Trip Index
- Days 1-2 in Tokyo: Planning, JAL business class, Hyatt Regency, Meiji Shrine, Tokyu Food Hall, Don Quixote
- Days 3-4 in Tokyo: Asakusa, Tokyo National Museum, Imperial Palace, Robot Restaurant, conveyor belt sushi/ramen/blowfish
- Day 5 in Tokyo: Mt. Fuji Shibazakura Festival, Standing Sushi Bar
- Days 1-2 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Embarkation, day at sea
- Days 3-4 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Hakodate, day at sea
- Days 5-6 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Bridge tour, Petropavlovsk (Siberia)
- Days 7-13 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: crossing the Bering Sea, two May 4ths, Qsine
- Days 14-15 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Victoria, disembarkation, Miku; Ruby Princess 1-night cruise Vancouver to Seattle
***
On the spur of the moment, Kaleb and I were going to be away from home for almost 3 weeks (Tokyo and 2 cruises). Everything magically fell into place despite being only about 2 months from departure. It all started when I saw Celebrity Cruises offering an "Exciting Deal" on a 14-night transpacific sailing from Tokyo to Vancouver, with a concierge class cabin going for $699/pp plus taxes, including a $25/pp onboard credit. One-way airfare in April would cost more than that. We would be on a ship for 2 weeks versus 9 hours by plane, but this was not a problem since we had lots of time to spend. I was always curious about sailing across the Bering Sea, so the opportunity was too good to pass up. An inside cabin would have been a better deal at $499/pp, but we didn't want to be cooped up in a small space without a window for 14 nights. Then the trip grew bigger as I started planning: arriving early into Tokyo as Kaleb had never been there before, then tacking on a 1-night cruise from Vancouver to Seattle right after we got off the 14-nighter because...why not?
CRUISES
Celebrity Cruises routinely offers drastic savings on last-minute sailings every Tuesday, which can be found under "Last Minute Deals", under "Cruise Deals" on the left hand drop down menu on the desktop website. I had seen the $699 deal a few weeks ago, but I did not pull the trigger until later. AquaClass was also available for $899 (a great price for that category), but by the time I booked, those cabins were sold out. After having done this cruise, I would prefer to be in AquaClass, as those guests are assigned into a more intimate dining room and have unlimited access to the Persian Garden in the spa. But if there was another sweet deal on balcony/concierge class, I would still go.
The 14-night transpacific cruise would be on Celebrity Millennium, to be "revolutionized" a couple of months before our departure so it would be just like new.
For fun, I searched for cruises that left from Vancouver, and ended up booking a 1-night cruise on Ruby Princess, embarking on the same day that we were disembarking from Celebrity Millennium. I booked a mini-suite since it was fairly cheap. Inside cabins were an even sweeter deal; something like $79 per person for the 1st/2nd guests and $39 for the 3rd/4th. I also had a $100 onboard credit to use, so it would cover daily gratuity and any other purchases.
These two ships were not new to me as I had sailed on Millennium about 17 years ago, and Kaleb and I were on Ruby Princess almost 8 years ago.
In the weeks leading up to Millennium's departure, I would check the cruise planner on Celebrity's website for deals on beverage packages and internet, since we would be at sea for many of the 14 nights. Eventually there was a 50% off beverage package sale, so I purchased a premium non-alcoholic package (includes specialty coffees and teas, bottled water, juices, smoothies, etc.) and applied the $50 onboard credit we received. This came out to about $9.50 a day (gratuity included), which made it easy to enjoy espressos, teas, sparkling water at meals, and taking bottled water back to the room, with no need to sign a bill every time.
Later on, I learned of a special onboard credit offer if you hold Mlife (MGM) Gold or above player status. Since I had Mlife Gold, I was able to get a free $125 onboard credit by calling Celebrity at 855-227-2537. I planned to use this credit towards a "Surf Internet Package" when I saw it on sale in the cruise planner. Elite cruisers get an additional discount; I called Captain's Club (1-800-760-0654) to purchase the package with a 25% discount as a Select member. The remainder of the onboard credit would be applied automatically to any purchases on our shipboard account, including daily gratuity.
As for internet in general, we borrowed a "Pokefi" from my parents, a wifi hotspot that can be used in many countries. It comes preloaded with 5GB of data when purchased new; additional 5GB of data can be bought for $15. This came in handy when we were in Tokyo and other foreign ports of call on our cruise. In fact, it was so useful that we purchased our own Pokefi afterwards.
EXCURSIONS
We did our own exploring in the few ports offered. The only independent excursion we bought was a CVS tour to Butchart Gardens in Victoria, which we had done before on a previous cruise. If we were to purchase other excursions, I would consider the offerings from Shore Excursions Group.
FLIGHTS
60,000 American Airlines miles per person were redeemed for a one-way business class flight on Japan Air Lines from San Francisco to Tokyo Haneda. 10,000 miles were rebated back from having the Citibank American Airlines credit card.
5,000 Alaska Airlines miles per person were redeemed for a one-way economy class flight from Seattle to San Jose.
PRE-CRUISE HOTEL
Five nights were booked at the Hyatt Regency Tokyo in Shinjuku using free night certificates from having Hyatt credit cards, and transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points into my World of Hyatt account to book the other three nights. This resulted in three separate reservations (Kat's free night, Kaleb's free night, Kat's point redemption for 3 additional nights). Since I had Explorist status and Club Access certificates, I called World of Hyatt to add lounge access for the three nights I had booked with points. According to the terms and conditions, the credit card free nights could not be granted lounge access.
I then sent an email directly to the Hyatt Regency Tokyo, asking if the three reservations could be combined into one so we wouldn't have to check in and out twice. The reservations department was very easy to work with and were also very generous: our room was automatically upgraded to the View Deluxe King room, and even though only our last three nights were eligible for lounge access, they extended it to all five nights. Since Kaleb did not have Explorist status, JPY 11,000 would be charged at check-in to upgrade his free night, which was reasonable, especially with the lounge access included.
TRANSPORTATION
Both Tokyo airports (Haneda and Narita) have a convenient "Limousine Bus" service that provides transportation from the airport to various major hotels around the city for a reasonable price. It is easily booked upon arrival at the airport. I planned to purchase the "Haneda Airport Set", which included 2 bus tickets and a 72-hour subway pass for JPY 3,500. Normally, the bus tickets would be used for round-trip, but since we were only needing an airport-to-hotel ride, Kaleb and I could share the tickets, then buy one more 72-hour subway pass.
To get from the Hyatt Regency to the cruise port (Oi container port in this case), I found from reading our Cruise Critic roll call that we could take the metro to Shinagawa station where there would be a free shuttle to the Oi port. Cruise Critic is a great resource for cruise planning; find the "roll call" for your cruise and participate in discussions with your fellow cruisemates.
Since our time in Tokyo would be more than 72 hours, our subway pass would not be valid on the day we would go to the cruise port. I learned that the metro took Suica, and that I could add a Suica card into Apple Wallet on my iPhone, load it with money, and just tap the phone onto the turnstile reader to pay. One can even use the Suica card to pay for items in vending machines or at participating retailers.
Now onto the trip...
After we checked our bags at the Japan Air Lines counter in San Francisco and gone through security, we headed to the Sakura Lounge. There were plenty of snacks and refreshments.
The boarding process was very well coordinated, with several gate agents holding up signs to direct passengers to their respective cabins. Kaleb and I had seats next to each other, separated by a divider. The seat was able to lie flat 180 degrees for sleeping. There were interesting items in the toiletry bag, such as a warm steaming eye mask. The dinner menu was separated into Japanese and Western selections. Both of us ordered the Japanese courses.
I wasn't a fan of the cold Japanese appetizers, but I enjoyed the entrees and dessert. There was also an "Anytime You Wish" menu in case you were hungry during the rest of the flight, which could be ordered using the handheld touchscreen remote in your seat. We tried out a few things.
We spent much of the time watching movies, maybe a couple of hours of sleep. Arriving in the evening was great, so we could relax for a bit in the hotel room, then go to sleep.
After landing, going through immigration was a breeze. We bought the ticket set at the Limousine Bus counter in the arrivals lobby, with no issues using a credit card. We were then directed to purchase the stand-alone 72-hour subway pass from the tourist information booth on the other side of the building. These discounted passes are for tourists only, and I had to show my passport. The bus heading to the Hyatt Regency had recently left, so we had to wait 45 minutes for the next one as the frequency was reduced in the night hours.
The bus ride to the Hyatt Regency Tokyo was efficient. There was no need to tip the coach driver (or anyone else) as tipping is not expected in Japan. Our room was set up as expected from my email communications with the hotel, with a pleasant surprise - the front desk agent informed us that we didn't have to pay the extra charge to upgrade Kaleb's free night since I, an Explorist member, was staying in the room with him. This generous gesture, plus having lounge access for the entire stay despite the restriction on free night certificates, really exemplifies the excellent customer service in Japan, making us feel welcomed.
Exhausted from the travel, we showered and went to bed. The next morning, we enjoyed breakfast in the lounge. Reviews say that the selections were limited, but I thought it was quite nice, with Japanese and Western choices. As long as there is fresh fruit and eggs, I'm a happy camper. Having the Japanese breakfast items were a bonus. I did notice that there wasn't much in terms of pancakes or French toast, so that may be the reason for the lukewarm reviews.
Our sightseeing plans were drawn up using an example 3-day itinerary as a guideline, with other fun things sprinkled in.
The Tochomae metro station was conveniently near the hotel; you had to walk outside, then take the stairs underground. Our first stop was to Meiji-jingu Shrine, a serene forested sanctuary in the middle of bustling metropolitan Tokyo.
Afterwards, we went to the Nezo Museum, filled with Asian art. It was nice but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to see it. There were a few interesting pieces. Photos were not allowed, just only in the garden.
We headed to Shibuya Crossing and walked across the intersection. Since it was daytime on a workday, there weren't as many people, but it was still busy. The Hachiko statue was nearby, commemorating the faithful Akita waiting for his master to return.
360 spherical view of Shibuya Crossing (taken with the Ricoh Theta S):
Then we headed to the basement of Tokyu department store to check out the food hall. OMG!!! I was in food heaven - so much perfection. The pictures I took were only a fraction of what was available. My senses were so overloaded, I didn't know what to buy first. We walked several circles until eventually settling on some sushi and donburi, with matcha soft serve as dessert. After lunch, when we walked into the grocery store portion, I found fresh sashimi (including uni!) which I would have preferred more. While buying the sushi, I thought it was interesting that a small ice pack was included so it would stay at a proper temperature until you were ready to eat it.
We then made our way to Roppongi Hills. It was a nice area with high end shopping, but the best part was finding Don Quixote, a bargain store stocked with random things from hot food, colored contacts, cosmetics, toys, to used luxury handbags. There were six floors to explore; seeing so much chaos gave me a headache but it was worth it. If tourists purchase more than JPY 5,000, they can use the tax-free counter. The cashier rings everything up (without charging tax) and seals the items into a bag which you are not supposed to open until you leave the country. The receipt is stapled to your passport. We ended up buying a lot of souvenirs from here.
We returned to the Hyatt and enjoyed evening appetizers and complimentary cocktails in the lounge.
Our Tokyo adventure resumes tomorrow, with lots more food to be enjoyed - stay tuned!
If you came here from a Facebook or Twitter link, thanks for clicking the "Facebook Like" button at the top of the page or retweeting!
Don't miss a blog entry! Sign up for updates direct to your inbox here or add the blog to your RSS feed.
Getting excited reading about these trips and want to go? Contact me at yellowdogtravel at gmail d0t com with your ideas and I can help you plan it! Or if you've already put a deposit on a cruise through the cruise line, contact me to get more information on transferring the reservation to me to get bonuses like extra onboard credit or gifts. I have lots of happy returning clients - references always available.
Come check out my other blog "What in the world is Kat Kong doing now?", documenting things other than traveling...sign up for blog updates direct to your inbox here!
Another disclaimer: The intention of this blog was to remind Future Me in full detail about where I went and what I did. I could have made it private, but I frequently get questions from family, friends and internet folks about how I planned things, got deals, etc., so instead of repeating the story over and over, I direct them here. If you are offended by anything I say or do, save yourself the discomfort and kindly click away from my blog. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!
CRUISES
Celebrity Cruises routinely offers drastic savings on last-minute sailings every Tuesday, which can be found under "Last Minute Deals", under "Cruise Deals" on the left hand drop down menu on the desktop website. I had seen the $699 deal a few weeks ago, but I did not pull the trigger until later. AquaClass was also available for $899 (a great price for that category), but by the time I booked, those cabins were sold out. After having done this cruise, I would prefer to be in AquaClass, as those guests are assigned into a more intimate dining room and have unlimited access to the Persian Garden in the spa. But if there was another sweet deal on balcony/concierge class, I would still go.
 |
| cruise itinerary |
The 14-night transpacific cruise would be on Celebrity Millennium, to be "revolutionized" a couple of months before our departure so it would be just like new.
For fun, I searched for cruises that left from Vancouver, and ended up booking a 1-night cruise on Ruby Princess, embarking on the same day that we were disembarking from Celebrity Millennium. I booked a mini-suite since it was fairly cheap. Inside cabins were an even sweeter deal; something like $79 per person for the 1st/2nd guests and $39 for the 3rd/4th. I also had a $100 onboard credit to use, so it would cover daily gratuity and any other purchases.
These two ships were not new to me as I had sailed on Millennium about 17 years ago, and Kaleb and I were on Ruby Princess almost 8 years ago.
In the weeks leading up to Millennium's departure, I would check the cruise planner on Celebrity's website for deals on beverage packages and internet, since we would be at sea for many of the 14 nights. Eventually there was a 50% off beverage package sale, so I purchased a premium non-alcoholic package (includes specialty coffees and teas, bottled water, juices, smoothies, etc.) and applied the $50 onboard credit we received. This came out to about $9.50 a day (gratuity included), which made it easy to enjoy espressos, teas, sparkling water at meals, and taking bottled water back to the room, with no need to sign a bill every time.
Later on, I learned of a special onboard credit offer if you hold Mlife (MGM) Gold or above player status. Since I had Mlife Gold, I was able to get a free $125 onboard credit by calling Celebrity at 855-227-2537. I planned to use this credit towards a "Surf Internet Package" when I saw it on sale in the cruise planner. Elite cruisers get an additional discount; I called Captain's Club (1-800-760-0654) to purchase the package with a 25% discount as a Select member. The remainder of the onboard credit would be applied automatically to any purchases on our shipboard account, including daily gratuity.
As for internet in general, we borrowed a "Pokefi" from my parents, a wifi hotspot that can be used in many countries. It comes preloaded with 5GB of data when purchased new; additional 5GB of data can be bought for $15. This came in handy when we were in Tokyo and other foreign ports of call on our cruise. In fact, it was so useful that we purchased our own Pokefi afterwards.
EXCURSIONS
We did our own exploring in the few ports offered. The only independent excursion we bought was a CVS tour to Butchart Gardens in Victoria, which we had done before on a previous cruise. If we were to purchase other excursions, I would consider the offerings from Shore Excursions Group.
FLIGHTS
60,000 American Airlines miles per person were redeemed for a one-way business class flight on Japan Air Lines from San Francisco to Tokyo Haneda. 10,000 miles were rebated back from having the Citibank American Airlines credit card.
5,000 Alaska Airlines miles per person were redeemed for a one-way economy class flight from Seattle to San Jose.
PRE-CRUISE HOTEL
Five nights were booked at the Hyatt Regency Tokyo in Shinjuku using free night certificates from having Hyatt credit cards, and transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points into my World of Hyatt account to book the other three nights. This resulted in three separate reservations (Kat's free night, Kaleb's free night, Kat's point redemption for 3 additional nights). Since I had Explorist status and Club Access certificates, I called World of Hyatt to add lounge access for the three nights I had booked with points. According to the terms and conditions, the credit card free nights could not be granted lounge access.
I then sent an email directly to the Hyatt Regency Tokyo, asking if the three reservations could be combined into one so we wouldn't have to check in and out twice. The reservations department was very easy to work with and were also very generous: our room was automatically upgraded to the View Deluxe King room, and even though only our last three nights were eligible for lounge access, they extended it to all five nights. Since Kaleb did not have Explorist status, JPY 11,000 would be charged at check-in to upgrade his free night, which was reasonable, especially with the lounge access included.
TRANSPORTATION
Both Tokyo airports (Haneda and Narita) have a convenient "Limousine Bus" service that provides transportation from the airport to various major hotels around the city for a reasonable price. It is easily booked upon arrival at the airport. I planned to purchase the "Haneda Airport Set", which included 2 bus tickets and a 72-hour subway pass for JPY 3,500. Normally, the bus tickets would be used for round-trip, but since we were only needing an airport-to-hotel ride, Kaleb and I could share the tickets, then buy one more 72-hour subway pass.
To get from the Hyatt Regency to the cruise port (Oi container port in this case), I found from reading our Cruise Critic roll call that we could take the metro to Shinagawa station where there would be a free shuttle to the Oi port. Cruise Critic is a great resource for cruise planning; find the "roll call" for your cruise and participate in discussions with your fellow cruisemates.
Since our time in Tokyo would be more than 72 hours, our subway pass would not be valid on the day we would go to the cruise port. I learned that the metro took Suica, and that I could add a Suica card into Apple Wallet on my iPhone, load it with money, and just tap the phone onto the turnstile reader to pay. One can even use the Suica card to pay for items in vending machines or at participating retailers.
Now onto the trip...
After we checked our bags at the Japan Air Lines counter in San Francisco and gone through security, we headed to the Sakura Lounge. There were plenty of snacks and refreshments.
|
|
|
|
 |  |
The boarding process was very well coordinated, with several gate agents holding up signs to direct passengers to their respective cabins. Kaleb and I had seats next to each other, separated by a divider. The seat was able to lie flat 180 degrees for sleeping. There were interesting items in the toiletry bag, such as a warm steaming eye mask. The dinner menu was separated into Japanese and Western selections. Both of us ordered the Japanese courses.
 |
| the moisture mask goes over your face like a surgeon |
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 |  |
 |
| dinner menu |
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|
 |
| mango dessert and green tea |
I wasn't a fan of the cold Japanese appetizers, but I enjoyed the entrees and dessert. There was also an "Anytime You Wish" menu in case you were hungry during the rest of the flight, which could be ordered using the handheld touchscreen remote in your seat. We tried out a few things.
 |
| anytime menu |
|
|
We spent much of the time watching movies, maybe a couple of hours of sleep. Arriving in the evening was great, so we could relax for a bit in the hotel room, then go to sleep.
After landing, going through immigration was a breeze. We bought the ticket set at the Limousine Bus counter in the arrivals lobby, with no issues using a credit card. We were then directed to purchase the stand-alone 72-hour subway pass from the tourist information booth on the other side of the building. These discounted passes are for tourists only, and I had to show my passport. The bus heading to the Hyatt Regency had recently left, so we had to wait 45 minutes for the next one as the frequency was reduced in the night hours.
|
|
|
|
The bus ride to the Hyatt Regency Tokyo was efficient. There was no need to tip the coach driver (or anyone else) as tipping is not expected in Japan. Our room was set up as expected from my email communications with the hotel, with a pleasant surprise - the front desk agent informed us that we didn't have to pay the extra charge to upgrade Kaleb's free night since I, an Explorist member, was staying in the room with him. This generous gesture, plus having lounge access for the entire stay despite the restriction on free night certificates, really exemplifies the excellent customer service in Japan, making us feel welcomed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |  |
|
|
 |  |
|
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Exhausted from the travel, we showered and went to bed. The next morning, we enjoyed breakfast in the lounge. Reviews say that the selections were limited, but I thought it was quite nice, with Japanese and Western choices. As long as there is fresh fruit and eggs, I'm a happy camper. Having the Japanese breakfast items were a bonus. I did notice that there wasn't much in terms of pancakes or French toast, so that may be the reason for the lukewarm reviews.
|
|
 |  |
Our sightseeing plans were drawn up using an example 3-day itinerary as a guideline, with other fun things sprinkled in.
The Tochomae metro station was conveniently near the hotel; you had to walk outside, then take the stairs underground. Our first stop was to Meiji-jingu Shrine, a serene forested sanctuary in the middle of bustling metropolitan Tokyo.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
Afterwards, we went to the Nezo Museum, filled with Asian art. It was nice but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to see it. There were a few interesting pieces. Photos were not allowed, just only in the garden.
 |  |
We headed to Shibuya Crossing and walked across the intersection. Since it was daytime on a workday, there weren't as many people, but it was still busy. The Hachiko statue was nearby, commemorating the faithful Akita waiting for his master to return.
 |  |
360 spherical view of Shibuya Crossing (taken with the Ricoh Theta S):
Shibuya Crossing - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA
Then we headed to the basement of Tokyu department store to check out the food hall. OMG!!! I was in food heaven - so much perfection. The pictures I took were only a fraction of what was available. My senses were so overloaded, I didn't know what to buy first. We walked several circles until eventually settling on some sushi and donburi, with matcha soft serve as dessert. After lunch, when we walked into the grocery store portion, I found fresh sashimi (including uni!) which I would have preferred more. While buying the sushi, I thought it was interesting that a small ice pack was included so it would stay at a proper temperature until you were ready to eat it.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
We then made our way to Roppongi Hills. It was a nice area with high end shopping, but the best part was finding Don Quixote, a bargain store stocked with random things from hot food, colored contacts, cosmetics, toys, to used luxury handbags. There were six floors to explore; seeing so much chaos gave me a headache but it was worth it. If tourists purchase more than JPY 5,000, they can use the tax-free counter. The cashier rings everything up (without charging tax) and seals the items into a bag which you are not supposed to open until you leave the country. The receipt is stapled to your passport. We ended up buying a lot of souvenirs from here.
|
|
|
|
We returned to the Hyatt and enjoyed evening appetizers and complimentary cocktails in the lounge.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
Our Tokyo adventure resumes tomorrow, with lots more food to be enjoyed - stay tuned!
***
If you came here from a Facebook or Twitter link, thanks for clicking the "Facebook Like" button at the top of the page or retweeting!
Don't miss a blog entry! Sign up for updates direct to your inbox here or add the blog to your RSS feed.
Getting excited reading about these trips and want to go? Contact me at yellowdogtravel at gmail d0t com with your ideas and I can help you plan it! Or if you've already put a deposit on a cruise through the cruise line, contact me to get more information on transferring the reservation to me to get bonuses like extra onboard credit or gifts. I have lots of happy returning clients - references always available.
Come check out my other blog "What in the world is Kat Kong doing now?", documenting things other than traveling...sign up for blog updates direct to your inbox here!
Another disclaimer: The intention of this blog was to remind Future Me in full detail about where I went and what I did. I could have made it private, but I frequently get questions from family, friends and internet folks about how I planned things, got deals, etc., so instead of repeating the story over and over, I direct them here. If you are offended by anything I say or do, save yourself the discomfort and kindly click away from my blog. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!
