Mitsui Ocean Cruises will debut Mitsui Ocean Sakura on 19 September 2026 as Cruise Traveller releases fly-free packages for Australian travellers to get on board 2027 voyages around Japan.
The Mitsui Ocean Sakura, formerly Seabourn’s Seabourn Sojourn, joins the Japanese luxury cruise line as a sister ship to Mitsui Ocean Fuji (formerly Seabourn Odyssey), which launched in late 2024.
Both all-suite vessels can accommodate 458 guests with ocean views in all staterooms, of which ninety per cent feature a private balcony.
Cruise Traveller, Mitsui Ocean Cruises’ exclusive Australian representative, has released five new packages for April and September 2027 aboard both ships, bundled with free return flights to Tokyo from Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney for bookings made by 30 November 2026.
A signature package pairs Mitsui Ocean Sakura with viewing Japan’s autumn foliage on a nine-night, round-trip from Yokohama, departing 17 September 2027 during the popular Silver Week holiday period.
The Mitsui Ocean Sakura itinerary circles the main island of Honshu and calls at five smaller ports not usually visited by other cruise lines: Senzaki, Tottori, Nanao, Kuji and Oarai.
The free-flight offer also applies to four other 2027 sailings aboard Mitsui Ocean Fuji in April and September.
Cruise Traveller’s five fly-free packages run from seven to 12 nights and start from AUD$8,799 per person, twin-share, in a Veranda Suite.
What’s aboard the two ships
Revamped from Seabourn service, both Mitsui Ocean Sakura and Fuji feature fine-dining restaurants specialising in Japanese cuisine, lounges, a theatre, a wellness centre, pools and jacuzzis.
The onboard experience is built around two Japanese philosophies: “funatabi”, Mitsui’s commitment to immersing guests in Japanese heritage, nature, cuisine and tradition, and “omotenashi”, the art of intuitive, meticulous hospitality.
Mitsui Ocean Cruises itineraries visit smaller, more remote and less-visited ports, which are home to ancient temples, gardens and coastal scenery.
Cruise Traveller Managing Director Joe O’Sullivan says the line suits more than the traditional cruise buyer as Mitsui Ocean Sakura launches.
“Nobody knows Japan like the country’s own Mitsui Ocean Cruises, which offers a completely bespoke way of discovering the country’s ancient and modern wonders on unique journeys imbued with depth, discovery, enrichment and also value-for-money,” O’Sullivan says.
“Unlike a typical cruise around Japan, a journey with Mitsui Ocean Cruises is a curated, cultural discovery experience, blending small-ship intimacy and personal service with meaningful encounters and authentic local insight, appealing not only to cruise travellers, but also to lovers of culture, history, cuisine, nature, and small-group exploration.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: With Japan cruise search demand building for 2027, a local luxury line crewed and hosted by Japanese staff is a distinctive point of difference for the destination. The new ship, Mitsui Ocean Sakura, and a free-flight incentive give an added incentive for advisors to book clients interested in Japan holidays in 2027.
