By
Alice Chambers |
The 2023 cruise season at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Cruise Terminal opened on 8 March 2023 with inaugural visits from TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 5 and Resorts World Cruises’ Resorts World One.
Mein Schiff 5 called at the port as part of its 14-day roundtrip from Singapore whilst Resorts World One’s arrival marked the start of Resorts World Cruises’ homeporting operations from Kai Tak. The ship will offer itineraries to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, every week.
Hong Kong has been closed to international ships for three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic but will receive a total of 150 calls from at least 16 cruise lines in 2023. For example, it is welcoming four ships today, on 9 March 2023.
“The return of international ships and a new homeport deployment mark a positive restart for both cruising and Hong Kong,” said Jeff Bent, managing director of Worldwide Cruise Terminals, which manages and operates Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. “We are delighted to host cruise ships again for the first time in a year, and welcome international ships and visitors back for the first time in three years.”
Hong Kong has used the break from international calls to improve its offerings for cruise operators with new attractions in the West Kowloon Cultural District and a new one-stop boundary crossing. There is also a new metro station, road connection and bus services close to the cruise terminal to make it easier for passengers to travel to the city.
“We believe all these, in addition to recently-added transportation links such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and High Speed Rail, will boost Hong Kong’s international connectivity for cruise passengers, provide more options for pre- and post-trip excursions in the Greater Bay Area, and make Hong Kong a more attractive destination and homeport,” said Bent. “We will continue to enhance the experience for cruise lines and their guests in years to come.”
Read more about Hong Kong’s recovery from the setbacks of Covid-19 in our Spring/Summer 2023 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. Subscribe here