Planning an overseas trip with a little one is exciting—until you see the to-do list. For our latest trip, combining a flight with a Fukuoka ferry crossing made the journey part of the fun.
How you get there—and back—can make all the difference between arriving exhausted and actually enjoying the journey.
After exploring Kyushu, Japan, with my 3-year-old daughter on a slightly different itinerary, I came home with some genuinely useful tips to share.
Here’s how we combined a one-way flight with a ferry ride, plus an easy way to book the New Camellia for less!
Our Fukuoka Ferry + Flight Route With a 3-Year-Old
I’ve visited Kyushu several times, but this time I decided to mix things up with our travel route.
With a 3-year-old along for the adventure, I wanted an itinerary that made good use of our time without wearing us out.
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Busan, South Korea → Fukuoka, Japan (by plane): We flew there to keep the outbound journey quick and save time.
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Fukuoka, Japan → Busan, South Korea (aboard the New Camellia): For the trip home, we chose an afternoon ferry crossing so our daughter would have time to play on board instead of feeling rushed.
Here’s the New Camellia sailing schedule from its operator, Korea Ferry:
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Busan → Fukuoka (Hakata Port): Departs at 10:30 p.m. / Arrives the following day at 7:30 a.m.
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Fukuoka (Hakata Port) → Busan: Departs at 12:30 p.m. / Arrives at 6:30 p.m.
Source: Korea Ferry website
A first-class, five-person Japanese-style cabin with tatami flooring is a comfortable option with a child, but the price can be hard to justify. We chose the second-class shared room instead! Since our return sailing was in the afternoon, it worked well: we could spend the crossing playing together on board.
This was the price we booked through the official Japanese website for two adults and one child, age 3. The one-way total for all three of us was about $196!
Fukuoka Ferry Booking Tip: Save on the Japanese Website When the Yen Is Weak
When booking the New Camellia, did you know you may pay less by using the official Japanese websiterather than the Korean site, thanks to exchange-rate differences? With the yen weak at the time of our booking, this worked out to be a much better deal. Of course, a stronger yen could change the math, so check the exchange rate before you book!
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How to book: Chrome’s built-in translation feature lets you work through the booking in Korean even if you don’t speak Japanese. If you’re more comfortable with English, you can select the English version instead.
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What you’ll need for payment: Make sure your travel money card is loaded with enough Japanese yen in advance! Then enter your card number and expiration date to complete payment.
Payment screen on the official Japanese website
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Do you need an account? Creating an account makes the process more convenient, but you can also book without signing up.
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Checking your reservation: Once you’ve booked, you can look up your reservation anytime on the website by entering your reservation number, travel date, and date of birth.
Where to check your reservation on the official Japanese website
Visit the official Japanese New Camellia booking website
If you want your family trip to Fukuoka to feel a little more special—and cost a little less—try this Fukuoka ferry booking tip and compare prices on the New Camellia’s official Japanese website.
Sometimes one small tip can make a real difference to your travel budget.
I hope your trip planning goes smoothly! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.
Your likes and comments make Good Day do a happy dance. Thanks for reading!
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