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https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1824482/quantum-seas-makes-history-largest-cruise-liner-dock-hong-kong
Hong Kong

Quantum of the Seas makes history as largest cruise liner to dock in Hong Kong

Largest cruise liner to visit city docks at Kai Tak terminal on historic day

The Peak and Central waterfront form a backdrop as the massive cruise liner Quantum of the Sea sails in yesterday. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Like a floating skyscraper, one of the world's biggest ocean-going liners sailed into Hong Kong yesterday, making history and a statement about the city's aspirations as a truly global cruise hub.

The sun-kissed splendour of Victoria Harbour was the perfect setting as the spectacular Quantum of the Seas docked at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal on the site of Hong Kong's former airport.

The 16-deck behemoth is as long as three soccer pitches, weighs 168,666 tonnes and carries 5,000 passengers in sumptuous luxury.

At 41 metres and 348 metres long, Quantum is the world's fourth-largest liner and the biggest cruise ship to have berthed in the city. It is here as part of a 54-day global tour which started in New York last month and ends in Shanghai.

Two years after the Kai Tak facility opened, Michael Bayley, president and chief executive of cruise company Royal Caribbean International who own the vessel, predicted that growth in cruise tourism would leave the terminal not be big enough cope in the not-too-distant future.

"At some point, we will realise that Kai Tak is too small and there is not enough facilities to take the cruises," he said.

Since the HK$8.2 billion terminal was opened in June 2013, it has been criticised for its remote location. It stood empty for much of its first year, with most cruise companies preferring the better-connected Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui.

He said that while only nine cruises docked there in 2013, that number grew to 28 in 2014 and is expected to reach 58 this year. He forecast that it would almost double to 100 in 2016.

"The growth is looking good. International cruise companies see the potential of the Hong Kong market," he said after attending a ceremony aboard the Quantum.

According to official data tabled to the Legislative Council earlier this year, 319,516 visitors and 185,128 Hong Kong people passed through the terminal's immigration checkpoints from April 2013 to March 2014.

From April 2014 to February 2015, the number of Hong Kong visitors passing through almost quadrupled to 702,319. The number of visitors more than doubled to 692,804.

The figures reflect the pace of the cruising industry's development in Hong Kong.

Royal Caribbean expect that 35,000 Hong Kong people will have boarded its cruises by the end of the year, double the figure of two years ago.

"The biggest difficulty [tapping into the market] is people not understanding what cruising is in today's world. It's really about communication and having people understand how good the experience is," he said.

He also saw a lot of potential in the mainland Chinese market.

"How big is Hong Kong? And how many live in China? 1.3 billion," he said, adding that sea travel "knocks spots off" the increasingly fraught business of jumping on a plane.

Spa pools.
Spa pools.
"Think about it. You go to the airport, stand in line, check in, wait for two hours. Then you go through all of the various processes and sit on a little seat, flying up to 36,00 feet to spend three hours in a tiny tube," he said.

"You land in a city and wait for a taxi, go to a hotel that may or may not be very good. You go through the entire process of packing your bags and moving.

"Why go through all when a vessel like this one can take the strain?''