Sailing into Hong Kong should be one of the world’s best cruise experiences. There’s no denying that Harbour City Ocean Terminal is beautifully placed on the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, only a short step from Hong Kong’s busiest shopping district, Tsim Sha Tsui. It also offers photogenic views of that famous ‘Honkers’ skyline, and is right next door to the iconic Star Ferry Pier.
No problem then, unless the ship is over 50,000 tonnes and has to berth in the not-so-scenic Kwai Chung container port. Harbour City Ocean Terminal was fine for the QE2, but it is now too small for the mighty QM2 and at least half a dozen ships of her size. Some cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, took their custom elsewhere.
Flying into Hong Kong, whether joining a cruise or not, was a very different matter. Few travellers had a good word to say for Kai Tak, Hong Kong’s old international airport, with its scary approach between forests of sky-scrapers and over the waters of Victoria Harbour. Kai Tak International wasn’t just near Victoria Harbour – it was in it, on reclaimed land.
That problem disappeared with the opening of Hong Kong’s new International Airport (Chek Lap Kok), one of the most advanced of its kind, on less crowded Lantau Island. Happily for cruise-goers, Victoria Harbour happens to be the third largest deep-water port in the world, and so using the old Kai Tak site seems the best way of solving the cruise terminal crisis.
Why the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is Needed
- Cruise visitors expect to see the famous Hong Kong skyline from their ship's berth.
- From misty mornings and bustling business hours, through to sunset and the nightly light and laser show reflected in the harbour waters, a prime waterfront site ensures a unique spectacle.
- Hong Kong has 27 million visitors a year. Only 2 million of these are from cruise ships, but numbers have been growing steadily in recent years, and there is room for expansion.
- The local tourist industry has been hit hard by the credit crunch and needs a boost.
- Large cruise lines with big new ships, such as Royal Caribbean, want to base vessels in Hong Kong with a view to tapping mainland Chinese tourism.
- Since 1997, Hong Kong has been part of China as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) and is perfectly placed to liaise with other Chinese ports over cruise itineraries and entry requirements.
What the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Can Provide
- Deep-water berths for ships up to 220,000 tonnes.
- A central location as convenient as Harbour City Ocean Terminal, with similar memorable views.
- Extensive shopping, eating and entertainment facilities within the terminal itself.
- Faster processing for embarkation procedures.
- More jobs to help the local economy.
Even with possible delays as a result of the recent economic down-turn, Hong Kong’s vibrant business culture should ensure that the project will go ahead as planned, and it will probably be named the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.
More information on: Hong Kong Maps Hong Kong Historical
Kate Nivison - Kate Nivison has published 2 novels, over 250 short stories and travel features, visited 74 countries and written about most of them.
