AIDAstella and Azamara Pursuit Make First Calls to Niigata

The Port of Niigata in Japan recently celebrated the inaugural visits of two cruise ships, the AIDAstella and the Azamara Pursuit.

Both vessels made transit calls on April 11, 2025, marking the first occasion that Niigata hosted two cruise ships simultaneously. To commemorate the milestone, gift exchange ceremonies were held aboard each ship, with local dignitaries — including Niigata City's Deputy Mayor Nojima Shoko — joining ship officers for the celebrations.

Local reports indicate that Niigata Prefecture expects to receive around 30 cruise calls throughout 2025, including ten first-time visits.

Earlier in April, the port also welcomed the Silver Whisper on its maiden call. The Silver Whisper had departed Tokyo on a 14-night "Circle Japan" itinerary, visiting multiple ports across the country, such as Osaka, Fukuoka, and Hiroshima.

The Azamara Pursuit visited Niigata as part of its 14-night "Japan Intensive" cruise, which sailed from Yokohama and included stops at 12 Japanese destinations, including Akita, Aomori, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Kobe. The 700-passenger ship is scheduled to return to Niigata twice more between late April and early May.

Meanwhile, the AIDAstella arrived in Niigata as part of its Southeast Asia and Far East winter season, having departed Yokohama on April 1, 2025.

Looking ahead, Niigata’s cruise traffic is expected to grow even further, with more ships scheduled to call in 2026, including the Seabourn Encore and the Crystal Symphony.