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Roughly 80% of the ship calls at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal have been turnaround or 'homeporting' calls.[16] The first major homeport season was by Voyager of the Seas, which was based at Kai Tak from June to October 2015. Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mak Chai-kwong, and the Managing Director of Dragages Hong Kong Limited, Nicolas Borit, signed a design and build contract for the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Building on 8 May 2010. The first berth was to be commissioned in mid-2013 and was to be capable of accommodating the world's largest cruise vessels.
Hong Kong Tourism Board
Located at the heart of the Victoria Harbor, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is one of the world’s foremost cruise facilities which was built over the former runway of Kai Tak Airport. This state-of-the-art terminal provides a modern, remarkable cruising, dinning and entertaining experience for passengers, locals and travelers as well as meets the demands of the newest super cruise liners. Bent said shuttle buses were the preferred transport mode for visitors who arrived on ships making short transit stops at Kai Tak, such as the Spectrum of the Seas, as many were only there for day trips and did not have luggage on them. But when asked who should pay for the bus services in the long run – the government, cruise companies or terminal operators – the managing director pointed out that air and seaports in the city were currently not responsible for transport arrangements. We recommend local cruise visitors to take a taxi or public transportation to the terminal, in case a parking space is not available when you arrive.
Almost 40 million people will cruise annually by 2027, predicts CLIA
“We were delighted to host cruise ships again for the first time in a year, and welcome international ship calls and visitors back for the first time in three years,” added Bent. Make sure you are on the outside deck 2 hours before arrival and the first 2 hours after departure. You will have a great view over the Hong Kong Skyline and all of its famous landmarks. Check out the full Hong Kong cruise port guide underneath to learn about the different docking locations in this city.
Kai Tak Cruise Terminal
Smooth sailing for Kai Tak Cruise Terminal as cruise ship arrives without a hitch - South China Morning Post
Smooth sailing for Kai Tak Cruise Terminal as cruise ship arrives without a hitch.
Posted: Sun, 20 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
“I am happy to see more cruise ships arrive in Hong Kong,” Hong Kong Tourism Association executive director Timothy Chui Ting-pong said. American retirees Kay and Tom Murell, who arrived on the Serenade of the Seas that morning, were left confused as they waited for a shuttle bus they hoped would take them to a ferry terminal to cruise around the harbour. Shevchenko said she was also impressed by the city’s many changes, including the refurbished Avenue of Stars and the cruise terminal, adding the latter offered amenities such as free Wi-fi. Under the latest arrangements, six routes will be provided for visitors to travel from the terminal to different MTR stations such as Kai Tak, Kowloon Tong station, the West Kowloon rail terminus, as well as Tsim Sha Tsui and other tourist spots. German tourists Gregory and Kerstin Fritz were among those travelling from the terminal into the heart of Hong Kong on Wednesday, with the couple visiting the city for the first time in 20 years after arriving on the Mein Schiff 5 on Tuesday.
Hong Kong tourism chief accused of poor handling of Kai Tak Cruise Terminal
Smooth sailing seen as cruise tourism picks up - Hong Kong Standard
Smooth sailing seen as cruise tourism picks up.
Posted: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
While many global ports reopened in 2021 and 2022, Kai Tak remained closed for three years, finally reopening in the first quarter of 2023. Bent was responding to complaints by taxi drivers who had driven into the terminal on Saturday after the government ramped up cab services under its new transport measures and offered perks such as coupons for petrol and tunnel fares. The Hong Kong Dollar (HK$) is the official currency, and you’ll get a better exchange rate if you don’t exchange currency at the airport or a hotel. Credit cards like Visa, AmEx, and MasterCard are widely accepted in Hong Kong.
Second Icon-Class Ship Will Have a Furry Family Member
There’s a 23,000-square-metre public park on the rooftop with panoramic views of Victoria Harbour; on a sunny day, the clouds are reflected in the park’s lily ponds. Built on the runway of the former Kai Tak Airport, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is an iconic structure centrally located in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor. The terminal has year-round operations and an array of amenities not seen elsewhere in the industry. Its restaurants are open 365 days, and include a 960-seat Chinese banqueting restaurant, Hong Kong-style cafe, as well as a kids’ cafe. The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong has issued a review of its cruise business in 2023, which got off to a late start but still welcomed 138 cruise ships.
Home port
According to Jeff Bent, WCT's managing director, these developments are significant, signaling a positive resurgence for both the cruise industry and Hong Kong. Bent expressed satisfaction in resuming ship visits after a year and welcoming back international vessels and tourists after 3 years. Notably, ship calls during 2023's 10 active months reached 75% of pre-pandemic levels, with around 90% of cruise passengers retained within the local market.
Fifty Hong Kong travel agents were hosted to full-day cruise selling seminar at KTCT to help rebuild the local travel trade, a Travel Industry Council sponsored event fronted by CLIA trainer, Peter Kollar from Australia. Hong Kong has diverse ethnic communities that have brought a range of cuisines to the city with plenty of authentic dishes to try. Kowloon City is known as ‘Little Thailand’ and here you’ll not only be spoiled for restaurant choices, but can also shop for tasty snacks in the numerous Thai grocery stores.
Hong Kong has done much to improve the attractiveness and infrastructure for cruising over the last few years, with new attractions in the West Kowloon Cultural District,” said Managing Director Bent. The Government wanted to seek lawmakers' approval to fund the site formation works and facilities required for the provision of government services in the fourth quarter of 2008. At that time, the estimated cost ranges from $1.8 billion to $2 billion. Hong Kong's Secretary for Economic Development, Stephen Ip, said Hong Kong needs an additional berths between 2009 and 2015, and one to two more berths beyond 2015 to capture the growth of the regional cruise market.
The second berth was to commence operation in 2014 for berthing medium-sized cruise vessels.[9][10] The second berth will be ready from early 2016. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government issued an open tender on 9 November 2007 for the development of the new cruise terminal. 10 km (6 mi) by road to Kowloon Station on the Airport Express Line, or West Kowloon Station with high speed rail service. Located in the heart of Victoria Harbour (at the south-eastern end of the former Kai Tak Airport runway), the terminal is easy to find and offers panoramic views of the picturesque Hong Kong skyline.
Covering an area of 23,000 square metres, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Park features a central lawn, a water garden, a fountain plaza and a viewing platform from which to take in the incredible views of both Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. In fact, the territory of Hong Kong provides many hotspots where you are able to use their free Wi-Fi for a certain period of time. To celebrate the occasion, a special event was held on March 10 on the cruise ship attended by more than 400 people including local travel and business partners and the media. Representatives of Resorts World Cruises, president Michael Goh, and Chief Operating Officer Raymond Lim officiated the maiden sailing of the ship. Designed by renowned British architect Sir Norman Foster, this is the first facility to open as part of the redeveloped Kai Tak Airport. You don’t have to wait for your ship to come in to visit, it makes the most of its location at the tip of the old runway.
In 2023, WCT welcomed a total of 138 cruise calls, marked the return of international ships to KTCT for the first time in three years, and began hosting homeporting operations for Resorts World Cruises. Please know you will need transportation to be able to get out of the cruise port. Free shuttle buses are also available at the terminal to take passengers to the Apm shopping centre in Kwun Tong, while paid routes can take visitors to areas such as Mong Kok and Causeway Bay at HK$80 and HK100 per trip, respectively. Two of the four cruise ships, German vessel Mein Schiff 5 and Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas, will stay at Kai Tak, with the latter arriving in the city for the first time for its world tour. Worldwide Cruise Terminals, based in Hong Kong, manages the Kai Tak facility.
A walk along Victoria Harbour is a must for travelers itching to experience the magic of Hong Kong. Walk along the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade for an afternoon stroll on the way to cultural attractions like the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Hong Kong Cultural Center. Singapore is one of the most sophisticated and modern cities on earth, with a culture that seamlessly integrates western and eastern traditions. You’ll find world-class luxury shopping on Orchard Road, authentic local cuisine in Chinatown or Little India, and impeccably manicured garden spaces and parks.
At the Gardens by the Bay, visit the incredible Cloud Forest, an indoor domed biosphere showcasing indoor waterfalls and exotic plant species. Gaze up at the vertical gardens at Supertree Grove, and head up to the Supertree Observatory for dizzying views down over the Marina Bay waterfront. There are more dazzling views of Singapore from the oval-shaped observation deck on the 57th floor atop the iconic Marina Bay Hotel. “Resorts World One will open up new opportunities for the inbound and outbound travel in Hong Kong for cruising and Fly-Cruise guests, which will have a positive spillover effect beyond the cruise tourism sector in Hong Kong,” he added.
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