HK$14m revamp of Hong Kong Star Ferry looks to make waves with sofas, glass roof and diesel-electric generator
World Star will set sail this month serving route from Tsim Sha Tsui to Disneyland and offering tourist tours of Victoria Harbour
A decommissioned Star Ferry will soon set sail in Victoria Harbour again after a HK$14 million transformation saw its upper deck revamped with luxurious sofas and a glass roof and the vessel fitted with a diesel-electric generator to drastically cut pollution.
Named the World Star, the ferry will start serving a new route between Tsim Sha Tsui and Disneyland on Lantau Island as early as the end of this month.
Star Ferry general manager Johnny Leung Tak-hing said fares would be about HK$180 per round trip. Sailings will depart in the mornings daily from the Star Ferry Pier in Tsim Sha Tsui, with the return trip late in the afternoon passing by the landmarks of the Tsing Ma Bridge and the Kwai Chung container terminals. Each journey will last about 45 minutes and accommodate a maximum of 180 passengers.
Currently no ferry route serves the Disney resort, which is located at Sunny Bay. The ferry operator said it believed the new service would draw both tourists and locals.
In the evening, meanwhile, the World Star will take tourists out on one-hour tours to catch a glimpse of the famous skyline along Victoria Harbour. Tickets will cost HK$200.