Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TeeBee]

I'm planning to travel to Osaka in January on this ferry. Has anyone done this before? What was it like? How much did meals on the ferry cost, or should I take my own?

Any info would be really great.

[otto]

http://www.panstarline.com/EN/index.html

I took the ferry to and from Osaka this past August, and I'm fairly certain a few other people on the forum have taken it as well. I can't tell you to much about the meals as we didn't eat them. The looked like standard Korean food at higher prices.
There is a GS-25 (or something like it) on the ferry where you can grab the usual convenience store food - not the greatest for meals I guess, but it was cheaper. Plenty of people also take their own food aboard.

Since we went in August, the weather was really nice and we just hung out on deck for several hours, just relaxing and passing the time. I think it would be pretty cold in January though. There are a couple karaoke rooms if you're into that. After dinner time theres an event in the dining room - a magician or a singing/dancing contest. Bring something to read to pass the time.

We only visited the kansai area (osaka, kyoto, nara, himeji) and the panstar ferry was a really cheap way of getting there. Cheaper than taking the hydrofoil to fukouka and then a train, for example. However, if you are planning on getting a Japan Rail Pass and traveling to Tokyo as well, consider taking the hydrofoil ferry.

[TeeBee]

Hi Otto

Thanks very much for the info! That makes me feel a lot better about the trip. I was really unsure about what to expect. I think I'll stock up on some food before I go, and a take a selection of reading along.

It's probably going to be really chilly, but it will hopefully be better than getting soaked to the bone on the upperdeck of a ferry on Lake Malawi!

I'm looking into the JRpass, but since I'll be in Japan for ten days I'll need a 14-day pass. This is a bit too expensive to use to travel from Fukuoka to Tokyo and back. It's more cost-effective (I think) to start in Osaka, do several days there and in Kyoto, and only then use a 7-day JRpass to travel to Tokyo and back. Ideally I'd get my hands on a Seishun 18 kippu, which seems to be a super-cheap seasonal ticket valid during my intended travel period. But we'll see how this goes

[otto]

Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions come up.

Good luck with the trip!

[TeeBee]

Thanks!