal wonderland of hot springs and geysers. The area is also rich in modern Japanese history: Saigo Takamori and the Satsuma samurai were leaders of the Meiji Restoration that toppled the shogun and restored the Emperor to power in 1868. In 1877, dissatisfied with the direction of the new government, Saigo led the Satsuma Rebellion, which ended in his death and the final defeat of the samurai.The symbol of Kagoshima is Sakura Jima - the volcanic island that sits just offshore. The volcano has erupted over 30 times in recorded history.

21. 20

    Fukuoka (Hakata), Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 04:00 pm.

22. 21

    Sokcho, South Korea

    Arrives 10:00 am, departs 08:00 pm.

23. 22

    At Sea

24. 23

    Kanazawa, Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

25. 24

    Sakata, Japan

    Arrives 09:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

26. 25

    Hakodate, Japan

    Arrives 10:00 am, departs 09:00 pm.

    It took Commodore Perry and American gunboat diplomacy to open Japan to the outside world after two centuries of self-imposed isolation. In 1859, the port of Hakodate became the first Japanese city fully opened to Westerners under the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Foreigners soon flocked to Hakodate, and today visitors wandering the cobblestone streets of the city's Motomachi District can view their Western-style frame houses. Hakodate, once a fishing port famed for its high quality fish and shellfish, quickly became Hokkaido's largest city and one of Japan's most important ports. The Great Hakodate Fire of 1934 dealt the city a near fatal blow - a blow from which Hakodate was slow to recover. Today the city is Hokkaido's third largest - surpassed by Sapporo and Asahikawa - but retains its foremost position as the finest Japanese producer of sushi's raw product: the high quality seafood caught in Hokkaido's cold waters.It may not compare to Tokyo's Tsukiji's Fish Market, but at Hakodate's four-block-long Morning Market, vendors offer a stunning array of fresh fish and shellfish prized for sushi including salmon roe, sea urchin, scallops and crab. Restaurants and food stands prepare a wide arrange of dishes including domburi topped with fresh seafood.

27. 26

    Aomori, Japan

    Arrives 07:00 am, departs 07:00 pm.

    The capital of the Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan, Aomori derives much of its beauty from the apple orchards and cherry blossoms that encompass its landscape and the snow-covered Hakkoda Mountains that look on from a distance. Throughout its history, the city has been stricken with misfortune time and time again - in 1910, a fire destroyed Aomori, and during World War II, the city was left in ruins following an air raid - yet it always prevails.Aomori is perhaps best known for its renowned Nebuta Festival, an elaborate yearly event in which participants illuminate giant paper representations of samurai warriors, animals, and popular cartoon characters while parading them through the streets.

28. 27

    Miyako, Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

29. 28

    At Sea

30. 29

    Tokyo, Japan

    Arrives 08:00 am.

    Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It's a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza, an international shopping mecca, stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience.

Accommodation

Book this cruise

Send us an enquiry and a consultant will be in touch, or call 1300 414 198 for personal help choosing a departure.

You might also like

Cruise · Holland America Line · 28 nights

28-day circle Japan

• Explore Japan's cultural and historical highlights
• Scenic cruising through stunning waterways
• Onboard enrichment and entertainment program

Departs 26 September, 2027

From $8,259 pp twin

Discover more

Cruise · Holland America Line · 14 nights

14-day circle Japan

• Sail aboard the mid-size Noordam ship with classic amenities
• Enjoy enrichment programmes and nightly entertainment on board
• Access to the Greenhouse Spa and Pinnacle Grill dining

Departs 26 March, 2028

From $4,659 pp twin

Discover more

Cruise · Holland America Line · 14 nights

14-day circle Japan

• Cruise to 10 ports in Japan and South Korea
• Enjoy the Noordam's art collection, spa and dining
• Enrichment programme and nightly entertainment included

Departs 26 September, 2027

From $4,659 pp twin

Discover more