Maiden voyage

HONG KONG Royal Carribean’s Voyager of the Seas recently dropped its anchor in the middle of the famed Victoria Harbour, making a port of call to the city along her journey between Singapore and Shanghai as part of her maiden Asian season.

More than three times the size of the Titanic, this floating city that can carry over 3,800 passengers, is one of the largest ships to visit the territory.

The Sports Deck of Voyager of the Seas

“We hope a ship of Voyager’s size and innovative amenities will once again redefine cruising and bring a cruise boom in Asia,” said Dr Liu Zinan, managing director of China and Asia, Royal Caribbean. “We are optimistic that her arrival will help push for more and faster infrastructure development for larger cruise ships across the region, including Hong Kong.”

Anthony Lau, executive director of Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) added: “This maiden visit by Voyager of the Seas demonstrates Hong Kong’s position as a cruise hub and a must-visit port in the region.”

The ship's two-storey nightclub

The city is currently developing a second cruise terminal in the old Kai Tak Airport, which is set to open in mid-2013. (See related story here.) HKTB aims to work closely with cruise operators like Royal Caribbean to develop and market more products for cruise passengers in the region.

The 14-deck vessel is fitted with modern guestrooms and other facilities that one would find in an integrated resort – three swimming pools, six whirlpools, spa, a solarium, business centre, conference rooms (for groups of 20 to 400 guests), theatre, ship-wide wifi and over 15 restaurant and bars. There are also a 1,350-seat main theatre, an ice skating rink, a movie screening room, children game rooms, video arcade, a shopping promenade, a teen disco, two-storey nightclub and more.

A variety of sports can also done onboard as the vessel has a basketball court, a mini-golf course, a rock-climbing wall, jogging and in-line skating tracks and more.

The ship's ice skating rink

All these places and venues can be privatised for corporate functions. Royal Caribbean has allowed a range of business events on its vessels from corporate meetings and conventions, product launches, consumer promotions, incentive programmes and trade shows.

Ships, such as Voyager of the Seas, are also available for full-ship charters where event organisers are allowed to customise the ship’s itinerary, shore excursion, onboard activities and events, in-Stateroom television and public area broadcasts, corporate décor throughout the ship and more.

Voyager of the Seas will return to Hong Kong on October 14 on her 14-night sailing from Tianjin to Singapore, which also calls at Jeju, Nagasaki, Xiamen, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok.