Ports & destinations

Hong Kong reveals new offerings for cruise lines and their guests

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations

Published: 29 March 2023 29 March 2023

Like a fortunate forecast of calm waters, clear skies, and soothing breezes, everything has come together at just the right moment for the return of international cruise liners to Hong Kong and for the destination to regain its position as Asia’s Cruise Hub. That was the message enthusiastically delivered by the Hong Kong Tourism Board at a special lunch reception for media and cruise line representatives held yesterday, March 27, during Seatrade Cruise Global, the cruise industry’s preeminent annual business-to-business event, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Reactivating the market by building a win-win partnership with cruise lines

In just the past two months, the Hong Kong market has resecured the advantages that make it so appealing for international cruise lines. “With the mask mandate lifted, Hong Kong is shining anew as one of the most exciting harbor cities and desirable destinations for cruise travelers from all over the world. In 2023, we secured over 160 ship calls from 16 cruise lines. This signifies a full resumption of Hong Kong’s cruise scene. The speedy recovery of the cruise industry in Hong Kong can be credited to the trust and relationships we have built with cruise lines,” said Hong Kong Tourism Board’s MICE & Cruise General Manager, Kenneth Wong.

The elegant Silver Spirit of Silversea sparked the start of the cruise season in Asia with its debut return to Hong Kong in mid-January. Noted Adam Radwanski, Silversea’s Managing Director – Asia Pacific: “Hong Kong constitutes one of the most important ports in Asia for Silversea Cruises and our discerning guests, who appreciate the enriching experiences, the welcoming people, and the spectacular cityscape that awaits them on each call to the destination. In January 2023, Silversea became the first international cruise line to return to Hong Kong’s waters in almost three years – facilitated by the invaluable collaboration of the local government, the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and the port authorities. This is a strong representation of our long-term commitment to Hong Kong. With four ultra-luxury ships sailing in Asia Pacific waters in 2023, Silversea is investing heavily in the region and has seen tremendous growth within this market. We look forward to building on our close collaboration with Hong Kong for years to come, as we continue to offer our guests unique experiences in this iconic destination.”

The visits and deployments from Silversea Cruises, TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and the year-round homeporting of Resorts World Cruises highlight the city’s potential for accommodating a variety of cruise products, as well as the flight network’s availability for development of fly-cruise turnaround itineraries for short-haul and long-haul markets.

Growing potential in source markets

Flights connecting destinations and hubs around the world have ramped back up, including the resumption of United Airlines’ nonstop service to and from Hong Kong, joining Cathay Pacific as the dominant air carriers from the U.S.

“To accommodate the vast growth in aviation, the Hong Kong International Airport is implementing an expansion plan for the three-runway system which when the project is completed, will be able to handle 30 million more passengers a year by 2030,” said Kenneth Wong.

Since the beginning of the popularization of the global cruise industry, Hong Kong has been a standout setting for cruise lines to develop new products and entice new clientele from the enormous Mainland market of 86 million people who zip in from cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area via High Speed Rail and the iconic Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the longest sea crossing in the world.

New offerings for travelers to experience and enjoy

The Hong Kong Tourism Board launched a large-scale “Hello Hong Kong” global promotional campaign focused on showcasing the city’s reopening with its legendary vibrancy and exciting new developments, events, and activities, all of which were introduced by Kenneth Wong at the Seatrade Cruise Global luncheon.

Along the harbor of Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District is the new Hong Kong Palace Museum, with an exclusive collection of more than 900 priceless treasures from the Palace Museum in Beijing, and M+, Asia’s first truly global museum of contemporary visual culture.

Possibilities abound for international travelers arriving via cruise ship. The Peak Tram to panoramic views from Victoria Peak has been given a makeover, with new sixth-generation tram cars and a renovated terminal with full-immersion video experience.

Brighter future with extensive support from Hong Kong Tourism Board

The Hong Kong Tourism Board is working and communicating closely with cruise operators for continued top-level industry productivity and efficiency. New initiatives introduced by Kenneth Wong at the Seatrade Cruise Global luncheon, include “multiple aspects of support, such as itinerary planning facilitation, port operating costs subsidy, and consumer demand-stimulating campaigns, to ensure cruise line deployment is an unprecedented success.”

According to Kenneth Wong, “all signs point to a strong international cruise comeback and a bright future. We expect a robust cruise agenda as lines and visitors return to what has always been a leading Asia cruise hub and tourism capital.”

Royal Caribbean's Beach Club in the Bahamas moves forward for 2025 opening

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations

Published: 10 March 2023 10 March 2023

Royal Caribbean International is moving ahead with the development of the first Royal Beach Club after receiving approval from the government of The Bahamas. The 17-acre destination experience coming to the western end of Paradise Island in Nassau, The Bahamas, will combine the island’s striking beaches with the cruise line’s signature experiences to create the ultimate beach day – The Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island.

Crafted in close collaboration with the Bahamian government, the new project will feature a public-private partnership in which Bahamians will be invited to own up to 49% equity. Local businesses and entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to manage the vast majority of the experience. Overall, the new venture will generate hundreds of jobs across its construction and long-term operation.

“The Bahamas has been a phenomenal partner since the very start, when they became our first port of call more than 50 years ago,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “As we continue to bring millions of visitors to experience attractions throughout Nassau each year, The Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island is the next bold adventure in Royal Caribbean’s commitment to both increasing tourism in The Bahamas and delivering memorable vacations to our guests.”

Alongside private cabanas, stunning pools and more, the vibrant Bahamian spirit and culture will come to life throughout the world-class destination experience. Vacationers will be welcomed by local architecture that complements the exceptional views of The Bahamas’ turquoise-blue waters and white sand beaches, along with experiences that feature Bahamian fare, island-style barbecues, live music and local artisans.

The beach club will be made up of 13 acres of land owned by the cruise line and 4 acres of Crown Land. The Crown Land will be contributed as equity in the new venture to ensure a share of the profits return to the government and the Bahamian people in a first-of-its-kind agreement in The Bahamas. This, in addition to a new tourism levy, will go into reinvesting in the local community. The collaboration between the government, the community and Royal Caribbean will continue as the development moves through the stages of planning and completion.

More details about The Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island, set to open in 2025, will be revealed in the coming months.

Global Ports Holding signs concessions agreement for Alicante Cruise Port

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations

Published: 11 March 2023 11 March 2023

Global Ports Holding Plc, the world's largest independent cruise port operator, announced that its 80:20 joint venture with Servicios Portuarios Canarios (“Sepcan”) has signed a 15-year cruise port concession for Alicante Cruise Port, Spain. The signing of this agreement follows the award of preferred bidder status, which was announced on 16 December 2022. GPH expects to take over the cruise operations in Alicante during the month of March 2023.

The Port Authority of Alicante is currently enhancing the port area in a multimillion-Euro investment that will integrate the and the city. Alongside this investment and as part of the concession agreement, the JV plans to invest up to EUR 2.0m into refurbishing and modernising the cruise terminal.

With over 100k passengers annually, Alicante Cruise Port is one of the growing cruise destinations on the east coast of Spain. The port has strong airlift connectivity and is well located for inclusion in diverse Mediterranean itineraries.

Cruise ship calls up 50% for Capital Cruising’s Scottish ports

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations

Published: 11 February 2023 11 February 2023

Cruise ship calls in 2023 for Forth Ports’ Capital Cruising business on Scotland’s east coast are set to jump by 50%, with around 150 (2022: 100) cruise ships, carrying an estimated 225,000 passengers, expected to visit Edinburgh, Fife and Dundee this year.

The cruise calendar in Scotland traditionally runs between April and October each year and the 2023 season kicks off on 11 April with the arrival of the Viking Venus into the deep anchorage near Newhaven with thousands of passengers visiting the attractions of Scotland’s capital city.

Edinburgh is a globally popular destination and viewed by the cruise market as a “marquee” cruise destination with iconic attractions, events, heritage and culture. Most importantly the city is known for welcoming cruise lines and cruise passengers. The 150 cruise ships will sail directly into the Port of Leith, Rosyth and Dundee’s cruise berth as well as anchorages in the River Forth for Newhaven and South Queensferry.

The 2023 Dundee season will see a bumper year for the city with 14 cruise calls booked, starting on 13 May with the arrival of the Ambition. In 2022, the port welcomed four cruise ships.

The 2022 cruise season saw the restart of the industry after lockdown during the global pandemic. The 2022 season welcomed over 100 cruise calls and 26 inaugural ship visits to Scotland with a further 62 ships visiting their London facilities, which will also see strong growth this year.

The Tallink Victoria 1 Cruise Ferry which is currently being provided by the Scottish Government as safe accommodation for displaced people from Ukraine, is the first cruise vessel to receive a shore power connection within the Imperial Dock in the Port of Leith. By switching to shore power, the vessel is now able to switch off all of its fossil fuel powered generators, and with Forth Ports’ electricity being provided through non fossil fuel generation, this is a significant step forward on the journey to net zero for the port.

Commenting, Rob Mason, Head of Cruise at Forth Ports, said: “It is brilliant to see the cruise industry return so strongly and continue to grow this year and we are extremely pleased that we have provided the Victoria 1 Cruise Ferry with shore power.

“Since the restart of the industry last year we have been working hard with the city, destination partners and the wider cruise industry to meet all of the industries challenges and deliver another success cruise season. We know that there are significant economic benefits to the country as hundreds of thousands of passengers visit our cities and we look forward to welcoming them this year.”

In line with the cruise industry’s commitment to sustainable tourism practices, significant work is being undertaken to ensure Edinburgh is recognised as a sustainability driven destination, with extensive destination development work also continuing to connect local providers with tour operators and cruise lines.

Recent success has been demonstrated with EZ Bike Tours located next to the port now providing to the Cruise lines environmentally friendly electric bike tours of the city as a shore excursion option. Forth Ports’ commitment to reducing its own carbon footprint as well as that of its customers has already been demonstrated this year with the Port of Leith becoming the first large mainland commercial port in Scotland to provide a shore power connection which allows ships to switch off any diesel powered generators or engines.