The Japan-based Mitsui Ocean Cruises launched sales in North America for the first time.
The expansion is supported by The Travel Architects (a Virtuoso member agency) which is leading a targeted sales and marketing campaign to enhance awareness among travel advisors in the USA and Canada.
The Mitsui cruise line operates the 460-passenger ship Mitsui Ocean Fuji/fka Seabourn Odyssey, which entered service under its new brand in December 2024.
The company was previously operated as Mitsui OSK Passenger Line and was rebranded (Mitsui Ocean Cruises) in 2023.
The decision to expand into the North American market aligns with Japan’s increasing popularity as a travel destination. In the past year, Japan welcomed ~37 million international visitors, surpassing pre-COVID figures of ~32 million in 2019. Among these, a record 2.7 million travelers were from the United States, reflecting a 30% year-over-year increase from 2023.