The debut of R Yacht, a new luxury small-ship cruise brand, has slipped. The company's first vessel, Sefu, was due to launch before summer 2027 but is now expected to enter service in spring 2028, according to the company's latest update.
The 120-guest ship is being built at the West Sea shipyard in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, and comes in at around 10,000 tons — compact by cruise standards, which is the point. R Yacht is positioning Sefu as an intimate, high-end way to explore Japan and the wider Far East, rather than a big-ship resort at sea.
A few details stand out. Sefu will fly the Japanese flag and be registered at the Port of Uno, a small but strategic harbour facing the Setouchi Inland Sea. The company describes Uno as a historic crossing point between Honshu and Shikoku, and today a gateway for travellers heading to the Setouchi islands — including Naoshima, the art island that has become one of Japan's most sought-after side trips. Using Uno as homeport puts the ship right at the doorstep of one of the country's most scenic cruising grounds.
The name itself tells you where the brand is headed: Sefu blends Setouchi and fu, the Japanese word for wind. R Yacht has said it wants to showcase the sea, islands, food, culture and port towns of the Setouchi region to both Japanese and international guests. Exactly which itineraries Sefu will sail hasn't been confirmed yet — the company says deployment details will follow in a future announcement.
For travellers, this is one to watch rather than book. Small luxury ships in Japan are still rare, and the Setouchi Inland Sea — calm waters, hundreds of islands, laid-back port towns and a growing cluster of art destinations — is arguably the best-suited region in the country for this style of cruising. A spring 2028 launch also lines up neatly with Japan's mild spring season, though that's speculation on our part, not confirmed scheduling.
If you were hoping to sail on Sefu closer to the original 2027 date, you'll need to adjust your timeline. On the plus side, waiting a bit longer means the ship's actual routes and homeport operations should be settled by the time bookings open.
In the meantime, the Setouchi region is easy to explore on your own: ferries link Uno to Naoshima and neighbouring islands, and the area pairs well with time in Okayama, Hiroshima or Takamatsu. By the time Sefu arrives, you'll know the waters already.
Story first reported by Cruise Industry News.
