Destinations known | Cruises are back in Hong Kong but they’re terrible for the environment – so is that such a good thing?
- January 19 saw the first cruise liner to sail from Hong Kong – at least, to somewhere else – in almost three years. More than 80 ship calls are lined up for 2023
- Large cruise ships have huge carbon footprints and Silversea Cruises, operator of the January 19 liner, has a poor environmental record, according to one report
American aircraft carriers and large white cruise ships used to be common sights in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, but then geopolitics and a nasty little virus happened.
It seems unlikely we’ll see the USS Ronald Reagan (last visit: November 2018) or other American warships call by any time soon, but on January 19, the Silver Spirit became the first cruise liner to sail from Hong Kong – at least, to somewhere else – in almost three years.
The 608-luxury-bunk Silversea Cruises ship arrived from Singapore on the morning of January 18 carrying 338 passengers – many European, Australian and American, according to a company spokesperson.
They “were treated to a warm welcome, including a lion dance performance and goodie bags” after the Silver Spirit had tied up at Tsim Sha Tsui’s Ocean Terminal, reported the South China Morning Post.
The ship left the following day with 257 guests aboard on a 10-day voyage back to Singapore, calling at Halong Bay, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City (all Vietnam) on the way.
And just like that, international cruises became a thing again.
