Tokyo-based MOL Cruises set to debut new all-suite ship

YOKOHAMA – The Mitsui Ocean Sakura, an all-suite Japanese cruise ship, is set to go into service Saturday.

Ahead of the debut, its operator, Tokyo-based MOL Cruises, an affiliate of shipping firm Mitsui OSK Lines, invited members of the press to view the inside of the ship in Yokohama on Wednesday.

The Mitsui Ocean Sakura — the successor to MOL Cruises’ Nippon Maru cruise ship, which has ended its 35-year service — has a total of 229 guest rooms and five restaurants. Footbaths are available at a swimming pool.

The 87-square-meter Signature Suite, the largest of the guest rooms, is equipped with large windows to enjoy the ocean view.

The successor to MOL Cruises' Nippon Maru cruise ship, the Mitsui Ocean Sakura cruise ship has 229 guest rooms and five restaurants.　 | JIJI

The ship, which is about 200 meters long, will be mainly used for short-term trips of one to three nights. Prices for a three-day cruise from Jan. 3, 2027, that will tour around the Seto Inland Sea start at ¥194,000 ($1,240) per person. The tour will depart from and arrive at the Port of Kobe.

“We want to deliver special and unforgettable experiences to our guests,” MOL Cruises President Tsunemichi Mukai said at a ceremony held in Yokohama on Wednesday.

The company aims to attract cruise demand with the Mitsui Ocean Sakura as well as the Mitsui Ocean Fuji, which debuted at the end of 2024.