Photo: 663highland / CC BY-SA 4.0 Every Explora III call at Shimizu
| Date | In port | Ashore* | From → to | Status | Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 28 Sept 2027 | 07:00–16:30 | ~8 h | — | Line listing | 7 hours or more |
*Usable hours = in port, minus 30 minutes to get off and the 60 minutes back on board before departure that every plan on this site keeps. Source: Shimizu Port Cruise Promotion Committee (list of 5 Oct 2026, checked 9 Oct 2026); 2027 from the cruise lines’ published itineraries. Your ship’s daily programme always wins.
What ~8 hours ashore gets you
A small luxury ship: almost no queues ashore — but no tour desk at the pier either, so anything guided is booked ahead.
Mt. Fuji from Four Angles: the Short Car Tour
The Fuji tour that fits a normal call: four hours from the pier and back, per-person pricing, and seats on most cruise days.
From US$129 per person · max 8 Meets at the pier 5.0★ · 14 reviews · 4 hours Seats open on 28 Sept · take the 08:00 start Why it's on this list →
Mt. Fuji & Miho no Matsubara: The Guided Four Hours
A gentle guided walk: Miho's pine grove, Dream Plaza and the waterfront, with tea and a snack — no long drives.
From US$129 per person · max 10 Meets at the pier 5.0★ · 2 reviews · 4 hours Seats open on 28 Sept · take the 10:00 start Why it's on this list →
Private Shimizu Highlights by Jumbo Taxi
The one I'd book for a first call with 5–6 hours: Nihondaira, Kunozan and Miho — all three of Shimizu's big sights — in four hours, with the ropeway and the driving handled.
US$350 per person for 2 · US$699 per vehicle Meets at the pier 4.9★ · 156 reviews · 4 hours Seats open on 28 Sept · take the 08:30 start Why it's on this list →Explora III at Shimizu
When does Explora III visit Shimizu?
1 call on our list for 2027: 28 Sept 2027. Dates in 2027 are the cruise line’s published itinerary until the port committee confirms them, about a month ahead.
What time does Explora III arrive in Shimizu?
On the next call (Tue, 28 Sept 2027) she is in port 07:00–16:30. That leaves about 8 usable hours ashore once you allow 30 minutes to get off and are back on board 60 minutes before departure.
Where does Explora III dock in Shimizu?
Most ships use Hinode Pier, a 12-minute walk from S-Pulse Dream Plaza and about 27 minutes from the Kashi-no-Ichi fish market. On busy days a ship can be sent to Okitsu, a container berth you cannot walk out of — then the shuttle bus is the only way into town.
Which tours fit a Explora III call?
On a 07:00–16:30 call: Mt. Fuji from Four Angles: the Short Car Tour; Mt. Fuji & Miho no Matsubara: The Guided Four Hours; Private Shimizu Highlights by Jumbo Taxi. Each is checked against the tour's own start times and her arrival and departure, with the hour before all-aboard kept free.
More: getting back to your ship · the complete port guide · every ship that calls