Enjoy drinks and meals while enjoying the scenery symbolizing Japan's capital, Tokyo, such as Odaiba, Rainbow Bridge, and Tokyo Skytree®, on a Tokyo Bay cruise.
This time, the FUN! JAPAN editorial team experienced the afternoon cruise of the Moderna, the largest scale cruise ship in Tokyo Bay! We will thoroughly introduce the charm of the restaurant ship where you can enjoy the atmosphere of a luxury passenger ship and authentic French and Italian course dishes. The views of the Rainbow Bridge and Odaiba, which are sure to be highlights of Tokyo sightseeing, the recently popular shipboard weddings, and private room rentals are also introduced, so be sure to refer to this article!
※The information in this article is as of the time of on-site coverage (February 2024). Please check the official website for the latest information.
The largest cruise ship in Tokyo Bay! What kind of ship is the Restaurant Ship Moderna?
The Moderna, which we boarded for this report, is a massive restaurant ship boasting the largest number of passengers in Tokyo Bay, with a total length of 83.20m, weight of 2,618 tons, and capacity 600 passengers (including some employees). It's a large ship with a white theme that stands out against the blue of the sky and sea. The sight of it docked at the harbor is powerful, like a scene from a movie. There's no doubt that the excitement for the upcoming cruise will increase even more.
The route and boarding time vary depending on the cruise plan, but basically, all cruise plans depart from Hinode Pier, a one-minute walk from Hinode Station on the new transportation "Yurikamome", tour the famous spots of Tokyo Bay, and return to Hinode Pier.
*Depending on the reservation status, the cruise may be operated on the Symphony Classica (capacity 450 people).
A highlight of your trip to Japan! Tokyo Bay cruises offer various routes and meals depending on the plan
The cruise on the Moderna ship is divided into the following four plans depending on the time slot and route. Why not choose your favorite plan according to your itinerary before and after the cruise and the time slot you want to see the scenery?
Lunch Cruise 11:50〜14:00 (Cruise time: 130 minutes)
Enjoy a leisurely lunch while cruising under two bridges, the Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo Gate Bridge. You can enjoy iconic landmarks of Tokyo such as Tokyo Disneyland🄬, Tokyo DisneySea🄬, and Haneda Airport (Tokyo International Airport). Delicious French and Italian lunch courses using seasonal ingredients are also available (reservation required)!
Afternoon Cruise 15:00-15:50 (Cruise time: 50 minutes)
The Afternoon Cruise is the shortest cruise plan, lasting only 50 minutes, making it easy to fit in sightseeing before and after. The cruise passes under the Rainbow Bridge, tours around Odaiba and Shinagawa Pier, and allows you to enjoy a casual cruise. The cityscape and buildings of Odaiba are clearly visible, making for great photo opportunities!
Sunset Cruise 16:20-18:20 (Cruise time: 120 minutes)
Enjoy the same route as the lunch cruise with this plan. The dramatic sunset over Tokyo Bay, dyed in orange, is sure to be a highlight of your trip!
Dinner Cruise 19:00〜21:30 (Cruise duration: 150 minutes)
Enjoy the night view of Tokyo Bay while indulging in a luxurious dinner featuring authentic French cuisine and Japanese beef steak (reservation required). This popular plan includes a route that traces a heart shape while passing by famous landmarks such as the lit-up Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Gate Bridge, Tokyo Disney Resort🄬, and Haneda Airport, making it a great choice for couples or special anniversaries!
※Depending on the operating conditions, the cruise may operate as follows: Lunch Cruise 12:00-14:10, Afternoon Cruise 15:10-16:00, Sunset Cruise 16:30-18:30, Dinner Cruise 19:10-21:40.
Experience the Afternoon Cruise on the Tokyo Bay Cruise Ship, Moderna! A thorough report on the highlights onboard and during the cruise
From here, we will introduce how the afternoon cruise on the Moderna actually looks like!
Boarding from the Hinode Pier! The white hull is very powerful! The interior is also luxurious
First, we headed to Hinode Pier, which is a 1-minute walk from Hinode Station on the new transit system "Yurikamome". When you move from the boarding area to the boarding and disembarking ship, you will see a white-based classical interior! Take a commemorative photo with the Moderna as a backdrop at the photo spot, and then board the ship!
The interior of the ship has a classical atmosphere based on white and blue. Decorations and flowers unique to cruise ships are displayed everywhere on the stairs, and we couldn't help but take a lot of pictures. By the way, mini concerts are held in the corridors of the ship during the cruise. During the cruise we covered this time, a singer's beautiful voice resonated around, and many people were listening while relaxing on chairs and sofas.
On board, you can also buy souvenirs that are only available here! The Symphony Cruise Bear exclusive to the Moderna (3,300 yen) and the Symphony Box, which is modeled after the ship's hull (1,400 yen), are popular.
The view from the deck is amazing! You can enjoy taking commemorative photos with the Rainbow Bridge right in front of you
The highlight of the afternoon cruise is undoubtedly the Rainbow Bridge! During the cruise, you pass under the bridge on the way out, and on the way back, you return to port while looking at the bridge from the Odaiba side, so you can enjoy the Rainbow Bridge from various angles.
On the Moderna, there is an open deck with benches and photo spots on the 4th floor, and one floor above that, on the 5th floor, there is a top deck where you can look at the bridge from directly below. By the way, the distance between the deck and the bridge when passing under the Rainbow Bridge is this close! It's quite powerful, and there were cheers from the passengers on the deck!
Also, the view of the bay area cityscape peeking over the open deck from the top deck was breathtaking.
Enjoy a cake set while viewing the scenery of Tokyo Bay on the afternoon cruise!
One of the attractions of the cruise is the variety of meals and snacks available for each plan. For instance, on the afternoon cruise, you can enjoy cake and coffee or tea while admiring the view of Tokyo Bay. Also, at the 4F sushi dining "海音Kanon", you can enjoy sushi kaiseki at a special window-side seat (reservation required).
Private Room Rental Recommended for Birthday Parties, Girls' Parties, and Large Group Parties
So far, we have introduced the usual Tokyo Bay cruises, but recently, private room charter parties and girls' parties on board are becoming more common. On the Moderna, it seems that you can charter a private room with any of the four cruise plans, and you can choose from various types of rooms for 2 to 280 people. Not only small dining parties, but also buffet-style standing parties can be held, so if you have a certain number of people, it might be fun to charter a whole room. Also, some private rooms come with a private deck, so you can fully enjoy the beautiful view of Tokyo Bay with your loved ones!
By the way, if you wish to rent a private room, it is recommended to book early as May to June and October to December are high season.
Furthermore, on the Moderna, you can charter the entire ship for over 300 people, and on the Symphony Classica, you can charter from 100 people. (※ If you are holding a wedding ceremony, you can charter from 40 people on the Classica.)
It seems that the use of this 'moving banquet', which is a bit different from a hotel, is rapidly increasing for events and social gatherings.
Weddings, receptions, and grand proposal plans with the backdrop of the Rainbow Bridge and the night view of Tokyo Bay are also popular!
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in couples who visit Japan for travel and hold their wedding ceremony here. Even on the Moderna, there are more and more people who hold a shipboard wedding ceremony on the open deck, and rent a private room for a reception or wedding party after the ceremony. If you actually hold it on the Moderna, it seems that the time schedule is to hold the ceremony during the anchorage before the lunch cruise and hold the reception during the cruise, or to hold the ceremony during the afternoon cruise and then hold the party.
Also, what's been attracting attention recently is the proposal plan. You can rent out the special VIP room, Eroica, during the sunset cruise or dinner cruise times, enjoy a meal, and propose while looking at the stunning view. If the proposal is successful, it seems like it would become a lifelong memory for the two of you!
- Sealine Tokyo Hinode Pier Office
- Address: 2-7-104, Kaigan, Minato-ku, Tokyo
- Access: [Train] About 1 minute walk from Hinode Station on the Tokyo Waterfront New Transit Waterfront Line (Yurikamome), about 12 minutes walk from the south exit of Hamamatsucho Station on each JR line, about 15 minutes walk from Daimon Station on each Toei Subway line
- Language support (brochures/phone): Japanese, English, Chinese
- Official website: https://www.symphony-cruise.co.jp/
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