Support The Moscow Times!

Hundreds of Russian Tourists Stranded on Cruise Ship in Japan

Spectrum of the Seas. Jerome Favre / EPA / TASS

More than 500 Russian tourists are stranded on a cruise ship docked in Japan, awaiting permission from Tokyo to return home, Russia’s Embassy in Japan said Thursday.

The Spectrum of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean International, is currently in Yokohama port due to an engine problem, according to social media posts from passengers aboard the ship. 

Russia’s Embassy in Japan said 538 of the ship’s estimated 3,500 passengers are Russian citizens holding expired transit visas.

“The embassy promptly contacted Japan’s immigration service, which has expressed readiness to assist in organizing the departure of Russian citizens,” the embassy said in a statement shared on Facebook.

Japanese authorities agreed to allow the Russian tourists to travel from Tokyo to Shanghai and then back to Russia, pending a direct request from Royal Caribbean, according to the diplomatic mission.

The Russian Union of Travel Industry, citing the travel agency CruClub, said it expects Japanese authorities to provide visa-free travel for the stranded Russian tourists.

The Spectrum of the Seas, one of Asia’s largest cruise ships, was on a seven-night round-trip from Shanghai to Japan. Its return to Shanghai was delayed from Nov. 9 to Nov. 11 following the technical malfunction.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more