We will be on the Diamond. Were you on the Diamond too? We were on the Diamond 10 years ago. Not sure if anything had changed. There si no any time dining, just first or second seating. We asked for a table for 2 so we'll see how it goes.

Please tell me more about Kushiro and Otaru. Were the dock right there that you can walk off and take a cab? How about the language?

We just have a quick peek as what's available and here is what is tentatively planned.

Tokyo pre-crusie:
Staying at hotel in Shinjuku
Day trip to Mt Fuji
Day trip to Kyoto
Samurai Museum at Shinjuku

Miyazaki: Udo Jingu Shrine, Obi Castle
Busan: Haedong Yonggunsa Temple
Sakaiminato: Tottori Flower Park
Akita: Lake Tazawa & Kaunodate
Kushiro: Crane park and the zoo (not excietd about it)
Otaru: Ayoyama Villa, Distillery (not excited about it either)
Hakodate: Fort Goryokaku Park, Fish Market, Tram to Hill top?

I will contact the Goodwill Association at Hakodate and see what they recommend. Is there any other guides that you will recommend?

Yes it was the Diamond. This ship had been revamped for the Japanese market so they add a Japanese style bath house and a Japanese restaurant. They thought the majority of passengers would be Japanese but in fact the majority were Aussies. There was some concern about us not having enough English speakers but actually it was a non-issue. There were also many from the UK and Canada on board as well.

Otaru was walk off and into town as I recall there is a canal tour you can take and its a short walk into town to that office.

Below is my TR and please note that when I started off I mistakenly reported on Aomori when in fact thesis comments were about Kushiro.
http://www.fodors.com/community/crui...y-in-tokyo.cfm

Larry, thanks for the link. I think I have read it when it was first posted.

Actually aside from our stop in Korsakov we did not use guides except in Hakodate.