On March 9, Hong Kong’s waterways were back to their busiest past with four cruise ships bringing thousands of international visitors from different parts of the world. They were TUI Cruises' Mein Schiff 5, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' Europa 2, Silversea's Silver Muse and Resorts World Cruises' Resorts World One.
Mein Schiff 5 first back at Kai Tak
Mein Schiff 5 was the first cruise ship to berth at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal after the city resumed full normalcy with mask mandate lifted. It also was the ship’s first visit to Hong Kong in the same month of three other maiden calls: Resorts World One, Borealis of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and MSC Poesia of MSC Cruises.
Azamara's Azamara Quest and Regent Seven Seas Cruises' Seven Seas Mariner also called, making six cruise lines in a week.
Resorts World One, meanwhile, initiated the return to year-round cruising from Hong Kong.
Flights ramping up, high-speed rail resumes
According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the city is quickly regaining its pre-pandemic advantages. Flights connecting destinations and hubs around the world have been ramping up at full steam, while operation of the high-speed rail service from Mainland China and the iconic Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge have also resumed, drawing half a million of inbound visitors in the last week of February.
Support for cruise lines
HKTB works closely with cruise line partners to support their operations. Incentives for deployment, funding support for marketing promotions as well as shore excursion planning and high-profile welcome ceremonies have been lined up to help cruise line partners stimulate demand for cruise travel in source markets worldwide and put Hong Kong in the spotlight.
HKTB will be sponsoring the high-profile State of the Industry session at Seatrade Cruise Global on March 28 at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center.
