Charity Walk Event Held Onboard

The "Diamond Princess," a large luxury liner owned by the cruise company Princess Cruises, makes its first port of call in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture.

Princess Cruises has already donated 2 million yen to Kumamoto Prefecture through the Princess Cruises Community Foundation via the Japanese Red Cross Society, making this activity the second such initiative.

This time, a "Charity Walk" will be held onboard. Participants in the "9-Day Tour of Japan's Beauty: Seto Inland Sea, Famous Castles, and Korea," departing Yokohama on Friday, September 9, 2016, are eligible for this event. Guests participating in the walk along the outer deck will donate from $15 USD per person, with the Princess Cruises Community Foundation matching the amount, and the total sum will be donated to Kumamoto Prefecture through the Japanese Red Cross.


Participants in the charity event will receive original Kumamon clear files and badge pins, specially provided by Kumamoto Prefecture and Yatsushiro City, as commemorative gifts.

A welcome ceremony will be held upon the ship's first arrival. As part of the charity efforts, children from the affected areas will be invited onboard for a tour of the ship.

Furthermore, Kumamoto Prefecture's popular character, Kumamon, will make an appearance during the ship's departure. The send-off will be a festive occasion accompanied by a performance of traditional Japanese drums by students from the local Shugakukan High School.

Satoru Horikawa, President of Carnival Japan Inc., the Japan office of Princess Cruises, commented, "We are holding the Charity Walk on this cruise with the hope for the swift recovery of the areas affected by the Kumamoto earthquake. We hope to contribute in some small way to the recovery of Kumamoto, a region full of charm as a tourist destination."