Mitsui Plans 47-Day South Pacific Cruise on Fuji for 2027
Fuji is Mitsui's only active ship after Nippon Maru's May 2026 retirement, while sister ship Sakura is due to debut from Yokohama in September 2026.
Mitsui Ocean Cruises will operate a 47-day South Pacific voyage from Yokohama aboard Mitsui Ocean Fuji in early 2027. The ship is scheduled to depart Feb. 2 on a roundtrip cruise from its Japan homeport. The South Pacific Paradise Cruise will call at 13 destinations across Australia, French Polynesia, Guam, Fiji and other Pacific islands during the winter season in Japan.
The sailing gives the Japan-based line a long-duration warm-weather deployment for Fuji while Mitsui moves through a fleet transition: Nippon Maru has been retired, and the former Seabourn Sojourn is being prepared to enter service as Mitsui Ocean Sakura in September 2026.
The published route includes Port Vila, Vanuatu; Lautoka, Fiji; Moorea, Papeete, Raiatea and Bora Bora in French Polynesia; Apia and Pago Pago; Majuro, Marshall Islands; Cairns, Australia; Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands; Chuuk, Micronesia; and Guam. The ship will return to Yokohama, near Tokyo, after completing the Pacific loop.
Mitsui said the voyage is intended to give Japanese guests a winter cruise in a warmer region and to introduce them to the nature and cultures of the South Pacific. The company said the “appeal of a cruise lies in the ability to comfortably visit regions that are difficult to access by air or land.” Mitsui did not announce starting fares with the itinerary.
Fuji anchors long-haul program as fleet changes
Fuji is the 32,477-GT former Seabourn Odyssey, built by T. Mariotti in Genoa in 2009 and refurbished for Mitsui service in 2024. The all-suite, Bahamas-flagged ship carries roughly 458 to 540 guests depending on configuration, with published crew figures of about 330 to 340.
As Seabourn Odyssey, the vessel was sold to Mitsui in the third quarter of 2024 and entered operational service for Mitsui Ocean Cruises in December 2024. It is now Mitsui’s only active ship following Nippon Maru’s retirement in May 2026, while the line prepares Sakura.
Nippon Maru, built in 1990, completed its final voyage in early May. A Yokohama farewell event drew more than 7,000 visitors before the vessel left the fleet.
Sakura debut brings Mitsui back to two ships
Sakura is the former Seabourn Sojourn, a 2010-built sister ship to Fuji. Mitsui acquired the 450-passenger ship in March 2025, chartered it back to Seabourn, and took delivery after Sojourn ended a 129-day world voyage in Vancouver on May 15, 2026.
The ship crossed the Pacific, arrived at Yokohama on May 30 and entered drydock in Nagasaki in early June to adapt it for Mitsui’s Japanese guests. Mitsui has said the ship is expected to be reflagged under Japan; onboard changes include Sushi Bar Shiosai, serving sushi, small dishes and sake.
Sakura is scheduled to debut Sept. 19, 2026, from Yokohama, with 29 cruises planned through late December from Yokohama, Tokyo, Kobe, Hakata, Kanazawa, Niigata, Nagoya and Hiroshima. Its maiden-season schedule includes one- to three-night Japan cruises and a nine-day New Year at Sea voyage from Kobe with Ishigaki and an overnight call at Keelung, Taiwan.
