Seattle To Tokyo Cruise 15 Nights • Seattle, Washington to Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan • Quantum of the Seas

Sailing out on an Alaskan cruise from Seattle? Make sure you spend a few a days in the beautiful Emerald City. If you’re a nature lover, this jewel in the Pacific Northwest is the perfect place for you to explore ahead of your cruise vacation. Though it offers plenty of metropolitan delights — think great restaurants, bars, a ton of shopping and lots (and lots) of hip coffee shops — Seattle is a big city with a wild, great-outdoors soul. It’s surrounded by ancient forests, sprawling public parks and, of course, the misty Puget Sound, where you can slow-moving tugboats, sleek kayaks and the occasional pod of whales. Head to Discovery Park for beautiful views of the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges or visit the Olympic Sculpture Park near Elliott Bay. And if you’re craving a drink and a tasty bite to eat, head to one of Seattle’s many rooftop bars and take advantage of those extra-long northern summer days while you sip local brews and expertly crafted cocktails.

Opened as one of Japan's first international ports in 1859, Hakodate has a fascinating commercial and military legacy. Experience it by exploring the Goryokaku, a unique and verdant star-shaped fortress from the short-lived Republic of Ezo. Then, check out the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, a series of atmospheric bay side godowns (a style of Asian warehouse) revived as a shopping and dining spot.

Spend your day in Akita City, experiencing its history, traditional culture and cuisine. Stroll through the verdant grounds of Senshu Park and take in cultural spots such as the Akita Museum of Art and the Akarenga Museum before finishing up with a sake brewery tour and dinner at a traditional Japanese-style pub, or izakaya.

You can easily get to Sapporo, the city that 1.9 million people call home, from the port of Muroran by train in less than two hours. Whether you walk among the blooming cherry blossoms of Asahiyama Park or catch views of the massive Mt. Teine that hosted Asia's first Winter Olympic Games, you'll never be too far from nature in Sapporo.

Yokohama is the central gateway to exploring Tokyo, a once-humble fishing village that is now one of the world's biggest, most densely populated cities. You'll find an eclectic mix of traditional shrines and soaring skyscrapers lining these neon-lit streets. Walk the Rainbow Bridge over Tokyo Bay alongside the Yurikamome Rail Line, a futuristic, operatorless train system. Then, see old Tokyo at the Imperial Palace, an Edo Castle surrounded by moats and gardens perfect for strolling. Cruise to Tokyo and head to iconic Sensoji Buddhist Temple and pass below the massive red paper lantern of the Thunder Gate. Then, unwind in Yoyogi Park, a literal forest in the heart of the city, complete with Zen gardens and a gingko tree forest.