Royal Caribbean and MSC break ground on Okinawa cruise terminal
The Naha Port facility is scheduled to open in March 2028 as cruise lines expand their Japan programs.
Royal Caribbean Group and MSC Cruises have broken ground on a new cruise terminal at Naha Port in Okinawa, Japan. Operations at the facility are scheduled to begin in March 2028.
The development comes after Japan received about 1.77 million inbound cruise passengers in 2025, nearly 20% more than a year earlier. The country also recorded 3,117 cruise ship calls during the year.
Princess Cruises plans to operate 78 departures covering 50 Japan itineraries in 2027, using Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess. Its program is set to increase to 85 departures across 52 itineraries in 2028, with voyages lasting from seven to 29 days. Some sailings will visit as many as 24 ports, while longer and repositioning voyages will connect Japan with Singapore.
Oceania Cruises is also including Japan in its longer deployments. The line’s 2027 world voyage features a 13-day segment from Hong Kong to Tokyo with several calls in Japan.
Domestic cruise participation remains below the Japanese government’s longer-term goal. About 243,000 Japanese residents took cruises in 2025, while the government is targeting one million Japanese cruise passengers annually by 2030.