Costa Serena Grand Japan & South Korea with Qatar Airways - 05 October 2026
Day 1 (05.10.2026) – Istanbul – Doha
After meeting with our guide at Istanbul New Airport 4 hours before the flight and completing the check-in procedures, we depart for Doha to make the first leg of our Tokyo flight. In the first hours of the next day, after our landing in Doha at 00:30 local time, we follow the departure time of our 2nd flight on the screens at the airport and proceed to the gate for our Tokyo (Narita) flight.
Day 2 (06.10.2026) – Doha - Tokyo
Our flight will depart at 02:50. On the same day at 19:10, we land at Tokyo Narita Airport and transfer to our hotel.
Day 3 (07.10.2026) – Tokyo | Tokyo City Tour
After breakfast at our hotel, we transfer to the cruise port. Guests who wish can join the Tokyo City Tour organized as an extra by our guide. Our first stop will be Meiji Shrine, one of the most visited shrines in Japan. We reach this shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife Shōken, who are highly respected as the founders of modern Japan, by walking along the sacred path in the large Yoyogi Park. During this visit, you may make wishes just like the Japanese. Our next stop will be Takeshita Street, one of Tokyo’s most remarkable streets and avenues. This street, enlivened especially by Japanese youth with their different styles and clothing, is also in the spotlight of the fashion world. Do not forget to take photos of your own image on the vibrant screens at the entrance of the street. From this lively street, we walk to the famous Omotesando shopping avenue and board our bus. Next, we visit the world-famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing and the statue of the loyal dog Hachiko. As we cross the intersection, we record videos and take our commemorative photo with Hachiko. After a short drive by bus, we head to another attraction of Tokyo, Asakusa. Asakusa is one of Tokyo’s oldest settlements. At the end of our tour, we head to the cruise port for boarding procedures.
Day 4 (08.10.2026) – Kobe | Osaka & Kobe Night Tour Under the Lights
After breakfast on the ship, guests who wish can join the Osaka City Tour organized as an extra by our guide. When we arrive in Osaka, the city’s magnificent lights will dazzle you. Our first stop will be the garden area of Osaka Castle. Since the latest entry time to the castle is 17:00, we will not be able to enter. After a photo break around the castle grounds, garden area, and outer courtyard, we begin exploring the city. Our second stop will be the Dotonbori area. Famous for its brilliantly lit streets, this area allows you to feel all of Osaka’s energy with its neon signs, canal-side strolling pleasure, and restaurants full of street food delicacies. At the end of our tour, we return to our ship. Later, we return to Kobe. Our first stop in Kobe is Mt. Maya Kikuseidai. This place has one of Japan’s three great night views. You can admire the magnificent lights of both Kobe and Osaka. After some free time in Kobe city center, we head back to our ship.
Day 5 (09.10.2026) – Kobe | Nijo Castle & Kyoto City Tour
After breakfast on the ship, guests who wish can join the Nijo Castle & Heian Shrine tour organized as an extra by our guide. We begin the Nijo Castle and Kyoto City Tour. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nijo Castle is the best surviving example of castle architecture from Japan’s feudal period in the 17th century. Its extravagant interiors, built almost entirely of cypress, are decorated with gold leaf and carefully crafted wood carvings. For the protection of the Shogun, the builders of Nijo Castle constructed floors known as “nightingale” floors; if an intruder entered the corridors, the floors would squeak like birds. Some of the rooms in the castle also feature special doors and hidden chambers where guards could hide. We then head to Heian Shrine, also known as the Shrine of Peace, considered one of the most important and visually striking Shinto shrines in Kyoto. Dedicated to the spirits of the first and last emperors to rule from the city, the 82-foot-high torii gate was built in 1895 to commemorate Kyoto’s founding in 795. Although photos and videos are not allowed inside Nijo Castle (Ninomaru Palace) and Heian Shrine (Shinto Sanctuary) during our tour, your exterior visit to the Golden Pavilion provides many photo-worthy shots. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Special Historic Site, the Pavilion is one of the most popular attractions in Japan. At the end of our tour, we return to our ship.
Day 6 (10.10.2026) – Kochi | Kochi Castle & Kochi City Tour
After breakfast on the ship, guests who wish can join the Kochi Castle & Kochi City Tour organized as an extra by our guide. As you visit Kochi’s two most respected landmarks, learn how Kochi became the center of pro-imperial ideology at the end of the feudal period. We head from the pier to Kochi Castle. Built more than 400 years ago by feudal lord Yamanouchi Kazutoyo, the “donjon” or main tower is worth the climb, offering famous panoramic views of the entire city. Your tour will take you through the beautifully restored Tsumemon Gate, which connects the castle’s second fort to its inner sanctum, and no visit is complete without seeing the living quarters or “honmaru,” home to local and historical treasures. After a walk through the castle grounds, you will board your bus and head to beautiful Katsurahama Beach. Here stands the statue of Sakamoto Ryoma, one of Japan’s most beloved historical figures, known for transforming feudal Japan into a modernized, unified nation. At the end of our tour, we return to our ship.
Day 7 (11.10.2026) – Kagoshima | Kamikaze Museum & Sanganen Japanese Garden Tour
After breakfast on the ship, guests who wish can join the “Kamikaze Museum & Sanganen Japanese Garden Tour” organized as an extra by their guides. On this impressive tour, our first stop will be the Chiran Peace Museum, which tells the story of Kamikaze pilots and their planes during World War II—pilots who, knowing it was their final mission, went to their deaths without hesitation for their country, while the Americans could not make a public statement until the end of the war. Afterwards, we will take a pleasant walk in Senganen, considered one of the most beautiful traditional Japanese gardens in the country, gaining a better understanding of this art form. We will visit the house within the garden that the Shimadzu family cherished for generations. We will enjoy the Japanese gardens and the special view of Kagoshima Bay and Sakurajima volcano. We will learn about the lifestyle of Prince Shimadzu Tadayoshi. We will see how distinguished guests from both Japan and overseas were welcomed by the Shimadzu family at Sengan-en in those times. Sengan-en and the Shoko Shuseikan Museum were inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 2015. Our tour will end at the port after free time on Kagoshima’s main street.
Day 8 (12.10.2026) – Nagasaki| Nagasaki City Tour
After breakfast on the ship, guests who wish can join the Nagasaki City Tour organized as an extra by our guide. We will begin our tour by going to Peace Memorial Park. Here we will witness the unique Megami Ohashi Bridge and the views of the city and the Mistubishi shipyard. Peace Memorial Park is located near Ground Zero of the August 9, 1945 explosion. The Atomic Bomb Museum records the events leading to the bombing and the event itself. Walk to the Atomic Bomb Hypocenter, a black monolith marking Ground Zero. We will visit the rebuilt Urakami Cathedral and the one-legged Torii gate. From here we will continue to Dejima Island and visit the Dejima Museum, which explains how the unique Japanese-Dutch trade system functioned for two centuries. We will walk to Glover Garden in the Foreign Settlement Area, which includes seven historic buildings and Japan’s first wooden Western-style house.
Special Notes: This tour includes sensitive material such as graphic images and displays regarding the atrocities of war. It is necessary to climb about 50 steps from the museum to the center. Glover Garden is located at the top of a hill; passengers must walk uphill, climb steep steps, and travel over uneven surfaces. Glover Garden may be partially under construction and covered. We recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes with low heels.
Day 9 (13.10.2026) – Busan| Busan | Busan City Tour
After breakfast on the ship, we begin our Busan city tour. Busan is South Korea’s second largest city and an important port city. It became a port city ruled by four small states in the 1st century AD. In this city, which has witnessed temples, royal tombs, Japanese occupation, and the Korean War, we will first visit Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, one of the few coastal Buddhist temples in South Korea. Then we will see the Haeundae Dalmaji-gil Road, famous for its blue ocean, white sandy beach, camellia forest, and pine forest views, Haeundae Beach, Dongbaekseom Island, and the Mermaid statue representing the legendary heartbreaking love story of the princess of the kingdom of Naranda. Afterwards, we will visit the UN Memorial Cemetery, where United Nations soldiers from 16 countries who lost their lives in the Korean War between 1950 and 1953 are laid to rest, as well as the 2 Turkish Martyrs’ Cemeteries and monument within it. Busan Gamcheon Cultural Village is also known as “Busan’s Machu Picchu.” Busan Tower is in Nampodong, the old central district of Busan, where you can find all kinds of brands as well as reasonably priced local shops. Among the streets, there is a paradise of street food. Then we visit Gukje Market, which has become Busan’s largest market. After free time at the market, we return to our ship.
Day 10 (14.10.2026) – Kanazawa| Kenrokuen Garden & Higashi Chaya Geisha District & Kanazawa City Tour
After breakfast on the ship, we begin our Kanazawa City Tour. First, we visit Kenrokuen Garden. Here we will discover Japanese garden aesthetics, ponds, traditional stone lanterns, and peaceful walking paths. Then we will go to the Higashi Chaya Geisha District. This is Kanazawa’s largest and best-preserved geisha-teahouse district. With its Edo-period wooden “chaya” houses, narrow streets, and traditional atmosphere, this place truly gives a “journey through time” feeling. After free time in the city, we return to our ship.
Day 11 (15.10.2026) – At Sea
We will spend the whole day sailing at sea. It is a perfect opportunity to enjoy this magnificent ship. You can have your breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the buffet restaurant, which offers a variety of dishes prepared fresh by expert chefs to suit everyone’s taste, or at the A La Carte restaurant at your reserved seat. During the day, in addition to yoga and fitness classes, you can use the gym equipped with state-of-the-art Technogym equipment, as well as outdoor tennis, volleyball, basketball, and bodybuilding equipment. After dinner, you may spend time in the ship’s colorful and entertaining bars and cafés and listen to live music, attend theater performances featuring Broadway-style musicals, or try your luck at the casino. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 12 (16.10.2026) – Hakodate | Hakodate City Tour
After breakfast on the ship, guests who wish can join the Hakodate City Tour. We depart the port by private bus and head to the ropeway station to ascend Mount Hakodate. Enjoy the magnificent view! After the photo break given by your guide, our tour continues to the morning market. Local vendors display many local products such as salmon roe, scallops, crab, and sea urchin. Guests who wish may taste them. We will continue to Goryokaku Tower to see the historic Fort Goryokaku, completed in the final years of the Edo period. Today, Japan’s first Western-style fortress hosts a public park and a city museum. The park is also notable for its beautiful cherry trees. Another beautiful stop we will visit is Trappistine Monastery. Then we will visit the restored Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse District. At the end of our tour, we return to our ship.
Note: Depending on weather conditions and ropeway congestion, Mount Hakodate may also be reached by bus.
Day 13 (17.10.2026) – At Sea
We will spend the whole day sailing at sea. It is a perfect opportunity to enjoy this magnificent ship. You can have your breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the buffet restaurant, which offers a variety of dishes prepared fresh by expert chefs to suit everyone’s taste, or at the A La Carte restaurant at your reserved seat. During the day, in addition to yoga and fitness classes, you can use the gym equipped with state-of-the-art Technogym equipment, as well as outdoor tennis, volleyball, basketball, and bodybuilding equipment. After dinner, you may spend time in the ship’s colorful and entertaining bars and cafés and listen to live music, attend theater performances featuring Broadway-style musicals, or try your luck at the casino. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 14 (18.10.2026) – Tokyo | Transfer to Hotel | Kamakura Tour
After breakfast on the ship, we transfer to our hotel. Check-in at the hotel is at 15:00. Guests who wish can join the Kamakura Tour organized as an extra by our guide. In this city, which was the former administrative center of Japan, you will step into a completely different world with its temples and statues. One of the most well-known landmarks at the heart of the excursion is Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine — Kamakura’s most important Shinto shrine and one of the symbols of samurai culture. When visited, you will feel both history and the serenity of nature together. At the end of our tour, we will transfer to our hotel.
Day 15 (19.10.2026) – Tokyo | Tokyo City Tour
After breakfast at our hotel, the whole day is free. Guests who wish can join the Tokyo City Tour organized as an extra by our guide. Our tour will begin in the Ginza district, one of the city’s most popular shopping areas, filled with luxury boutiques as well as first-class cocktail and sushi bars. Ginza hosts countless tourists from all over the world as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world. Then we will visit the Buddhist temple Asukasa Temple, also known as Sensoji Temple, considered one of Tokyo’s oldest and most colorful temples. Asakusa, also called the Temple of the Three Gods, is of great interest to both tourists and locals. It is one of the few temples that survived the bombings in the final year of World War II, so the original structure of the building has remained intact. The temple also hosts the Santa Festival held every May. According to legend, Asukasa Temple, built by two fisherman brothers to pay respect to the goddess of mercy Kannon, is followed by the shopping street called Nakamise. Then we continue our tour with a visit to Akihabara, one of Tokyo’s world-famous neighborhoods. At the end of the tour, we transfer to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel
Day 16 (20.10.2026) – Tokyo | Ashi Lake & Fuji Scenic Towns Tour
After breakfast at our hotel, guests who wish can join the Ashi Lake & Fuji Scenic Towns Tour organized as an extra by our guide. We head to the fairy-tale Ashi Lake, located about 2 hours from Tokyo. After a boat trip lasting about half an hour, we visit the towns around Mount Fuji, where we can best experience traditional Japanese culture. While listening to the legendary stories of these towns with their famous Mount Fuji views, we will take a tour that allows us to get to know life outside the big cities, and then we will head back to our hotel.
Day 17 (21.10.2026) – Tokyo | Tokyo – Doha Flight| Tokyo Shopping Tour
After breakfast at our hotel, we transfer to the airport. Guests who wish can join the Tokyo Shopping Tour organized as an extra by our guide. We will visit Tokyo’s largest shopping streets. On this tour, where you can buy many electronic goods at very affordable prices, you can also purchase clothing brands not available in Turkey, such as Uniqlo. We meet at the time given by our guide and transfer to the airport. We depart for Doha on Qatar Airways flight number QR807, scheduled to depart at 22:25.
Day 18 (22.10.2026) – Doha – Istanbul
After our flight lands in Doha at 04:05, we begin waiting for our Doha-Istanbul flight. Our Doha–Istanbul flight departing at 07:35 will be operated by Qatar Airways flight number QR239. We land at Istanbul New Airport at 11:55.
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