Top Headlines

Hong Kong’s cruise tourism warms up in Spring

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 10 March 2025 10 March 2025

March is a super month for Hong Kong cruise scene, as the city welcomes four and three ships at the same time across two dates.

Four international cruise ships docked at the same time at the two cruise terminals in Hong Kong on 9 March. Celebrity Millenium of Celebrity Cruises, Costa Serena of Costa Cruises, Silver Whisper of Silversea Cruises, and Seabourn Encore of Seabourn Cruises arrived in Hong Kong on 8 & 9 March respectively, docking at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and the Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui. The four cruises have brought to Hong Kong a total of 5,400 passengers from 31 countries and regions, including the Mainland, the US, Australia, the UK, Germany, Canada, the Philippines, Japan and Singapore.

Meanwhile, three large international cruise ships will call from 18 to 19 March, including Queen Anne of Cunard Line and Norwegian Sky of Norwegian Cruise Line, which will make their first visit to Hong Kong. Queen Elizabeth, a member of the Cunard Line, will also return to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong continues to excite visitors with new and characterful neighbourhood tours

In addition to shore excursions to traditional tourist hotspots, such as the Peak and Tsim Sha Tsui, a group of cruise visitors added a city walk in Kowloon City to their on-shore itinerary to immerse themselves in authentic Hong Kong culture and heritage on a journey through neighbourhood’s past and present.

During the local tour, the cruise visitors visited Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong’s largest, state-of-the-art sports and entertainment complex, followed by the visit to “Live out the Cinematic Charm of Hong Kong – Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In Exhibition” organised by HKTB in the AIRSIDE shopping mall. The visitors also visited the Chilin Nunnery, a Buddhist sanctuary, which has replicated traditional aesthetics of the Tang Dynasty, and Nan Lian Garden, a classical Chinese garden, to learn more about the city’s traditional religious culture amidst the vibrant urban surroundings.

Helen Sleiman, a local tour first-time participant from the UK, said she was impressed by the many high-rise buildings in Hong Kong. She saw a more realistic side of Hong Kong's neighbourhoods on her visit to Kowloon City and could imagine what it was like in the old days. She also gained a better understanding of the city and looks forward to coming back to Hong Kong in the future and spending more time sightseeing.

Hong Kong as a value-added port for international cruises

Adding pizzazz to its VIP experience on shore, Cunard Line’s newest ship Queen Anne will stage a world cruise gala dinner at a local hotel for over 1,000 guests during her overnight stay in town, further strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a cruise hub in Asia.

HKTB will continue to promote Hong Kong’s cruise tourism and maintain close liaison with Mainland and international cruise companies to curate special land programmes for passengers. HKTB will also encourage the travel trade to provide cruise travellers with more diversified on-shore travel experiences to showcase our unique tourism appeal. From the moment cruise passengers step off for onshore excitement to re-embarkation, cruise companies can be assured that their deployment to Hong Kong will yield memorable experiences for their guests and generate greater world-of-mouth for cruising.

HX Expeditions unveils new fleet brand colours

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 05 March 2025 05 March 2025

HX Expeditions, the world’s oldest expedition cruise company, today introduced its new fleet livery colours in its brand colours of ‘Indigo Blue’ and ‘Sand’, marking a key milestone in the continued evolution of its standalone brand.

This new chapter follows the initial HX brand launch in December 2023 and signals the final stages of a transformative rebranding journey as HX officially separated last month from its Norwegian heritage sister brand of Hurtigruten. The new colours aim to reflect the company’s forward-thinking vision and continued commitment to providing unparalleled and responsible expedition experiences for its guests.

The new livery colour palette takes inspiration from marine wildlife with colours such as ‘Pearl, Sand and Arctic White.’ The iconic red and black colours previously used by the Hurtigruten Group have long been associated with the heritage sister brand of Hurtigruten, which will continue to use those colours and will remain unchanged. This new visual identity for HX introduces a distinct and modern look and ensures that guests won’t get confused in places like Norway where the two brands will still co-exist.

HX has already introduced a series of changes, including a revamped website, new indigo blue jacket for guests, and a comprehensive overhaul of branded materials – all carefully designed to reflect the company’s rich history while embracing a bold new future all focused on sustainability, science and expertise going back to our first sailings in 1896.

"This is the next important step in the HX brand evolution" said Gebhard Rainer, CEO of HX Expeditions "The rebrand of our fleet is not just about aesthetics, it’s about creating an experience that resonates with our guests on every level. Our new fleet colours are a reflection of who we are today and where we are heading, while also maintaining a respectful distinction from our heritage brand, which will continue to proudly represent its own legacy in red and black."

This new fleet rollout is just one of the many steps the company has taken since the brand launch in late 2023. The rebranding journey, which included extensive customer and market feedback, has been thoughtfully executed to ensure continuity of the company’s core values while embracing growth, innovation, and differentiation in the marketplace.

With the evolution now entering its final stage, HX remains steadfast in its dedication to delivering unparalleled expedition experiences both in the polar regions and in warm water destinations such as the Galapagos, now with a refreshed identity that guests will quickly come to recognise and appreciate.

Seatrade Cruise Global announces theme, panelists for 2025 keynote panel

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 27 February 2025 27 February 2025

Seatrade Cruise Global will be opening the doors to its 40th anniversary edition in just a few weeks, bringing together the global cruise community for a milestone event from 07 to 10 April at the Miami Beach Convention Center. This year’s theme, Milestones, encourages cruise lines and industry partners to reflect on four decades of evolution while looking ahead to the future of cruising.

Since its inaugural event in 1985, Seatrade Cruise Global has served as the premier platform for innovation, collaboration, and growth within the industry. The 2025 edition will not only celebrate the industry's remarkable journey but also provide a forward-looking agenda, with 80 conference sessions and 225 expert speakers tackling key opportunities and challenges shaping the next era of cruise travel across four days.

Chiara Giorgi, Global Brand Director, comments on the conference experience: "As we celebrate 40 years of Seatrade Cruise Global, this year’s conference will be our most dynamic yet, bringing together industry leaders to explore the key milestones shaping the future of cruising. From evolving guest expectations to groundbreaking innovations and sustainability efforts, we’re curating discussions that will inspire, challenge, and drive the industry forward. We can’t wait to welcome the global cruise community to Miami for this landmark edition."

Keynote Session: The State of the Global Cruise Industry

A highly anticipated keynote session, "The State of the Global Cruise Industry," sponsored by Hong Kong Tourism Board, is scheduled for Tuesday, 08 April, from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Moderated by Anne Kalosh, Editor at Seatrade Cruise News, this session will feature a panel of esteemed industry leaders:

– Charles “Bud” Darr, President & CEO, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
– Jason Liberty, President & CEO, Royal Caribbean Group
– Harry Sommer, President & CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
– Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division of MSC Group
– Josh Weinstein, President, CEO & Chief Climate Officer, Carnival Corporation & plc

These industry leaders will dive into cruising's important topics in 2025 and beyond including opportunities and challenges, supply and demand, reaching new markets, the orderbook — which ballooned in 2024 — product innovation and AI's role, Europe as a bellwether for policy, thoughts on Asia, infrastructure investments including how private destinations are reshaping Caribbean deployment, and an update on the important Sustainable Maritime Fuels Coalition. Plus, they will share their predictions on what cruising will look like 40 years from now.

Bud Darr, CLIA’s President and CEO will deliver a keynote address ahead of the panel discussion. Darr says: "The State of the Global Cruise Industry keynote is a defining moment each year, bringing together the industry's top leaders to discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping our future. As we celebrate 40 years of Seatrade Cruise Global, this session will provide insights into key issues such as market expansion, sustainability, and innovation. It’s an exciting time for cruising and I look forward to an engaging conversation, along with revealing highlights from CLIA’s 2025 State of the Cruise Industry report.”

MSC Seascape makes first-ever call at the world's largest cruise terminal

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 08 February 2025 08 February 2025

This morning, MSC Seascape arrived at the new MSC Miami Cruise Terminal, marking an exciting milestone as the first ship to call at the state-of-the-art facility. The new terminal is the largest in the world, capable of accommodating three ships at once, and set to revolutionize the cruising experience for up to 36,000 guests each day. The project is a partnership between the Cruise Division of MSC Group, PortMiami and Miami-Dade County. The iconic structure was designed by Arquitectonica and built by Fincantieri Infrastructure.

MSC Cruises will have a total of four ships sailing from the new terminal throughout 2025, alongside ships from MSC Group’s luxury brand, Explora Journeys.

Underscoring MSC Cruises’ commitment to the U.S. and unwavering dedication to South Florida, the cruise line will launch its newest World Class ship, MSC World America, at the new terminal in April with a naming ceremony and celebratory sailing. Following the celebrations, MSC World America will continue to make use of the facility, offering 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries sailing from Miami.