Japan: Roundtrip Tokyo on the Silver Muse

March 22–April 5, 2025

Join the Purdue President’s Council on an 14-night cruise to Japan during the height of the spring cherry blossom season. Discover how sacred traditions fuse with modern life as you travel roundtrip Tokyo aboard the ultra-luxury and all-inclusive, 596-guest Silversea Silver Muse.

Your participation supports the
President’s Council Enrichment Fund
Your travel-package registration fee includes support for ongoing adventures, events, and lifelong educational opportunities with the President’s Council family. As a part of your overall price, a $500-per-person, tax-deductible donation to the President’s Council Enrichment Fund helps underwrite the involvement of Purdue educators and administrators to enhance your personal travel experiences—a benefit exclusive to Purdue President’s Council members.

Itinerary Highlights:

  • Begin and end our cruise in Tokyo, where futuristic skyscrapers tower over ancient shrines and markets, and see the blanket of pink cherry blossoms in the city’s many parks and gardens
  • Bustling, Osaka is our gateway to Kyoto–Japan’s cultural treasure, famous for its temples and traditional geishas
  • Visit the UNESCO-designated Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima honoring the victims of the nuclear bomb attack
  • Fukuoka is famous for its delicious ramen noodles, samurai history, and plethora of shrines
  • Known for its beaches and mountain views, Busan, South Korea blends nature with futuristic elements
  • Overnight in Kanazawa which boats beautifully preserved samurai and geisha districts and gold-leaf handicrafts
  • Aomori offers spectacular mountain scenery, soaring temples, and castles surrounded by cherry blossom blooms
  • Explore Hakodate’s bustling seafood markets and ride the cable car to the summit of Mount Hakodate

President’s Council Package Includes:

  • 14-night ultra-luxury cruise around Japan aboard the all-suite, all-inclusive, 596-guest Silversea Silver Muse
  • President’s Council Welcome & Farewell Receptions
  • Door-to-Door Service with private executive transfers to and from your home airport, international economy flights, and transfers to and from the ship
  • Open-seating dining seating in a diversity of dining venues with regional delicacies and gastronomic excellence, plus in-suite dining and 24-hour room service
  • Beverages in-suite and throughout the ship including select wines, premium spirits, specialty coffees, and soft drinks, plus your own tailored mini-bar
  • Butler service in every category with included gratuities for butler, housekeeping, bar, and dining staff
  • Sophisticated entertainment including full-scale-production shows, soloists, cultural entertainment, and enrichment lectures
  • A choice of select complimentary shore excursions in every port
  • $500-per-person, tax-deductible donation to the President’s Council Enrichment Fund
  • Purdue President’s Council and Global Tracks staff
  • $300 shipboard credit per suite

Cruise Itinerary:

Saturday, March 22, 2025 | Tokyo, Japan

From the Tokyo International Airport (HND), transfer to the port and embark the Silversea Silver Muse. Dense and delightful, there’s nowhere else like Japan’s kinetic capital Tokyo – a city where ancient traditions blend seamlessly with a relentless pursuit for the future’s sharpest edge. The culture is immensely rich and deep, with 7th-century, lantern-decorated temples, stunning palaces, and tranquil scarlet shrines nested between soaring skyscrapers. Restaurants serve up precisely prepared sushi, and wafer-thin seafood slivers, offering a unique taste of the country’s refined cuisine. Settle into traditional teahouses, to witness intricate ceremonies, or join the locals as they fill out karaoke bars to sing the night away. In the spring, cherry blossom paints a delicate pink sheen over the city’s innumerable parks and gardens.

During our leisurely day at sea, enjoy the luxurious amenities of the Silversea Silver Muse.

Japan’s third-biggest city features delicious food, shopping cathedrals, and glittering temples. Osaka is known as the nation’s kitchen, and the Kuromon Ichiba Market has offered fresh seafood and produce for over 200 years. Don’t miss the street food stalls where you can try pufferfish, savory Okonomiyaki pancakes, or ginger and onion flavored octopus! Osaka Castle is another of the city’s landmarks. A colorful park encloses the castle and blooms with an ocean of pale pink cherry blossoms during the spring season. Kyoto’s peaceful cultural treasures and temples are also just a short jaunt away on Japan’s sleek trains, should you wish to explore further afield. At night, Osaka comes alive as Dotombori Bridge bathes in the multicolored lights of signage-plastered buildings, and the neon lights dance on the canal’s waters below.

During our leisurely day at sea, enjoy the luxurious amenities of the Silversea Silver Muse.

Despite being devastated in 1945, this Japanese city is known to all for its commitment peace – its ruin led to the end of the war and today, the Peace Memorial (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is a constant reminder of the destruction that war brings. There are many other inspiring messages of hope around the city too; the Children’s’ Peace Monument just north of the park is an homage to little Sadako Sasaki, who was just two in 1945. When she developed leukemia in 1956, she believed that if she folded 1,000 paper cranes – a symbol of longevity and happiness in Japan – she would recover. Sadly, she died before she finished her task, but her classmates finished the rest. If you are lucky enough to visit during the unpredictable and short-lived Sakura (cherry blossom) season, then behold the extraordinary sight of the delicate pink blossom floating across the water to the red gate.

Boasting hot springs, gourmet food, abundant nature, and spiritual history, Kyushu Island has all the advantages of the mainland while still enjoying its own identity. The island is the third largest of Japan’s five island provinces. The capital of the island, Fukuoka, is Japan in a bite sized morsel. As one of the country’s most strategic ports – it is closer to Seoul than Tokyo – the city was once the home of the samurai, with many samurai related spots found all over. A trip to the Kyushu National Museum will allow budding actors to try on traditional costumes and channel their inner feudal lord, while local shrines, tranquil Zen gardens, and castle ruins all offer a chance to relive the city’s glory days.

A tapestry of kaleidoscopic colors, intense seafood flavors, and urban beach bliss, Busan rolls across a glorious natural setting. One of the largest and busiest ports in the world, Busan is a lively city, cradled by lush mountains and endless ocean scenery. Haedong Yonggung Temple nestles on a dramatic cliffside, just above the crumbling rocks and crashing waves of the East Sea. Dating back to 1376, the temple’s multi-story pagoda is adorned with lions, each representing a different emotion. Sample bibimbap, fiery-hot beef and rice, from street food vendors, before relaxing on one of South Korea’s best beaches – Haeundae. Metallic skyscrapers offer an unusual backdrop to this pristine expanse of golden powder.

During our leisurely day at sea, enjoy the luxurious amenities of the Silversea Silver Muse.

The capital of the Ishikawa Prefecture, Kanazawa once rivalled Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) as a town rich in cultural achievements. Kanazawa escaped destruction during World War II and accordingly has been able to preserve many of the old districts in good shape. The city is famous because of Kenrokuen. Located next to Kanazawa Castle, Kenrokuen is classified as “One of the Three Gardens of Japan”. It has Japan’s oldest fountain using natural water pressure and a tea-house dating back to 1774. Close by is the Higashi Chaya Gai Geisha District, designated a National Cultural Asset. Some of the houses not only retain the original structure, but still are used as Geisha houses. Some of the streets have traditional shops creating a nostalgic atmosphere. Kanazawa is also known for its lacquer ware, Kutani-style pottery, gold-leaf workmanship, and delicately painted silk kimonos.

During our leisurely day at sea, enjoy the luxurious amenities of the Silversea Silver Muse.

From spectacular mountain scenery and soaring temples to castles surrounded by cherry blossom blooms, Aomori is one of Japan’s most enchanting destinations. Framed by dark peaks clad with dense forestry, the city enjoys a picturesque location on Japan’s main island Honshu. The stunning Hirosaki Castle comes to life in spring with rose-pink cherry blossoms. The castle’s moat, glowing with the pale hue of fallen blossoms, is a truly mesmerizing sight to behold. Don’t worry if you’re too late though, you might be able to catch the pink-flush of the apple blossom – which comes slightly later. Extraordinary prehistoric Jomon period history is waiting to be unearthed at the living archaeological site, Sannai-Maruyama Ruins.

Gaze down over Hakodate, from the heights of its namesake peak – Mount Hakodate – to see the city stretching out spectacularly, with back-to-back twin bays splitting the ocean. Hakodate port was one of the first to open Japan up to the world, and to international trade in 1859 – a fact reflected in the architecture, with its influences from the West and beyond. The port area is a redbrick wash of warehouses turned shopping malls, all observed by the onion domes of the city’s Russian Orthodox church. Elsewhere, the star-shaped Goryokaku fortress glows with natural colors and a beautiful haze of cherry blossom during the season. For an eye-opening, whirring morning, see the freshest produce being doled out at Hakodate Morning Market – amid a cacophony of noise and activity.

During our leisurely day at sea, enjoy the luxurious amenities of the Silversea Silver Muse.

Disembark the Silversea Silver Muse and transfer to the Tokyo International Airport (HND) for your flight home.

President’s Council Rates:

Category & Deck Double
Per Person 		Single
Price
Ocean View Suites | 334 sq. ft.
Vista Suite | Deck 4 | Forward $11,400 $19,950
Panorama Suite | Deck 9 | Forward $12,400 $21,700
Veranda Suites | 387 sq. ft.
Classic Veranda Suite | Deck 5 & 6 | Forward $13,600 $23,800
Superior Veranda Suite | Deck 7, 8 & 9 | Forward $14,300 $25,025
Deluxe Veranda Suite | Deck 6, 7 & 8 | Mid-Ship $15,000 $26,250
Premium Suites
Silver Suite | Deck 9, 10 & 11 | Forward, Mid-Ship | 786 sq. ft. $19,900 $39,800
Royal Suite | Deck 7 | Forward | 1,130 sq. ft. $27,500 $55,000
Grand Suite | Deck 9 | Forward | 1,472 sq. ft. $32,300 $64,600
Owner's Suite | Deck 9 | Mid-Ship | 947-1,055 sq. ft. $40,000 $80,000

International economy airfare is INCLUDED in the price of the cruise from select gateways. If you choose to book your own airfare, an air credit of $1,500 per person is available. Business class rates are available at a reduced cost.

Rates INCLUDE port taxes of $559 per person.

Double pricing is based on double occupancy or two people per suite.
Single pricing is based on one person per suite and is capacity-controlled by Silversea and subject to change.

Required Deposit: 15% of cruise fare and a non-refundable Global Tracks administration fee of $100 per person

Final Payment: November 22, 2024

Cancellation Schedule: Cancellation penalties apply once deposit is paid, so please review policy below.

Transfers:

  • Your Home to/from Domestic Airport: Private executive transfers to and from your home to the airport (up to 50 miles) are included. A $100 non-use credit will be issued if the service is unavailable or if you choose not to use this service.
  • Tokyo International Airport to/from the Ship: For guests utilizing the included international economy airfare, transfers to and from the ship are included with luggage handling. Transfers to and from the ship are not included for guests taking the $1,500 air credit.

Passports: Passports are required for all guests and must be valid for six months after the end of the cruise, or October 5, 2025.

Travel Insurance:  Global Tracks offers optional travel insurance. Purchase within 15 days of deposit for additional benefits.

Booking Terms and Conditions:

Cancellation Penalties: All cancellations must be made in writing to Global Tracks. Travel insurance and airfare are non-refundable once purchased. Any payment to Global Tracks constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions set herein, including but not limited to the cancellation terms. All cancellations are subject to the Global Tracks administration fee of $100 per person paid at deposit in addition to the below schedule:

Cancellation & Penalty Schedule Penalty Applicable
From time of deposit until October 22, 2024 $250 per person penalty
From October 23, 2024 to November 21, 2024 15% of total package penalty
From November 22, 2024 to December 21, 2024 25% of total package penalty
From December 22, 2024 to January 20, 2025 50% of total package penalty
From January 21, 2025 to February 19, 2025 75% of total package penalty
After February 19, 2025 100% of total package penalty

For more information or to book your suite, please contact Mandy!
Direct: 303-729-0609 or Toll-Free 800-989-1204
mandy@globaltracks.com or info@presidentscounciltravel.com