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Kai tak cruise terminal Hong Kong Query


eric4395
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My wife and i will be disembarking our cruise at kai tak and going to novotel hotel nathan road for a 3 night stay.

Will we be able to exchange money at cruise terminal.

We will take a taxi to hotel but what advice is best

Wait for taxi in cruise terminal or take free shuttle bus to plaza hollywood and get a taxi there to hotel. Can you load luggage on this free shuttle bus?

Thanks for any advice given.

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Will we be able to exchange money at cruise terminal.

 

Wait for taxi in cruise terminal or take free shuttle bus to plaza hollywood and get a taxi there to hotel. Can you load luggage on this free shuttle bus?

 

First: I don't know about money but would imagine that there would be money exchanges in the Terminal.

 

Second: taxis are plentiful and comparatively cheap in HK. You could take the shuttle and load up your baggage in the bus - the bus is for tourist and their baggage! Taxis are plentiful at the terminal.

 

That said, you can save a few dollars by taking the bus and taxi from the Plaza but why?

 

You are on vacation and why spend time and energy loading luggage on a bus and then loading it on a taxi?

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First: I don't know about money but would imagine that there would be money exchanges in the Terminal.

 

Second: taxis are plentiful and comparatively cheap in HK. You could take the shuttle and load up your baggage in the bus - the bus is for tourist and their baggage! Taxis are plentiful at the terminal.

 

That said, you can save a few dollars by taking the bus and taxi from the Plaza but why?

 

You are on vacation and why spend time and energy loading luggage on a bus and then loading it on a taxi?

Only because I was under the impression that there are sometimes not enough taxis at the cruise terminal and that it is quicker to take shuttle bus then taxi from Plaza but if that is wrong I stand corrected and will just wait in the taxi line at the cruise terminal.

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You may have a short wait for a taxi at the terminal, the taxi lines are tightly controlled and move fast. When you collect your luggage grab a porter for your luggage, he will wait at the kerbside until you have been assigned a taxi - so you don't have to drag your lugage through the taxi lines.

 

The shuttle bus to Plaza Hollywood can accommodate your luggage, the driver will open up the usual storage areas. The problem going to Plazza Hollywood is the bus stops some way from the plaza and on the main road, you will have to lug suitcases a long way to get to and to find the taxi stand inside the plaza. Also who can say if there could also be a line waiting for taxis.

 

Don't stress yourself, take the taxi from terminal. There are currency exchange facilities in the terminal, but would suggest you get some HK$ at home to take with you.

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For simplicity, there are bank-owned/operated ATM inside the cruise terminal, they give you a better exchange rates than the currency exchange there, open on port days with ship(s) docked. Staying in town, there are currency exchanges everywhere in the tourist area, off Nathan Road & of course, Tsim Sha Tsiu area - with competitive rates vs. airport & cruise terminal, very easy to ID them with signage. Or, go to most bank with passport & exchange it, a fee is charged these days (used to do it as a courtesy) We mostly prefer to withdraw money from ATM, home bank alerted/advised before we leave for our trips.

 

As noted, there could be fewer taxis at the MTR station waiting vs. taxi dispatchers & help at KTCT, the queues move slow because of luggage loading ... others that came back recently reported it being organized & smooth, and, help giving driver instruction on destination name/address, as most aren't English fluent.

 

Taxi fare is cheap from KT to Novotel on Nathan Road and trip time is quick, 15 to 25 minutes on average, less than $80 or 90 HKD ($11 to $12 USD) with loose change as small tips (10% will do) - why waste time for 2 lines, one for the "free" shuttle van/bus line, a little in the opposite direction for the hotel - which itself is another 10 minutes - walk/find/wait for taxi for another 15 to 20 minutes ride to the hotel. Taxi fare will be higher slightly as well - it's not practical nor make sense.

 

Keep in mind that the shuttles are provided by the mall merchants as a courtesy for shoppers from the ships, not as local transportation to bridge the ride to the hotel or airport via other means of transportation like MTR or taxis - especially with large pieces of luggage.

 

If you pack & travel light and manage to work your way to Diamond Hills MTR station area, then you might as well be adventurous & discover HK's crowded but efficient MTR subway lines, and take that to Jordan Road MTR, then walk several blocks up Nathan Road to the Novotel ... saving a few bucks :evilsmile:

 

Be advised, HK is humid except in the "colder" winter months, it's better to ride in air-conditioned comfort of a car ... there are other ways to save money & be frugal. Not to mention, the shuttle and then transfer to taxi to the hotel is slower and not a wise choice, IMO ...of course, end up costing more in time & money.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just arrived at that terminal last week on a cruise. There was no ATM, though there was money exchange. You will need cash for taxis so ensure you either have small HKD before you arrive, or money to change.

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Really great organization at the port. We waited barely 5 mins for a taxi. Controller asked the name of our hotel, wrote it in chinese and the cost and we gave to our driver. Wish other countries were as good when disembarking cruises.

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