Discover an Immersive Journey from Alaska to Japan

I disembarked in Kodiak, with its black basalt sand beaches, and joined a ground excursion that offered fascinating insight into life on this remote Alaskan island. The town’s briny air was redolent with the clean smell of recently landed fish and shellfish, and this wholesome, hardworking place had a poignant charm.

After spending a day cruising the Pacific Ocean, we visited Dutch Harbor, the center of crab fishing in Alaska and one of the most starkly beautiful places I’ve ever been. The tiny Museum of the Aleutians recounted its history, beginning with displays of the waterproof jackets and intricately made kayaks crafted by Aleut fishermen using the cleaned and dried entrails of sea mammals. Russian fur traders broke the isolation of the Native Aleutians, followed by Spanish expeditions and then American colonists in 1867, when Alaska was acquired. Today, it’s one of the biggest fishing ports in the U.S., especially known for its catches of pollack and Alaskan king crab.

During the next five days at sea, I was blissfully ensconced in my spacious Concierge Suite, with its almond silk-lined walls and wainscoting, thick fitted carpet, a long black marble-top workspace, and a separate lounge area complete with a cozy chocolate-brown velvet love seat and built-in reading lights. An exceptional bath equipped with L’Occitane amenities beckoned with a full-size soaking tub. A large private deck outfitted with a pair of wicker armchairs, a table, and a sun bed served as a welcoming spot for scanning the horizon.

Under the direction of Mauritian-born chef Kamlesh Koonjee, a brigade of 87 chefs cook for the Explorer’s ten different venues, including Prime 7, a by-reservation-only premium steakhouse; the popular Pacific Rim, with a very appealing Pan-Asian menu featuring crispy duck confit spring rolls, Chinese-style barbecued ribs, and Thai red curry chicken; and Chartreuse, a French bistro. The menu changes daily at Compass Rose, the ship’s main restaurant, where the tables are set with Versace dinnerware and guests can sample a rotating assortment of pastas, as well as an interesting selection of international dishes. Twenty-four-hour room service is also available, and impressively, the poached eggs on my avocado toast and a lunchtime pizza all arrived piping hot. The wine program is surprisingly good for an all-inclusive, too, with standout bottles such as Henri Ehrhart Gewürztraminer from France’s Alsace, Leo Hillinger Small Hill White from the Burgenland in Austria, and Barnard Griffin Merlot from Washington State.

Prevented by a storm from reaching our first port of call in Japan, on the island of Hokkaido, we docked at Aomori, a coastal city on the northern tip of Honshu, and ventured out on an autumnal excursion, which proved that sometimes the most wonderful moments on any trip occur when a carefully planned itinerary is pushed off course. On a balmy fall day, the shorn wheat straw in the black earth fields around Aomori looked like a handsome carpet because the grain had originally been planted in a herringbone pattern and the surrounding orchards were heavy with Fuji apples.

Rural Japan became the perfect backdrop for the days that followed, filled with poignant experiences, including our visit to Hakodate, a vibrant town on Hokkaido that was one of two ports opened to the U.S. shortly after Commodore Matthew C. Perry began negotiating with Japan in 1853. Sendai, the following day, fascinated with the remains of 17th-century Sendai Castle, built for feudal lord Date Masamune on Mount Aoba, and the Sendai City Museum, which focuses on the history and culture of Japan’s Edo period and displays Date’s magnificent black armor.

Tokyo was the voyage’s grand finale, and as one of the largest, wealthiest, and most sophisticated cities in the world, it never fails to amaze with its courtesy and cleanliness, to say nothing of its superb museums, shopping, and restaurants. No one who visits Japan comes away without a deep admiration for its culture of humble perfectionism and the country’s strong sense of community.

Having enjoyed the peaceful, pleasant, and elegant camaraderie aboard the Regent Seven Seas Explorer for a few weeks, I was a bit shocked when the cruise ended in Tokyo and I found myself in the real world again. But the memories I minted will last forever, and I went home more deeply rested than I’ve been in a very long time. It was a perfect trip.

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2024 Winter Issue under the headline, “High Seas.” Subscribe to the magazine.