Hong Kong’s cruise tourism warms up in Spring

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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

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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.