Kai Tak moves from jumbo jets to megaliners as Hong Kong embraces surge in cruising

from Roderick Eime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has long been recognised as one of the world's most dramatic ports. Embraced by towering hills, the vast stalk-like cityscape rises high into the low clouds along the narrow edge of foreshore that supports a population of around 7 million.

With the imminent opening of the gleaming new Kai Tak cruise terminal on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong harbour, Australians will soon have a new way to experience one of their all-time favourite travel destinations.

Opened in 1966, the current OceanTerminal is limited to ships of around 100,000 GT and 10m draft, while the new Kai Tak cruise terminal will permit two 360m vessels of up to 220,000 GT to disembark and clear 5,400 passengers and 1,200 crew at a rate of 3,000 per hour.

In a test of the terminal's capability, Royal Caribbean's 311m, 138,279 GT Mariner of the Seas was the first mega luxury cruise liner to dock at the two-berth terminal in June this year, with the event hailed as a success.

"Kai Tak was the site of our legendary airport (closed in 1998) and is now turning a historic page by connecting Hong Kong with the rest of the world through the seven seas," Commissioner of Tourism Philip Yung said to AFP. “With the addition of this new facility, Hong Kong is in full gear to receive mega cruise ships"

Ships' masters should also be pleased with the simplified berthing procedures at Kai Tak, which is much closer closer to the eastern harbour exit.

Mariner of the Seas arrives for Kai Tak's inaugural berthing (HKTB)

The terminal will deliver passengers directly to the East Kowloon waterfront and commands spectacular views of Victoria Harbour. It is within easy reach of a number of key attractions including Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, Kowloon Walled City Park, Chi Lin Nunnery / Nan Lian Garden, Lei Yue Mun Seafood Bazaar. Also located nearby is Festival Walk. This shopping complex is just 10 minutes away and houses many of the world's best-known brands. Quickest airport access is 10 km by road to Kowloon Station Airport Express Line where departing passengers can also check-in.

Currently around 50,000 Australians visit HK every year cramming into the city's busy hotels, running at an occupancy rate approaching 90 per cent. Cruise passengers from all markets spent almost HK$75million in 2012, up nearly 6 per cent from 2011, not counting those who embarked or disembarked their cruise in HK. It is likely that HK's overall tourism arrivals will exceed 50 million n 2013 if the current 16% growth rate is maintained.

The opening of the new terminal signals HK's intention to transform the city into a major regional cruise hub which will likely spike the city's tourism figures yet further, so it remains to be seen whether HK's already near capacity hotel market will cope with the new influx.

The next arrival at Kai Tak is RCCL's Voyager of the Seas on 15th October, followed by Diamond Princess and Superstar Aquarius.

Official HKTB site

<< For further information on attractions and ideas for visiting Hong Kong, see the HKTB Official Travel Site

Regent Orders A Fourth Ship – Other Cruise News – Queen Mary 2 Completes 200th Atlantic Crossing – MSC To Double Its Ex-UK Fleet Next September

by Kevin Griffin

Last week came the news that Regent Seven Seas Cruises had finally ordered its long-anticipated fourth ship, a 738-berth 54,000-tonner that will have a passenger space ratio of more than 73 gross tons per passenger. This compares to the new record of 80 tons per passenger on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa 2, introduced this May. Elsewhere, Queen Mary 2 completed her 200th North Atlantic crossing this weekend and has now carried about 500,000 Transatlantic passengers. Meanwhile, MSC Cruises will double its ex-UK presence in September 2014 with the addition of the MSC Magica to the UK-based MSC Opera and has announced a new UK boss.


THIS WEEK’S STORY

Regent Orders A Fourth Ship
Last week Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced that it had entered into a contract with Italy’s Fincantieri shipyard to build a fourth ship. The new all-suite, all-balcony ship will be named Seven Seas Explorer and is scheduled for delivery in Summer 2016.
At 54,000 gross tons and accommodating 738 guests, Seven Seas Explorer will be the largest vessel in Regent’s fleet, and will boast one of the highest space ratios and staff-to-guest ratios in cruising.
The new ship is part of Regent’s strategy for expansion in the luxury market. Since purchasing the Regent Seven Seas brand in 2008, its ships have sailed full with industry-leading yields, and expanding the fleet will allow for a greater choice of itineraries.
With the new Explorer, overall fleet capacity will grow nearly 40%, making Regent the world’s largest luxury cruise line.
Seven Seas Explorer will feature spacious and sophisticated designer suites, elegant public areas, six gourmet restaurants, an expansive spa, a signature nine-deck atrium, two-story Explorer Theatre and the many other amenities that can be expected from an upmarket line.

Seven Seas Voyager passing between two rocks (Faraglioni) at Capri

The onboard use of exotic stones and polished woods, designer furniture, rich fabrics and sophisticated lighting, combined with a museum-quality eclectic art collection, will position Seven Seas Explorer in its own sector in ultra-luxury cruising.
The Seven Seas Explorer follows the 28,550-ton Seven Seas Navigator (490 guests), complete by Mariotti in 1999, the 48,015-ton Seven Seas Mariner (708 guests), launched by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in 2001 and the 41,827-ton Seven Seas Voyager (708 guests), completed by Mariotti in 2003.

Riviera at Barcelona on the eve of her christening.
Photo courtesy Peter Knego – MaritimeMatters.com

Further design aspects will be announced later but when they are it will be interesting to see the differences and similarities between the new Regent ship and sister line Oceania’s larger and more recently-built Fincantieri newbuildings, the 66,084-ton 1,250-berth Marina (2011) and Riviera (2012).
Other ships to be delivered in 2016 include Viking Cruises’ second new 47,000-tonner, two new ships for Royal Caribbean, its third Quantum class and third Oasis class ships, and one new ship each for three Carnival brands – Aida, Carnival and Holland America.

OTHER CRUISE NEWS

Queen Mary 2 Completes 200th Atlantic Crossing
Cunard Line’s flagship Queen Mary 2 completed her 200th North Atlantic Crossing on Saturday, when she arrived at Southampton from New York, from whence she had sailed on Saturday July 6.
Queen Mary 2 is the largest, longest, widest and most expensive ocean liner ever built, and is now the only ocean liner in regular service. On board for the voyage were keynote speakers presenting talks about the ship, as well as special Big Band performances.

Queen Mary 2 in Liverpool

In the course of Queen Mary 2′s 200 Transatlantic Crossings, Cunard Line has now carried half a million Transatlantic passengers in her.
Outgong Cunard line president Peter Shanks said, “As each year in service passes, Queen Mary 2 becomes even more special and we will continue to celebrate and cherish her milestones and history. Looking at Cunard’s earlier Queens, Queen Mary crossed the Atlantic 1,001 times, Queen Elizabeth crossed 896 times and Queen Elizabeth 2 crossed 812 times.”
To commemorate her 200th Crossing, Stephen Payne OBE, who was responsible for the overall design of Queen Mary 2, presented his own insight into the ship’s construction. “Queen Mary 2 embodies the attributes of a true liner, including reserves of stability and deep draught. Combined with her great size, these attributes ensure that the ship can achieve a level of Atlantic sea-keeping superior to any other liner in history,” said Payne. “No other passenger ship is as much at home on the North Atlantic as Queen Mary 2.”

MSC To Double Its Ex-UK Fleet Next September

MSC Magnifica in Dubrovnik

MSC will temporarily double its ex-UK fleet next year when it bases its MSC Magnifica in Southampton for a short series of cruises from September 2014. The 86,600-ton, 2,550-passenger Magnifica will join the 58,600-ton, 1,756-passenger UK-based MSC Opera.
The Magnifica will offer four seven-night, round-trip cruises departing from Southampton and calling at Zeebrugge, Amsterdam, Hamburg, and Le Havre, with fares starting at £429 per person including free parking or coach transfer to Southampton.
MSC’s announcement comes as it confirms Carnival UK’s former head of sales Giles Hawke will be joining MSC line this November as managing director UK and Ireland.

(Kevin Griffin is managing director of specialist cruise agency The Cruise People Ltd in London, England. For further information concerning cruises mentioned in this article readers can visit his blog)

Royal Caribbean celebrates Christmas in July

Imagine a Christmas that's stress-free, with everything taken care of from Christmas dinner to the decorations and festive activities that also come with an ocean view.  Make Christmas this year a holiday the whole family can enjoy, onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise. And the good news is that Royal Caribbean is offering some very special holiday deals for a limited time only, so what are you waiting for?

OFFER DETAILS:

• Royal Caribbean is offering up to $200 bonus onboard credit per stateroom on all its cruises departing between 18 - 31 December 2013 of 5-nights or longer

-        For Interior and Oceanview bookings guests will receive $100 bonus onboard credit per stateroom

-        For Balconies and Suites bookings guests will receive $200 bonus onboard credit per stateroom

• Furthermore, for the 9-night South Pacific and Fiji  Christmas cruise on Voyager of the Seas departing 18 December 2013, Royal Caribbean is offering a free Balcony upgrade. Lucky guests can book a Balcony stateroom for the price of an Oceanview stateroom.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

• This offer is for new bookings made between 14 - 31 July 2013, for cruises departing 18 - 31 December 2013 of 5 nights or longer

LEAD FARE:

1. Nine-night Fijian Dream cruise on VOYAGER OF THE SEAS

Prices start from $1,499* per person for an interior stateroom, or $2,199* per person for an Oceanview booking which includes a free upgrade to a Balcony Stateroom. This sailing includes the bonus onboard credit offer, and departs Sydney Wednesday 18 December 2013. Christmas day will be celebrated cruising at sea before returning to Sydney Friday 27 December.

2. Nine-night Tropical delights cruise on RADIANCE OF THE SEAS

Prices from  $1,659* per person for an interior stateroom;  $1,989* per person for an Oceanview; and $2,619* per person for a Balcony stateroom. This sailing includes the bonus onboard credit offer for Christmas cruises and departs Sydney Friday 20 December 2013, with Christmas day spent at sea between Lifou, Loyalty Islands and Isle of Pines, New Caledonia.

3. Five-night Spice of Southeast Asia cruise on MARINER OF THE SEAS

Prices start from $1,039* per person for an interior stateroom; $1,209* per person for an Oceanview; and $1,299* per person for a Balcony stateroom.  This sailing departs Singapore on 23 December 2013, and includes the bonus onboard credit offer for Christmas cruises.

* prices are per person twin share based on the lowest available stateroom

 

Is Cruising Safer Now?

IMO Adopts More Safety Policies

Although cruise ship accidents such as the Costa Concordia are rare, the International Maritime Organization implemented three more safety policies recommended by an operational review conducted after the January 2012 tragedy. All 10 policies from the review have now been included in formal IMO standards specific to passenger ship safety, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

The safety recommendations include a policy to ensure that every passenger attends a muster drill, limits to personnel who can access a ship’s bridge, and requirements that ships carry a number of lifejackets in excess of the number of people onboard a ship. “As a result of our relentless focus on passenger safety and comfort and our ongoing mission of continuous improvement in shipboard operations, cruising remains one of the safest vacation experiences available today,” said Christine Duffy, president and CEO of CLIA.

Cruising to Bangkok? Here's a quick introduction

Bangkok Grand Palace

Cruising in SE Asia is following the same kind of growth patterns experienced elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region and Thailand is one of Asia’s busiest tourist destinations with annual arrivals now exceeding 20 million.

Cruise ships sailing in the Gulf of Thailand and visiting Bangkok will arrive at one of two ports.

Klong Toey: not pretty, but at least it's close to the city

Laem Chabang caters to the biggest ships and is around two hours south toward Pattaya, while Klong Toey (also spelled Khlong Toei with variations) is the older port and nearest Bangkok CBD catering to vessels up to the size of Seabourn and Azamara. Your cruise line will most likely have transfers arranged for Laem Chabang, while Klong Toey (KT) is better set up for DIY travellers. Public transport is not really viable at KT and most lines visiting the port will offer shuttles for the short journey into the city.

Bustling Bangkok shopping precinct (TAT)

While most city visitors will want to immerse themselves in Bangkok’s famous retail attractions centred on the Siam Exchange BTS station, there are numerous cultural attractions that should also be on your list. These include the famous Grand Palace, Wat Pho and the King Prajadhipok Museum. Also tucked away near the Siam station is the Jim Thompson House museum and shop. A great stop for really stylish Thai souvenirs, especially quality silk. These locations are best experienced on a basic city tour, while retail is best conducted at your own pace.

Exquisite silk at Jim Thompson House

Smart cruisers starting or finishing their journey in Bangkok will allow a couple days sightseeing and shopping in this frenetic city and Bangkok has a selection of magnificent hotels ranging from historic and opulent to chic and funky. Most can be had for under AUD200 per night. Shoppers should try the new Mercure/Ibis right on Siam while hipsters must check out the wild Sofitel So Bangkok near Lumphini station.

"It's a good idea to stay in Bangkok before or after your cruise or if your ship is in transit,
consider signing up for one of the ship's tours so that you won't be stressed about
getting back to the ship on time." - Richard Davey, Mosman Cruise Centre

You'll quickly make friends if you
master the Thai polite greeting

Thai Tips

Be polite and keep your manners mild. Things will go quickly pear-shaped if you lose your cool and yes, there are plenty of things to test your nerve in Bangkok. The Thais are a patient, friendly people, but don’t push it.

Don’t be afraid to bargain when shopping, you might surprise yourself. It’s quite possible to halve the ‘first price’. Look out for tailored suits, fashion and textiles, handbags, jewellery and gadgets. My tip: MBK

Getting Around

You’ve heard the stories about Bangkok’s nightmare traffic but in truth it’s not really any worse than most major cities in the world and the Thais almost never use their horns. Taxis and tuk-tuks are inexpensive and the BTS, subway and Skytrain are a dream. Just do a little swotting up beforehand.

Private cars and drivers are not as expensive as you might think and certainly a relaxed way of doing your own thing. Contact: AF Holidays

Bangkok transport tips (from Tourism Thailand) 

Who Goes There?

Princess, Star, RCCL, Hapag-Lloyd, Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea, Oceania, Cunard and Crystal are just some of the major, big ship lines that include stops at Bangkok. Because of its excellent air-links, the city is also used as a hub for many river cruises (eg Avalon, Pandaw, Heritage Line) that turn around in Siem Reap, Cambodia or Myanmar. Boutique ships are common too with SeaDream and HLK’s Hanseatic sailing up river to Klong Toey.

More info: www.thailand.net.au

Sail in a Balcony cabin with Royal Caribbean upgrade sale

There has never been a better time to book your next Royal Caribbean cruise. Pay for an Oceanview cabin and we will upgrade you to a Balcony. This means you can cruise in a Balcony cabin from as little as $142*pp per night (based on 14 night Australia & Asia Experience on Voyager of the Seas, 24 October 13).

A Royal Caribbean cruise is a great value-for-money holiday as nearly everything is included in the price: main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), most onboard activities, fitness facilities, kids programmes and activities, onboard entertainment and onboard gratuities. Therefore when you board the ship all you need to do is just sit back, relax and enjoy!

The offer is available on selected South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand cruises. For more information and a list of itineraries, please click here.





visit royalcaribbean.com.au
call 1800 754 500
or visit your travel agent



*$142 AUD per person per night applies to the Australia & Asia Experience 14 night itinerary, departing Singapore on 24 October 2013 on Voyager of the Seas. This price is based on twin occupancy and is inclusive of taxes, fees and onboard gratuities (tips). Prices for all other cruise itineraries can be found on our website. Upgrade offer is valid for new individual bookings made in a Balcony cabin only (Lead Oceanview cabin – category H is equal to lead Balcony category D2). Passengers are bound by the terms and conditions in the Royal Caribbean International South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand 2013-2015 brochure. Please click here for full terms and conditions.

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Sapphire Princess cruise to unsual destinations in Asia

THE opportunity to visit fascinating and rarely visited ports like Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei, Nha Trang in Vietnam and Sihanoukville in Cambodia is part of an exciting 21-night cruise from Singapore now being sold through ecruising.travel

The voyage aboard Sapphire Princess departs on November 27 2014 and also makes calls in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Ko Samui and Phuket in Thailand, Bali, Port Kelang and Penang in Malaysia before returning to Singapore.

The stop at Sihanoukville can include a visit to the legendary Angkor Wat Temples, whilst the stop to Port Kelang provides time to take advantage of Kuala Lumpur's fantastic shopping value.

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