Lindblad Expeditions will offer its first cruises in Japan next year, set to launch on the 102-passenger National Geographic Orion.
The ship will offer two itineraries. The 16-day Coastal Japan: Imperial Dynasties and Modern Culture departs Sept. 15 and focuses on Japanese history while sailing the shores of Honshu and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. The itinerary includes a day in the South Korean city of Gyeongju.
The 15-day East China Sea: Japan, Okinawa, And Taiwan itinerary departs Sept. 28 and focuses on "natural wonders, historic sites, and cultural treasures" and includes Taiwan's Yehliu Geopark.
Cruise offerings in and around Japan had been rising in recent years and were poised for major growth this year, with several lines that had not previously sailed there featuring Japan-intensive itineraries.