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Harvey Kong

Star Cruises cancelled a scheduled departure from Hong Kong on Friday evening because of “an unforeseen technical issue”, leaving angry passengers who had waited for hours to board complaining they had been treated like “refugees”.
The cruise operator apologised for cancelling the three-day, two-night voyage to Xiamen in mainland China, offering customers the choice of rescheduling or a full refund.
On Saturday morning, the cruise ship, Star Voyager, remained docked at Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui, with black smoke occasionally billowing from the vessel’s funnel, which a marine engineer attributed to engine testing.
The company later said that the ship was ready to depart on Sunday.

The aborted voyage would have marked the cruise line’s return to using Hong Kong as its home port for a nine-month period ending on November 13.
“The cancellation was a precautionary measure taken in line with our established safety protocols. The ship is fully prepared and ready for the next scheduled sailing on Sunday,” it said, referring to a five-night cruise to Xiamen and Japan’s Okinawa prefecture.
On Friday night, it only informed affected passengers that the cruise had been cancelled due to an unforeseen technical issue. The company did not disclose details of the issue or when it was identified.
The cruise was originally scheduled to depart at 8pm on Friday for Xiamen, a port city in Fujian province, and return on Sunday.
According to a social media post by “Longman Lo” at around 5.20pm, hundreds of passengers were already queuing at Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui, with staff handing out water to those waiting to board.
Another post at around 9.20pm showed that crowds were still waiting at the boarding area.

Passengers reportedly waited several hours to board before the cancellation was announced around 9pm, with many criticising the handling of the situation.
“I was only given a bottle of water,” one man told the media. “Of course, there were issues with how this was handled. I was standing until my legs were sore.”
One woman said her 4pm boarding time had been delayed several times until the voyage was cancelled, adding that the operator had not dealt with the situation very well.
Another woman said: “I booked the Palace Suite, which allows us to board the ship first. However, we were forced to squeeze together at the waiting area like refugees.
“They only told us very late in the evening that they were giving us HK$200 [US$25.60] dining vouchers for dinner.”
Star Cruises gave customers the option to either transfer their voyage dates or receive a full refund.
Customers who reschedule can transfer their booking to any other two- or three-night cruise on the same ship departing Hong Kong on or before August 30. They will also receive HK$200 on-board credit per guest and HK$500 per cabin to cover transport costs.
Those who opt for a refund will also be given HK$200 per guest and HK$500 per cabin to cover transport costs. They will also receive a 50 per cent discount on their next two- or three-night Star Voyager cruise departing from Hong Kong on or before August 30.


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Hundreds of passengers queue at Ocean Terminal waiting to board the ship. Photo: Facebook/Longman Lo

Black smoke billows out of the ship’s funnel at Ocean Terminal. Photo: Handout

A two-night cruise by Star Voyager (right) was cancelled on Friday. Photo: Jelly Tse

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The Ovation of the Seas ship docks at the cruise terminal in October. Photo: Dickson Lee

Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. Photo: Edmond So

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People watch a Disney Adventure cruise ship depart from a harbour in Germany. Photo: AP

News

Hong Kong

Transport

Cruise ship is fully prepared and ready for the next scheduled sailing on Sunday, company says


Cruise ship is fully prepared and ready for the next scheduled sailing on Sunday, company says.


Angry passengers left high and dry after Star Cruises cancels Hong Kong sailing

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Cruise ship is fully prepared and ready for the next scheduled sailing on Sunday, company says

Cruise ship is fully prepared and ready for the next scheduled sailing on Sunday, company says