CRUISE TRAVEL HAS ONE BIG PROBLEM — PORTS. While some ports-of-call are purpose designed for cruise lines, others are commercial seaports where cruise ships are tolerated. Maasdam, being one of the smaller cruise ships, can dock at places not visited by larger ships, both a blessing and a curse. We can get nearer to some inland attractions that larger ships are forced to skip. But many of the ports are surrounded by industry and are not especially tourist friendly.
Shimuzu "Eye"
While we could visit the cranes from Kushiro, Yokohama isn’t exactly convenient to Tokyo. Shimuzu may be the nearest port to Mt. Fuji, and Maasdam offered several excursions, but none could guarantee a clear view of the iconic mountain and everyone was disappointed today. We got a glimpse of Fuji on our last trip so we settled for a 3-mile stroll around the harbor, past the ubiquitous Ferris wheel to the fish market.
Safe Harbor, Kobe
The ship’s excursions from Kobe didn’t return to the Maasdam until after ten o’clock. Since we had already spent several days at both Kyoto and Nara five years ago, and there is little to do in Kobe, we stayed aboard and were sound asleep by the time the ship sailed.
