But this does not mean that the ship will leave Naha in a great hurry and arrive in Kaohsiung the next morning. The Mitsui Ocean Fuji’s “speed of 16 knots,” which translates to about 30 km/h, is not about speed, but about passenger comfort as it moves leisurely across the East China Sea.
Departing from the Naha Cruise Terminal, the ship will take a southwesterly course toward Taiwan. The ship will sail around the west coast of Taiwan from the south, visiting the port city of Kaohsiung in Tainan, the historic old port city of Anping, and the industrial city of Taichung, which has the second largest population in Taiwan.
All-day sailing days at sea 24 hours a day, what do you do on board?
While it may seem like you would have a lot of free time if you spent the entire day on board, one of the major differences between other modes of transportation and cruise ships is that the onboard experience is extremely fulfilling. Cruise ships are no exception, as they are “all-inclusive,” meaning that lodging, meals, beverages, participation in onboard events and experiences, and onboard Wi-Fi are all included in the price (with the exception of certain restaurants, meal menus, and spa services). (There are some exceptions, such as some restaurants, meal menus, and spas).
Mitsui Ocean Fuji distributes a nightly onboard newspaper called the “PORT & STARBOARD,” which includes information on itineraries and ports of call, operating hours of onboard facilities, and time schedules for onboard events.
First, you will want to look through the newspapers to find out which events and live stages you would like to attend. Since there are several events going on at the same time, in increments of 15 or 30 minutes, you may not be able to attend all of them, but you can be greedy and bold enough to try. On the other hand, you can have your meals brought to your room whenever you want, 24 hours a day, so you can spend as much time as you like on the ship, reading a book you have brought with you or watching the sea from your balcony. You are free to spend your time as you please on board.
Still, there are many highlights that should not be missed, such as parties hosted by the ship’s captain, live stages related to the ports of call, and exclusive menus at restaurants featuring local ingredients from the ports of call. What you don’t see in the newspapers can be supplemented by the onboard TV and Guest Services (Deck 7), so be sure not to miss anything. In addition, the port of call briefing, which provides basic information and tourist attractions of the ports of call from the third day onward, is worth attending to eliminate any anxiety about being in a new place for the first time (although if you miss it, a recording will be shown on the onboard TV at night, even if you miss it).
Incidentally, on this Taiwan cruise, when the date changes at 2 a.m. after boarding the ship, the ship’s clock changes from Japan time (GMT+9) to Taiwan time (GMT+8), which sets the time back one hour. Although there are repeated announcements in the ship’s newspaper and elsewhere to adjust your phone and wristwatch, if you make a mistake, you will not be able to participate in the event, so please be careful here.
Every day there is some kind of live stage performance on board. In addition to the aforementioned performances related to the ports of call, there was a wide variety of music, including disco, jazz, classical, rock, and country. The one that stuck with me personally was the “Beatles Night” featuring a piano player on deck 10, Observation Bar 36, on the fourth night of the cruise. Singer Kevin’s (Khevin Almario) voice was just amazing, so much so that I went to see him perform again on the fifth night.
© Source travel watch