Japan’s Nippon Maru Cruise Ship Retires After 35 Years at Sea

The Japanese cruise ship Nippon Maru returned Sunday to a port south of Tokyo after its final voyage, marking the end of a 35-year career during which it carried approximately 600,000 passengers and sailed around the world, Mainichi Japan reported.

Supporters gathered in Yokohama to welcome the Nippon Maru after its final voyage. (Photo: Daniel Ramirez, Wikimedia Commons)

Fans and the families of crew members gathered at a terminal in Yokohama to bid farewell and express gratitude to the retiring 22,472-ton vessel, once regarded as a pioneer of Japan’s luxury cruise industry.

Supporters waved flags and cheered as the ship, operated by a subsidiary of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, berthed at around 8 a.m. after completing a three-day cruise in the Pacific Ocean off eastern Japan.

During a retirement ceremony held on the rooftop of the Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal, Captain Koichi Uchida expressed appreciation for the ship.

“From one-night stays to round-the-world cruises, we set out on many voyages where we could share the excitement with our guests. Thank you and well done,” he said.

Among those attending was 11-year-old Ayane Senoue from Tokyo, who said, “The hospitality and service were amazing, and the events were so much fun.”

The Nippon Maru, which entered service in 1990, sailed more than 5.3 million kilometers — equivalent to circling the globe about 133 times — on over 2,000 cruises, visiting more than 400 ports in Japan and abroad, according to the operator.