Is Hong Kong safe?

[aquidneck1]

mKIng, Thank you so much for all of these posts.  Is the latest map showing a disturbance near the airport.  I am not sure that I am looking at it correctly.  Thanks again. 

[Jamietravelstheworld]

On 11/8/2019 at 3:47 PM, SF said:

We are scheduled to be there the first week of January disembarking from a cruise and we had planned to stay 3 days in a hotel not far from Nathan's Road. With all the riots and unrest right now we are seriously thinking about changing our flight reservations and leaving the day the cruise disembarks. The riots seem to be more violent and not only contained to one area so we feel if we stay we won't get to see very much plus the unease of not knowing if something's suddenly is going to happen nearby concerns us . Anyone else considering changing their flight reservations to leave earlier after disembarking a cruise or canceling their trip to HK?At this point we are so unsure of what to do as it seems that things are only getting worse.

I've thought about changing my flights - I arrive in HK on 2/29. But haven't for the following reasons. My cruise line is still running their post-cruise tour (I'm not on it), and so they're not overly concerned. I'm booked to stay down by the harbor, and my plans are: 2/29-cruise ship tour to Lantau Island; 3/1-disembark ship, go to hotel, and private tour of parts of HK I haven't been to before; 3/2-tour to Macau; and then 3/3 I fly out. Lantau Island and Macau have not been affected by the protests and if there are problems on 3/1, I'll just stay at the hotel and enjoy a relaxing day. My hope, of course, is that everything will settle down by then.

[SF]

Where is the best place to find up-to-date news on the protests? Would like to monitor the situation as our trip is getting closer. 

[Cairn Mom]

Hi mking,

 

Thank you so much for sharing information with us. Our ship, the Majestic Princess is scheduled to dock on Saturday and overnight in Hong Kong during the middle of March. The current plan is to go to Macau on Saturday and fly to XiAn on Sunday. We are using cruise ship transfers to the airport on Sunday. Given the situation, we felt that was the safest bet.
We are thinking of hiring a car and driver on Saturday to take us to Macau. On the way, we want to drop our large suitcases( so we don’t have to deal with them on the plane) at the HK Sheraton which is where we plan to stay , for two nights, when we return from XiAn on Tuesday.  Given the current situation, do you think this is a good plan?

Edited November 11, 2019 by Cairn Mom

[mking8288]

1 hour ago, aquidneck1 said:

... Is the latest map showing a disturbance near the airport ... 

 

Jean ... it was near HKIA but not too close, it was at Tung Chung (where there is the MTR Station, CityGate Outlet Mall w. the Novotel Hotel, and the NgongPing 360, cable car to the Giant/Big Budda ... Monastery.  

 

MTR Station(s) was vandalized and the local Police Station at TC was hit by multiple IED (petrol firebombed) to attempt to harass & set it on fire, etc. - I am not getting into graphic details, as it is not helpful ... folks are getting a generalized picture, go to your mainstream news media for the reporting.  This morning, 3 of the MTR Stations including Tung Chung, remained closed due to damages - no services; and, limited/diverted train services on the East Light Rail & West Light Rail Line (outside Kowloon - serving N.T.) ... more changes affecting some of the bus routes/lines.   Latest "live" overview: Tuesday morning, 9 am local time, HK - rail/subway line services being disrupted due to sabotage ... folks are be late going places. 

 

HK Airport/Lantau - for the time being, I am too concerned about getting to/from the airport and KTCT (Ocean Terminal is used mainly for smaller ships these days) with the ongoing  "events" - especially during the day.  Airport security & police are having success with access control lately, for now.  There are plenty of taxis (metered fare + airport/bridge toll) these days and drivers will most definitely be helpful to go out their way to get you safely to/from your destinations ... make sure addresses are written/printed in Chinese with phone #, as not all of them are fluent in English [use the Google Translate, free app (iOS & Android) is great in off-line mode for the basics ... traditional Chinese or Cantonese, not Mandarin dialect when in HK]

 

Perhaps, a bit of reassurance for those feeling uncomfortable ... please, try not to.  There're some hope expressed that these "incidents" will ease by mid December, ahead of the holidays ... next month's cruise ship calendar is rather busy with multiple ships scheduled to visit HK - keeping eyes on posting my two cents and nickel's worth for thoughts.  

 

Macau/ferry - for those considering/making plans to take the fast ferry to/from Macau - there are more frequent ferries on HK island vs. those at the Kowloon piers, we've taken both - just a matter of which one is closer & more convenient and easiest to get to.  The most you will have to wait is 30 to 60 minutes for the next available one, for a 1 hour hi-speed crossing.  Buy the ferry tickets once you are inside the terminal (DIY kiosk or ticket windows) & check the posted schedule - easy, English spoken ... credit cards accepted.  If you are carrying "excess" luggage over the free allowance, it's just a matter of paying an extra fee when ticketing.  

 

For those flying out of HKIA, airline check-in, ticketing/BP and luggage transfer - including ferry services from both Macau piers - are available and easy - see this link: https://www.hongkongairport.com/en/transport/mainland-connection/airline-check-in-at-prd-and-macao.page

[VitaminSea53]

On 11/11/2019 at 6:43 PM, mking8288 said:

 

Jean ... it was near HKIA but not too close, it was at Tung Chung (where there is the MTR Station, CityGate Outlet Mall w. the Novotel Hotel, and the NgongPing 360, cable car to the Giant/Big Budda ... Monastery.  

 

MTR Station(s) was vandalized and the local Police Station at TC was hit by multiple IED (petrol firebombed) to attempt to harass & set it on fire, etc. - I am not getting into graphic details, as it is not helpful ... folks are getting a generalized picture, go to your mainstream news media for the reporting.  This morning, 3 of the MTR Stations including Tung Chung, remained closed due to damages - no services; and, limited/diverted train services on the East Light Rail & West Light Rail Line (outside Kowloon - serving N.T.) ... more changes affecting some of the bus routes/lines.   Latest "live" overview: Tuesday morning, 9 am local time, HK - rail/subway line services being disrupted due to sabotage ... folks are be late going places. 

 

HK Airport/Lantau - for the time being, I am too concerned about getting to/from the airport and KTCT (Ocean Terminal is used mainly for smaller ships these days) with the ongoing  "events" - especially during the day.  Airport security & police are having success with access control lately, for now.  There are plenty of taxis (metered fare + airport/bridge toll) these days and drivers will most definitely be helpful to go out their way to get you safely to/from your destinations ... make sure addresses are written/printed in Chinese with phone #, as not all of them are fluent in English [use the Google Translate, free app (iOS & Android) is great in off-line mode for the basics ... traditional Chinese or Cantonese, not Mandarin dialect when in HK]

 

Perhaps, a bit of reassurance for those feeling uncomfortable ... please, try not to.  There're some hope expressed that these "incidents" will ease by mid December, ahead of the holidays ... next month's cruise ship calendar is rather busy with multiple ships scheduled to visit HK - keeping eyes on posting my two cents and nickel's worth for thoughts.  

 

Macau/ferry - for those considering/making plans to take the fast ferry to/from Macau - there are more frequent ferries on HK island vs. those at the Kowloon piers, we've taken both - just a matter of which one is closer & more convenient and easiest to get to.  The most you will have to wait is 30 to 60 minutes for the next available one, for a 1 hour hi-speed crossing.  Buy the ferry tickets once you are inside the terminal (DIY kiosk or ticket windows) & check the posted schedule - easy, English spoken ... credit cards accepted.  If you are carrying "excess" luggage over the free allowance, it's just a matter of paying an extra fee when ticketing.  

 

For those flying out of HKIA, airline check-in, ticketing/BP and luggage transfer - including ferry services from both Macau piers - are available and easy - see this link: https://www.hongkongairport.com/en/transport/mainland-connection/airline-check-in-at-prd-and-macao.page

I am one of those scheduled to board a Celebrity cruise in Hong Kong In 3 weeks (Dec 7).  Is the area near the port secure?  Where is it on your map?  Thanks so much. 

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, VitaminSea53 said:

... Is the area near the port secure?  Where is it on your map?  Thanks so much. 

 

The port is the old runway for the Kai Tak Int'l Airport before 1997 on East Kowloon side of the Harbor.  Without getting into specific details (this is an open forum & read by everyone/anyone ... surely, you can appreciate what I am trying to avoid, to tip off the bad dudes) is relatively secured as force protection can be easily & quickly escalated, similar to the airport.  I wouldn't worry about it, for now. There are MTR stations nearby providing easy connections for ship passengers, including Kowloon Bay ... but, the multi-story shopping mall complex was targeted recently, along with others (again, I'm purposely being non-specific) - served by the same subway lines (part of it elevated & above ground).  

 

Hence, I strongly recommend, urge all to pre-install and get familiar with the MTR Mobile App, which I demo'd above, to use as your localized real-time "intel" to what's going on with the surroundings, while you are there - even if you are using ship-chartered buses or motor coaches and/or taxis to get around.  Be sure to plan for and have some local currencies (HKD) available before leaving the cruise terminal, there is a Currency Exchange counter/services inside - make use of it, not the time to worry its not-as-good exchange rates. 

 

Local elections are scheduled to take place next weekend, still expected to happen, and might be a turning point - it's anybody's guess now.  We aren't leaving for our 8 nighter cruise for another 3+ weeks and will continue to try to be helpful with timely advice, factual info & suggestions, as well as critical alerts that affect safety & well-beings of travelers going to/while in HK - trying to be as neutral & impartial as possible.  

 

Here's a newer map of this morning's hotspot with reported police presence.  I've tagged some of the key locations for reference ... KTCT is marked - the runway strip that extend into the habour (centered by "C.T.")

 

 

Edited November 17, 2019 by mking8288

[VitaminSea53]

Be careful..... this is a serious situation .  Video is from today  

 

[mking8288]

DW and I flipped on our live streaming last night (EDT) ... Sunday morning ~ 10:40 am local HK time - HK Police confronting the rioters again, rounds of tear gas against homemade IED's (petro bombs, etc.) ... occupied-university campus officials finally reported that chem labs were broken & chems taken/stolen - elements that can become IED's.  Not good.  

 

That live map snapshot was taken 18+ hours ago.  Below is a newer, nearly current graphic map with real-time data feed by their scouts.  The average visitors & visitors in HK this afternoon/evening would have a very difficult time getting around, making their way back to the hotel, and would most likely be advised to "shelter in place" & eat dinner inside the hotel or next door, whatever is open & serving food.  

 

Earlier today, a police officer with the media liaison bureau was hit by an arrow piecing the lower thigh & injuried, taken to the ER for treatment.    Water cannon & armoured trucks deployed, along with tear geas, pepper spray, beanbag rounds & rubber bullets.   Other locals are said to be trying to live a near "normal" life - eating meals just a block or two away from the trouble spots ... and go to/from work, taking as much as 2 to 3 hours each way to find another way to commute, especially those in the more remote & suburban coastal towns & satellite cities. 

 

With this weekend's Costa visit, ahead of next month's Westerdam & Celebrity visit ... surely hope that they have contingencies, as it might well be warranted at this point - let's see what they will do.  For those sailing in December, let's wait & see - will offer insights & analysis to provide some guidance by Thanksgiving.  

 

@VitaminSea53 - it's almost sunrise, just 6 am local time: live feeds from overnight/early this morning were worst, definitely avoid the entire East Kowloon/Hung Hom area ... upwards of several hundreds barricaded against the police to stand their grounds, with calls for reinforcement from others to come rescue; and to distract the police by staging incidents elsewhere across the city.   

 

It's not easy to not inject editorial comments & personal opinions here. HK Police - IMHO - continued to exercise tremendous restrains in not using lethal force to disperse and to make arrest.  Happening now - police operations underway 45 minutes ago to enter the university campus, with one of the overpass over the "Cross Harbour Tunnel" in Hung Hum, forced to stay closed for several days due to damages & sabotage.  Multiple fire raging on campus (PolyTech U) in Kowloon at daybreak.  Not an endpoint, rather a flashpoint ... awaiting ahead, more unknown. 

 

The latest news will be live soon, if not already and likely be all over the globe. Please refer to your favorite sources for the details.  

 

[mking8288]

Update & food for thoughts: It's early Saturday morning in HK now, spotlight this week has been focused mainly in Kowloon East / Hung Hom, not far from the Tsim Sha Tsui area at PolyTech University, where a holdout group (estimated now, down to about 50) continued to occupy the campus ... as efforts to re-open the Cross Harbour Tunnel continue (1 of 3, the oldest & most convenient & busiest "tube") 

 

MTR subway, train & light rail services remain handicapped and in recovery mode, but continue to close earlier than usual, including - sometimes - the Airport Express.  Most services expected to end no later than 10 pm.  In light of the dynamic situations, I recommend paying a little extra and use taxis to get into the city and out to the airport.  It should bypass and avoid most of the frequent locations for disruptions, vandalism & sabotage ... some of it, rather serious & dangerous.  More IED's (petrol bottles) found near Baptist University, not far near a site calling for a gathering later this morning in Kowloon Tong, Kowloon ... Chemical or dirty bombs possible, fairly substantial quantities of chemicals taken/stolen from 2 university's labs that're broken into last week, not fully acccounted for.  

 

There has been a dip in reported incidents mid-week, as the focus is on this Sunday's local district/concil elections ... and, depending on the outcomes - anything goes afterward,   

 

For those wondering what else to do if staying in Lantau, near the HKIA ... have a look at these, reachable by "local" buses and/or island taxis - 15 to 20 minutes from Tung Chung, a notch further from the airport/hotels.  Tung Chung's Citygate multi-story shopping & outlet mall has a number of good restaurants & indoor food court ... in case someone is interested in Addias or Nike & Coach, etc. 

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/in/dine-drink/where-to-eat/discovery-bay.jsp

https://www.np360.com.hk/en/attraction/tung-chung-fort

Ngong Ping 360 is scheduled to be open today, info in the above link - please reconfirm the hours when you are there, closing at 5 p.m.  Not really a place I usually recommend, seen it once ... years ago, tourism-oriented but it's nice, safe & easy.  Of course, there's Disneyland not far away ... not everyone's cup of tea. 

 

Link to a mid-week map on the "port disruption" post that I responded to ... scroll down, it has map legend/symbols decoded.  Just FYI - 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2709578-hong-kong-port-disruption/?tab=comments#comment-58815276

 

Good luck for CC'er on the Costa ship and safe travel.  

 

 

[SF]

mking8288:

Thank you so much for your frequent updates and all the help you've provided for those of us visiting Hong Kong in the near future.

We have decided to switch our hotel from  Kowloon near the Tsim Sha Tsui area to one by HKIA. We decided to take the bus crossing the new bridge to see Macau and to visit the Big Buddha on another day. We do have a tour scheduled on a Friday but it all depends on how things are that day. 

Could you please tell me the best way to get to the Big Buddha from one of the hotels near HKIA. Also how far in advance do you think we need to purchase tickets? Is it better to just take a taxi to the top or go via cable car? 

[MightyQuinn]

5 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Update & food for thoughts ...

 

mking8288, many thanks for your continued dedication to providing real time info on the situation in Hong Kong so we can make informed decisions about future visits. Your posts and links are tremendously helpful and much appreciated.

[mking8288]

@SF - (and others) - Lantau island, where the common connection for HKIA, Sea-Bridge, Disneyland, Tung Chung, Discovery Bay & nearby Mui Wo (NE shore) as wear as Tai O (historic/true modern day fishing village) and Giant Budda/Ngong Ping 360 cable car are all located - has been insulated and largely protected against most of the protests, etc. over the last 6 months.  

 

Whether you are staying at an A/P hotel or nearby ones, there should be a local bus connection/service that will take you to nearby Tung Chung, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes at most - just ask the hotel's front desk for directions & which way to walk.  Google Map on your App will work (nicely all over HK & Macau) w GPS enabled.  Tung Chung is THE mass transit/transport hub on the island - signage at the terminal and with the bus, even stops along the route, should be bilingual.  Giant Budda is on one of the highest peak/point for the island, easily visible from almost anywhere on the island on a clear day ... 

 

From Tung Chung, the frugal way to get up to the Giant Budda on one of the highest mountain peak/hilltop is to take the public bus, about 30 minutes & inexpensive - Octopus card or exact change paid when boarding, front of the bus.  Taxi will be a metered fare (green ones for the island - availabiity can be limited) & only save a few minutes, as it will be on a two lanes road, one each direction ... thru the countryside, it is a beautiful & scenic ride.  Lastly, for those in a hurry - the NP 360 cable car (1 way up or down, or round-trip) ... it's about $35 USD p/p for adults each way, discounts available ... check the website link.  This is the scenic ride, about 20 minutes with a great view of HKIA on the way up or down the mountains ... seeing some of the hiking trails below.   On the hilltop, you walk thru the NP Village - it's another 10 minutes walk to reach the Po Lin Monastery ... ahead will be the Giant Budda.  Beware of steep steps & stairs to reach the top (bring bottled water / also sold in stores & shops at the "village") ... Being winter & January, dress in layers ... locals will be bundled up in down coats, scarfs, gloves & heavy sweaters and thermals.  

 

When finished, vegetarian lunch is available there ... some of the casual dining places will have typical comfort/local food.  Options: take the cable car down or wait for the next bus down to Tung Chung, or wait for a taxi.

 

As far as purchasing tickets in advance or making reservations, probably not necessary going forward - as mainland visitor's traffic has been down.  You can order the tickets ahead with the App to skip the ticketing window to purchase ... what's important is to confirm the opening & closing hours before leaving on the day of ... the cable car system was down for major maintenance, now up & running - it will stop running or suspend for safety reasons due to wind, weather, etc. 

 

If you wanted to see the southwest shore of Lantau, mainly Tai O Fishing Village, a different bus at the Ngong Ping transportation terminal (open door) will take you there directly - very easy, less than 25 minutes - for late lunch, early dinner ... most famous for fresh seafood.  Last time we were there - not too long ago, these placed pretty much look largely the same as 30 and 40 years ago, still under-developed, except at satellite cities like Tung Chung ... rest is still countryside ... free ranging small herds of cattles roaming the rice fields, abandoned farmland & roadside - a dramatic contrast to highly urbanized concrete jungle of HK island & Kowloon.  

 

Otherwise, it should be easy to get to Discovery Bay for waterfront dining and/or Sunny Bay/Disneyland ... all the connections via Tung Chung, back to the hotels ... 5 to 7, 10 minutes at most.  Don't forget to ask & check if the hotel runs a regular shuttle services to Tung Chung MTR.  

 

Effective 19th of Nov. HK Police has a newly appointed, experienced Cmsr. in charge of the 30,000 members force, and is a known hard-liner.  Apparently, is determined to be assertive - authorized SWAT/SDU team deployment, using flash bang (stun) grenade to aid in making arrest; and, riot officers now seen carrying AR-15 for force protection, after a P.O. was hit by an arrow in the lower thigh.  One more pivotal point in where this is going - all of that can be read in the English SCMP a HK news site online ... in addition to BBC, CNN & other global sources.  

 

Let's see what happened this weekend & after Sunday's local election results are known ... trying to balance these alerts vs. keeping matters under the radar, being a public forum.  Each day, each week is different and something new ... I don't see urgent reasons to sound the general alarm for CC'er mariners, not yet.  KTCT does have a good # of ships calling HK next month around the holidays ... continuing into 2020. 

 

Edited November 22, 2019 by mking8288

[SF]

mking8288:

Thanks for all the detailed information on how to get to the Big Buddha. 

As for weather how cold will it be there in the beginning of January? From your description it sounds like the temperature gets real cold. Guess we'll add scarves and gloves to the list.😁

[mking8288]

Actually, HK's winter is very moderate compared to the major European cities and that of USA, i.e. mid-Atlantic like Atlanta, GA, and seldom see any snow, if ever, unless on higher elevations.  Weather channel and/or Google the 10 days forecast, it's about 27 degree C now or about 81 degree F, overnight low 18 to 20 degree C (above 65 degree F) - which is a light Fall weather jacket day for us.  Temps will be above 10 to 15 degree F (50 to 60 F) mostly, further away in places like Lantau, high up at the Giant Budda or in N.T. - temps typically 2 or 3 degree lower ... of course, the north wind blowing will add to the wind chill factors.  A 3 season jacket or light parka with a liner that can be unzipped will take care of the "cold" spells for locals.  Scarf & gloves for those prone to chills & with other health risk factors ... no snow boots or therrmal underwears.  

 

Hotel's HVAC will take care of matters while indoor - the typical apartment ("flats') and high-rise buildings (homes) aren't insulated and unlike Bejing or Shanghai, do not have integrated heating system - thus, the "fear" of the cold for local residents, due to different housing/building construction codes.  

[SF]

Will throw in some light long sleeves and a lined Fall jacket just in case.🧥

[mking8288]

To put a a little positive karma into all that destruction, violence, sabotage and negativity - here's a YT video about Lantau's Tai O Fishing Village, starting from the Tung Chung MTR Station, exiting & walking over to the bus terminal nearby - boarding the air-conditoned bus (No. 11) for the ride over to Tai O - narrative is in Chinese, pictures are worth 10,000 words.  (55 minutes video - about 2 years old, still very much current)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5dsJqQXJ1U

 

If the link is broken - copy & paste this into YT and search, it should come up

【香港好去處】大澳｜漁村風情 

 

Go experience HK's countryside, the way it was ... you'll find actually find quite a few retired, expatriots living there (some working or semi-retired) - English spoken, friendly and safe ... comfortable walking shoes, watch your footsteps as the old unbeaten path might not be smooth and even. 

 

Sending all positive energy ... "qi" for all of you traveling & visiting.  And, if by chance - any of you come across uniformed police officers on duty, on patrol and not occupied - please do give them 2 thumbs up & thank them for me ! 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Good evening for those of us in the post-Thanksgiving/Black Friday recovery mode in the Americas - it's daybreak, Sunday morning - HK local time.  Just a few quick notes/update ... FYI, maybe helpful for those on next week's Celebrity & Westerdam sailing, ready to finalize plans - if you aren't en route or onboard.

 

This past 10 days has been relatively quieter & non-confrontational with the local elections, now over for the (18 district councils) ... a historic voters turnout & outcome/results.  PolyTech U's campus occupation/seige is over, police has done their "work" & turned back the buildings and grounds to the university administration, removing nearly 4,000 homemade IED (petro bottles) - some strapped with compressed gas containers and 1,300 volatile chemical devices.  Among the 1,300 individuals that came out of the campus, more than 1/3 were under 18 years old - only 50 in total were university students, according to official police source, undisputed - the rest, all "outsiders".  Cross Harbour Tunnel (Hung Hom) has been reopened after being repaired & deemed safe enough.  Most of the MTR & Light Rail station/facilities had been repaired & returned to operational status, still on shortened hours - spare/replacement parts are low to none.  

 

SCMP has ongoing news on the details on what & where, I will skip describing and putting labels on the current situation & outlook - 

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3040075/sense-unease-hangs-over-hong-kong-protesters-prepare-anti

Overnight, the hotspots returned to Nathan Road, focused around Prince Edward MTR Station & nearby ... roads blocked, fire-related vandalism & riot police fired pepper spray balls & tear gas rounds - the usuals, returned.  

 

There has been midday - weekday "lunch" gathering to continue to draw attention and as protests, largely with the goal of disruption the flow ... in Central & elsewhere, but, also in Kowloon Bay area - near the Telford Plazas/Garden - next to/near the MTR Station (4.5 km or 2.5 miles from Kai Tak Cruise Terminal).  These tend to be brief, short & usually watched closely by the police in riot gears, just in case.  Not expecting any serious disruptions at the cruise terminal - but never can say for sure - allow extra travel time to/from when visiting on a day stop, etc.  Crowd size has been relatively small, similar to the ones in Central on the island.

 

Events scheduled for "today" - Sunday afternoon/evening ... another one targeting HKIA apparently fizzled out / postponed - with no ships coming in, let's just skim over the details, not important.  Heads up is for next (coming) weekend with 2 ships scheduled - the W should be out but the CM cruisers should be mindful of developments ... Sunday afternoon & be prepared to make smart decisions.  Do avoid the island side - by midday and be done with. Make use of all the suggested/recommended Apps that I previously posted if you are there.   

 

Unless situations worsen to warrant an update - will not post until midweek to give some of you a bit more of my thoughts, for your own consideration.  Meanwhile, going to update the cruise ship calendar for HK this month so that I can reference it ... will be mostly offline from next Friday for about 8 days on our own cruise with some satellite WiFi time at sea.  Regards - happy cruising & safe travel to all. 

 

Temps next week turning "colder" - 13 degree to 19 degree C, wow - that's it ... 55 deg to 65 deg. F  

 

 

Edited December 1, 2019 by mking8288

[MightyQuinn]

@mking8288 I appreciate your continued thoughts.  Thanks to your posts, I'm now reading scmp.com almost daily to stay current on HK events.  I was borderline optimistic that things were improving until I read today that teargas was used in TST during an authorized protest rally this weekend.  We don't travel until March/April so I'll continue to do my due diligence.  Our ship is scheduled to dock at Ocean Terminal and we're staying in TST so fingers crossed.  If we don't hear from you before your travels, best wishes for a fabulous cruise!

[SF]

mking8288:

Thanks for the update. We'll be in Hong Kong next month so hoping things quiet down. Enjoy your cruise and safe travels. Your updates which have kept us informed have been greatly appreciated.

[mking8288]

Mid-week - with a heads-up for those heading to/disembark/embark in HK this weekend/early next week, to be aware of (as it pertain to cruising/cruise & airport/ground travel) ... SCMP news site should/will likely be reporting them as well:

 

Dec 7 - Sat.  Call to disrupt airport access - bridge/highway access in the early afternoon.  Airport Express train should not be affected.  Bus, taxi & private vehicle will likely be impacted - if they are able to ...  Expect police presence, including checkpoints & roadblocks, etc. 

 

Dec 8 - Sun.  Large scale gathering in Victoria Park to Central, via Wan Chai area (HK island side) - starting at 15:00 hours.  Avoid the island and beware of disruptions are possible in other areas to distract and divert law enforcement resources.  This is a major flash point/hotspot.  Stay tuned to local, live news & alert, etc.  Cruisers ... this could be the "all hands on deck" and sounding the "general alarm" drill ... with another call for a midnight deadline.  

 

Dec 9 - Mon.  Call for Triple Strike ... General Strike if demands aren't met overnight by authorities.  Impact unknown - morning commute & travel can be a serious problem all around. 

 

That's it for now, please exercise caution and be mindful.  

[Jamietravelstheworld]

I'm in the U.S. and was talking to a couple today who live in Hong Kong (he's an American pilot for Fedex) and she's a Russian. They told me that I should not be concerned at all about going to Hong Kong - that there are no reasons to worry for personal safety. They said there might be some inconveniences due to transportation closures but other than that they said not to worry.

 

I also have a friend from Hong Kong who currently lives in Australia. She arrived in Hong Kong last week to spend the month with her family. So far she's seen peaceful protests and graffiti but nothing else and nothing to be concerned about.

 

Jamie

[Expat Cruise]

I was in Hong Kong last week,  I travel to Hong Kong 5 to 6 times a year and have done so for the last 10 years. Jamietravelstheworld  post is correct really nothing to worry about. In fact I found it to be much better than normal times, tourism is way down, so prices are down.  If a protest can cause  traffic and transportation issues but overall easier to travel because less people. 

 

Have run into several protesters and they are very much pro American Pro Western World.  They showed me nothing but kindness and respect.  I have no issues traveling to Hong Kong now I will be back in Hong Kong in less than two weeks, long lay over so I will leave the airport and have a great lunch  in the city..... looking forward to another wonderful trip. 

 

I do not see risks for cruise passengers. If a protest it will be in a small area. If Protest near Ladies Market for example you have three or four other markets  you can go to. I would not recommend getting between the protesters and the police, or going someplace with a active protest but no problems outside of those types of things.

[Cairn Mom]

15 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

I was in Hong Kong last week,  I travel to Hong Kong 5 to 6 times a year and have done so for the last 10 years. Jamietravelstheworld  post is correct really nothing to worry about. In fact I found it to be much better than normal times, tourism is way down, so prices are down.  If a protest can cause  traffic and transportation issues but overall easier to travel because less people. 

 

Have run into several protesters and they are very much pro American Pro Western World.  They showed me nothing but kindness and respect.  I have no issues traveling to Hong Kong now I will be back in Hong Kong in less than two weeks, long lay over so I will leave the airport and have a great lunch  in the city..... looking forward to another wonderful trip. 

 

I do not see risks for cruise passengers. If a protest it will be in a small area. If Protest near Ladies Market for example you have three or four other markets  you can go to. I would not recommend getting between the protesters and the police, or going someplace with a active protest but no problems outside of those types of things.

What a relief. Thank you and Jamie for posting.

[CruisingFox27]

Thank you for the recent updates. It appears there is currently very limited disruption to cruise ship visitors. We still have over 2 months until our visit but the information relayed certainly provides confidence for our trip. We will be booking a ship excursion, which additionally should ensure we don't inadvertently wander anywhere which is an issue.