How to say "cruise" in Japanese

• クルーズCommon
  nounCovers the everyday leisure sense of cruise, as in a vacation trip by ship around ports. This is the word you want when talking about going on a cruise as a tourist.
• 巡航じゅんこうCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbRefers to cruising in the nautical or technical sense, a ship or vessel proceeding at cruising speed. Rarely the word for a pleasure cruise; it suits military, aviation, or engineering contexts.
• 航行こうこうCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbCovers the act of a ship sailing or navigating through waters. It describes the voyage or passage of a vessel rather than a leisure trip, and is common in shipping and maritime contexts.
  そのヨットはブイを回まわって航行こうこうした。↗

  The yacht sailed round a buoy.
• 航海こうかいJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbMeans a sea voyage or ocean navigation, the crossing or passage itself. It can express the sailing sense of cruise but is really about voyaging across the sea, not a resort-style holiday.
  そのヨットは順調じゅんちょうに航海こうかい中ちゅうだ。↗

  The yacht is under smooth sail.
• 船旅ふなたびCommon
  nounMeans a trip by boat or sea trip; among its senses is the cruise as a travel experience. It frames the voyage from the traveler's perspective, emphasizing the journey as part of the pleasure of travel.
  船旅ふなたびはとても楽たのしい。↗

  Traveling by sea is a lot of fun.

Use 「クルーズ」 for the leisure cruise sense; 巡航, 航行, and 航海 cover the nautical sense of sailing, with 航海 and 船旅 also expressing a sea voyage as an experience.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• クルーズcruise
• 巡航じゅんこうcruise
• 航行こうこうcruise
• 航海こうかい(sea) voyage
• 船旅ふなたびtrip by boat
• 回航かいこうnavigation
• 航程こうていdistance covered (by a ship or aircraft)
• 流すながすto cruise (of a taxi)