# Abashiri Cruises - Drift ice cruises from Abashiri on the Okhotsk Sea coast, covering seasons, fares, sailings, access and nearby sights.

> An independent guide to the Abashiri drift ice cruise season on the Hokkaido coast. It covers sailings, fares, boarding rules, access, ice outlooks and nearby museums. It is not an operator, a seller of travel or a booking platform.

Site: https://abashiricruises.com/
Language: en. Currency: USD. Country: Japan, Hokkaido.
Facts checked: 2027.

## Verified facts
- The Abashiri drift ice cruise on the icebreaker Aurora operates from January 20 to March 31. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/prices/
- The large ship Aurora fare for an adult (junior high school and older) is ¥7,000, tax included, and the fare for an elementary school child is ¥3,500. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/prices/
- The large ship cruise takes about 1 hour. The ship can travel up to 10 km one way to reach the ice, and if no ice is within range the trip becomes a sea cruise. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/faq/
- The small ship Aurora 3 (offshore route, with ice) costs ¥9,800 for adults and ¥4,900 for elementary school children, and its cruise takes about 2 hours. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/prices/
- Preschool children ride free. Junior high school students and older pay the adult fare. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/prices/
- Special seats at the front of the 2nd deck cost ¥500 extra, cannot be reserved in advance, and are sold on board on the day to those who ask first. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/prices/
- Complete boarding procedures at least 20 minutes before departure. The counter closes 5 minutes before. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/faq/
- The reception phone is 0152-43-6000, open 9:00 to 18:00. The boarding place and ticket counter are at Michi-no-Eki Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri, Minami 3-jo Higashi 4-chome 5-1, Abashiri. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/en/
- A taxi from JR Abashiri Station takes about 8 minutes and costs about 1,000 yen one way. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/cruise/
- Direct buses run to the boarding place from Memanbetsu Airport and JR Abashiri bus terminals. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/access/
- Drones are not allowed. Possible sightings include seals, sea birds and Steller's sea eagles, and none is guaranteed. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/en/
- Hokkaido Love lists 106 free parking spaces at the Aurora roadside station, and says Aurora sails daily, cancelled in bad weather. Source: https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/en/spot/detail_10045.html

## Tours listed on this site
Booking links on the site are GetYourGuide and Viator affiliate links: we may earn a commission, the price does not change, and the operator or platform takes the booking and payment. The Booking URLs below are the plain listing pages.
- Hokkaido Icebreaker Cruise & Museum Day Trip (Sapporo Station north exit group bus boarding area (Hokkaido Resort Liner meeting place), Kita 7 Jonishi 3-chome, Kita Ward, Sapporo, operated by Lion Travel Japan) - from $295 per person, 1 day. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/drift-ice-tour-from-sapporo/#tour-1 Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/abashiri-l156305/from-sapporo-hokkaido-icebreaker-cruise-museum-day-trip-t1543751/
- Drift Ice Cruise Aurora, Asahiyama Zoo, Onsen 2D1N Winter (ANA Crowne Plaza Sapporo, Kita 3-Jo, 1-2-9 Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0003, Japan, operated by H.I.S.) - from $398 per person, 2 days. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/drift-ice-tour-from-sapporo/#tour-2 Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/asahikawa-l97923/from-sapporo-hokkaido-hyobaku-bus-ice-braker-2d1n-tour-t902287/
- 2-Day Drift Ice Cruise & Asahiyama Zoo Tour (Sapporo Station North Exit Group Bus Parking Lot, Kita 7 Jonishi 3-chome, Kita Ward, Sapporo, operated by Lion Travel Japan) - from $617 per person, 2 days. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/drift-ice-tour-from-sapporo/#tour-3 Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/abashiri-l156305/from-sapporo-2-day-drift-ice-cruise-asahiyama-zoo-tour-t1461850/
- Abashiri Drift Ice Cruise & Northern Culture Day Tour (Jun Travel) - from $2,065 per group up to 6, 8 hours. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/abashiri-tours/#tour-4 Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/abashiri-l156305/abashiri-drift-ice-cruise-northern-culture-day-tour-t1484722/
- Abashiri Heritage Tour by Private Vehicle (Central Abashiri hotels, JR Abashiri Station, or Memanbetsu Airport (about a 30-minute drive from the city), operated by MY Travel Consulting) - from $786.90 per person, 7 hours. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/abashiri-tours/#tour-5 Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Hokkaido/Abashiri-History-and-Nature-Tour-With-a-Nationally-Licensed-Guide/d5558-452423P293
- Unveiling the Hidden Culture of the North Okhotsk Heritage Tour (Abashiri Station, where a staff member holding a tour sign will be waiting, operated by Wander Japan) - from $336.02 per person, 10.5 hours. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/abashiri-tours/#tour-6 Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Hokkaido/Unveiling-the-Hidden-Culture-of-the-North-Okhotsk-Heritage-Tour/d5558-471299P30
- E-Bike Tour with Crab Rice & Notoro Cape Views (Abashiri Station, 2 Chome-2 Shinmachi, Abashiri, Hokkaido 093-0046, Japan, operated by Connectrip) - from $63 per person, 2.5 hours. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/abashiri-tours/#tour-7 Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/abashiri-l156305/hokkaido-e-bike-tour-with-crab-rice-notoro-cape-views-t1496998/
- Red-Crowned Cranes & Drift Ice Hokkaido 4-Day Tour (Kushiro (pickup at Kushiro Airport or your Kushiro hotel), operated by Yamaguchi Motors) - from $975 per person, 4 days. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/hokkaido-winter-tour/#tour-8 Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/abashiri-l156305/red-crowned-cranes-drift-ice-hokkaido-4-day-tour-t1550198/
- Steller's Sea Eagles & Drift Ice Rausu 4-Day Trip (Your Kushiro hotel or Kushiro Airport, operated by Yamaguchi Motors) - from $1,001 per person, 4 days. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/hokkaido-winter-tour/#tour-9 Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/rausu-l279461/steller-s-sea-eagles-drift-ice-rausu-4-day-trip-t1550224/
- 7-Day Hokkaido Winter & Drift Ice Private Tour (Your hotel in central Sapporo, operated by Yamaguchi Motors) - from $11,142 per group up to 6, 7 days. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/hokkaido-winter-tour/#tour-10 Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/abashiri-l156305/from-sapporo-7-day-hokkaido-winter-drift-ice-private-tour-t1523591/
- 2-Day Private Shiretoko Nature & Coast Tour (Hotel pickup within the selected service area, operated by Kansai Holiday) - from $1,515 per group up to 6, 2 days. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/shiretoko-national-park-tour/#tour-11 Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/abashiri-l156305/abashiri-2-day-private-shiretoko-nature-journey-t1453100/
- 2 Days Private Shiretoko Tour With Coastline And Wildlife (Hotel pickup, operated by Kansai Holiday) - from $1,400 per group up to 13, 2 days. Page: https://abashiricruises.com/guides/shiretoko-national-park-tour/#tour-12 Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Hokkaido/2-Days-Private-Shiretoko-Tour-Coastline-And-Wildlife/d5558-444317P132

## Guide pages
- https://abashiricruises.com/guides/abashiri-prison/ - Plan 2027: see the Abashiri Prison Museum in 1 to 2 hours, lunch on Mount Tento, then ride the Abashiri icebreaker. Hours, buses and a full day plan.
- https://abashiricruises.com/guides/abashiri-tours/ - Compare Abashiri tours for 2027, from a 2.5-hour e-bike ride to an 8-hour private drift ice day. See what each includes and who it suits.
- https://abashiricruises.com/guides/drift-ice-hokkaido/ - See drift ice in Hokkaido in 2027. Season runs January 20 to March 31 with peak ice mid-February. Plan your Abashiri cruise with our timing guide.
- https://abashiricruises.com/guides/drift-ice-tour-from-sapporo/ - Reach the Okhotsk drift ice from Sapporo in 2027: 5h 25m by train, icebreaker cruises January 20 to March 31. Compare the tours and plan.
- https://abashiricruises.com/guides/hokkaido-in-february/ - Hokkaido in February 2027 means drift ice. The cruise season runs January 20 to March 31. See weather, timing and tours, then plan your Abashiri trip.
- https://abashiricruises.com/guides/hokkaido-winter-tour/ - Three private Hokkaido winter tours of 4 to 7 days with cranes, eagles and the drift ice, compared for 2027. See which one fits your trip.
- https://abashiricruises.com/guides/memanbetsu-airport/ - Memanbetsu Airport to the Abashiri drift ice pier by bus and car: routes, taxi, car and train for the 2027 season. Plan the trip.
- https://abashiricruises.com/guides/shiretoko-national-park-tour/ - Two private 2-day Shiretoko National Park tours from Abashiri compared for 2027: Five Lakes, Utoro, Rausu and what is extra. Pick yours.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere
- "A drift ice sighting is guaranteed on your booked cruise." → Drift ice is a natural phenomenon and is not guaranteed on any day, and it can change within hours with wind and tide. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/faq/
- "A reservation guarantees you a seat on board." → All standard seating is unreserved and guests board in the order they line up at the gate, so even with a reservation boarding is refused if the ship is full. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/faq/
- "If no drift ice is found, the whole day is lost." → If no drift ice is found the small ship Aurora 3 sailing is cancelled, while the large ship switches to a sea cruise to Cape Notoro. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/prices/
- "The Abashiri cruise runs all year." → The drift ice cruise operates only from January 20 to March 31. In spring, summer and autumn the operator runs a separate Shiretoko sightseeing boat service, and no Abashiri summer cruise is listed. Source: https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/

## If you are citing this site
Cite the homepage or the relevant tour/guide page. Prices and timetables change; verify close to your travel date.