Cruise ships in Hong Kong before the pandemic (Kai Tak Cruise Terminal)
Hong Kong officials are currently negotiating with the cruise industry to resume restricted cruise service to local residents as part of an effort to get parts of the economy going again. Residents were largely confined to the city, which, along with tight controls, allowed Hong Kong to virtually eliminate the COVID-19 virus.
Hong Kong media reports that officials said cruises could begin in months to allow residents to escape the city. However, Hong Kong is expected to take a similar approach to Singapore when it comes to resuming cruises. Local officials are expected to approve short sea cruises with no ports of call and strict restrictions on the operation of the ships.
However, the South China Morning Post reports that officials are planning to require cruise ships to vaccinate all crew members, or that Hong Kong may provide vaccinations for the crew before cruises begin. It is also reported that all passengers would also need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Singapore, in partnership with DMV, has put in place a strict protocol that focuses on social distancing and sanitation, and limits the number of people on the ships and the size of groups. Passengers will also need to wear a tracking device or have an app on their phones so they can know if they’ve been exposed to the virus when tracking is needed.
Recently, Singapore further tightened restrictions on cruise lines and reduced the number of passengers allowed on board. All of the restaurants and bars on the chips also offer take-out or delivery to the cabin food service only, similar to the restrictions in restaurants recently reintroduced ashore. These measures were taken after Singapore reported a surge in virus cases.
Hong Kong officials have already made several attempts to allow residents to travel during the pandemic. There was talk of opening corridors to other cities, including Singapore, which had also controlled their number of cases. Hong Kong had also allowed airlines to offer flights to nowhere where people boarded planes that were flying in circles in Chinese airspace before returning to Hong Kong.
It was rumored that both Royal Caribbean International and Genting’s Dream Cruises were in talks with Hong Kong authorities. Both companies have sailed from Hong Kong in the past, and it was the two cruise companies that were allowed to run similar cruise programs from Singapore.
Chinese officials also allowed a limited readmission from Domestic cruises within China. In December, a cruise line was allowed to start a test program for short cruises from Hainan.
