March 05, 2025
[Tokyo, Japan - March 5, 2025] – Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that it has purchased a second luxury cruise ship from Seabourn. Currently trading as Seabourn Sojourn, the 32,000 ton, 458-passenger ship, will be operated by MOL Cruises, Ltd. (President: Tsunemichi Mukai) under a new name and the MITSUI OCEAN CRUISES brand in late 2026, after completing its Seabourn deployment.
MOL, the parent company of the Japanese cruise line with more than 140 years of experience in the industry, previously announced it is positioning its cruise business as a new growth field. The successful debut of MITSUI OCEAN FUJI enabled the cruise line to advance expansion ahead of newbuild vessels in the future. Launched in 2010, the ship is a younger sister ship to MITSUI OCEAN FUJI, which was also purchased from Seabourn in March 2023.
"We launched MITSUI OCEAN FUJI in December 2024, and are very pleased with the guest reaction to the ship and onboard product," said Tsunemichi Mukai, President of MITSUI OCEAN CRUISES. "The ship's spacious suites, delicious food and exciting entertainment are receiving very positive reviews. While all new cruise ships take a little time to settle in, the experience on MITSUI OCEAN FUJI is continuously improving, and we are now extremely confident these two ships are the most suitable vessels to expand our cruise business and offer "FUNATABI - Beautiful encounters with Japan," in a way only MITSUI OCEAN CRUISES can offer."
Before entering passenger service, the new vessel will undergo a significant refurbishment in drydock and will be re-registered and launched as a Japanese flagged ship. The new vessel will offer a variety of short, domestic itineraries in and around the Sea of Japan that are easy for guests to enjoy. Like NIPPON MARU and MITSUI OCEAN FUJI, this smaller sized ship will take its guests to exciting ports of call, enabling everyone to enjoy the local culture and traditions of Japan, without the crowds of larger ships.
Details of the ship's new name, drydock improvements and itineraries will be forthcoming. The itineraries already announced for MITSUI OCEAN FUJI and NIPPON MARU will remain unaffected by this purchase.
New Ship Facts:
Gross tonnage | 32,477 |
---|---|
Length | 650 ft |
Width | 84 ft |
Guest suites | 229 |
Capacity | 458 guests |
Number of restaurants | 4 |
For more information on MITSUI OCEAN CRUISES, visit
https://www.mitsuioceancruises.com/
About MITSUI OCEAN CRUISES:
Rooted in Japanese heritage, nature and traditions, from the blue sea, MITSUI OCEAN CRUISES connects people with the wonders of nature and Japanese culture to enrich people's lives and secure a happier and more sustainable future. MITSUI OCEAN CRUISES is the brand of the MOL Cruises, Ltd, the most experienced cruise line in Japan and is part of the Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. Ltd. (MOL) group of companies. It operates the cruise ships NIPPON MARU and MITSUI OCEAN FUJI.
MOL Group 5 Sustainability Issues
MOL Group identifies "Sustainability Issues" (Materiality) as our key issues for sustainable growth with society through realization of the Group Vision.
We anticipate this initiative to contribute especially to the realization of "Human & Community -Contributing to the growth and development of people and communities-."