PREMIUM CRUISE SHIP SHORE EXCURSIONS--Experience the Iconic Sights and Cantonese Street Culture on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon
““The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes ‘sight-seeing’” ”
I will see to it that you will see more than you ever thought possible!
Immediately to the left of the rising sun, you can see the Kai Tak Cruise Ship Terminal located at the end of the runway of the famous old Kai Tak Airport. That is where most of the supersized passenger vessels berth these days. It's a little bit out of the way, but if your ship berths there, that is where I will come to welcome you and I do not charge any transportation surcharge for doing so.
Sunset over Kai Tak Cruise Ship Terminal. Notice Kowloon's famous Lion Rock on the top of the peak seen in the distance.
On the opposite side of Victoria Harbor at the very tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, just behind the tall building in the foreground (the IFC), you can see the Star Ferry Tsim Sha Tsui Terminal and immediately to the left, Hong Kong's famous Ocean Terminal. Built in 1966, it was reputedly one of the first modern shopping malls opened in Asia. I was in Hong Kong shortly following its opening.
Bruce Lee and Maria Yi on the Roof of Ocean Terminal
My high school graduation watch and first interview suit were purchased here! I wanted a suit like Bruce Lee wore in the opening scenes of Enter the Dragon, as the movie came out the year of my graduation. I remember being shown around by an Englishman who my Dad affectionately referred to as James Bond. He introduced us to beggar's chicken (baked in lotus leaves and mud) in the Spring Deer Restaurant, a Hong Kong classic still open for business!.
I routinely welcome my cruise ship clients at all three venues, Kai Tak Terminal, Ocean Terminal and/or the Clock Tower at the Star Ferry Terminal, which is a convenient centrally located meeting point in Kowloon.
My premium cruise ship shore excursions can commence from any of those three venues. It is critical that you let me know exactly which terminal your ship will berth at.
The port of Hong Kong is near and dear to my heart. My Dad was a pioneer in logistical management and played a pivotal role in the early containerization of the shipping industry in the Far East, including Hong Kong. I walk past his old office building at the corner of Cameron and Carnavan Roads almost every day. And yes, we collected stamps and coins.
Depending on the amount of time you have in port, I can take you to see the main sights in Kowloon and on Hong Kong Island.
A full day tour is my most popular tour. It is 7-8 hours and covers a wide loop through Kowloon, crossing Victoria Harbour and covering historic Central District on Hong Kong Island as well as the absolute best vantage point on Victoria Peak. We also make a local lunch stop along the way. In 6-7-8 hours I can deliver a holistic presentation of colonial and modern day Hong Kong.
The half day tour is 3-4-5 hours. I endeavor to cover as much ground as possible. But simply as a matter of geography it is impossible for me to cover the same territory as the whole day tour.
The famous Star Ferry, for many years the symbolic passageway to China and high on my list of must see historic points of interest. The Cruise Ship Shore Excursion Bus will be at the readed Aberdeen Jewelry Factory right about when we arrive here. Remind me to recite the ferry founders favorite Alfred Lord Tennyson poem and show you the spot where William Holden sketched Nancy Kwan in The World of Suzy Wong.
For reference, Kowloon is best for experiencing the raw Cantonese street culture of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Island is essential for understanding modern day Hong Kong and its early development as a British Colony.
The Lei Yue Mun channel. All large passenger vessels enter and depart through this scenic channel, which historically was always fortified and well defended on both sides. Beyond you see Devil's Hill, a very popular local venue for photographing magnificent sunsets over Victoria Harbour. Along the shore is an authentic squatter village and a Tin Hau Temple (the Goddess of the Sea).
At the end of the day I will ordinarily see you off at the terminal or see to it you are in a safe taxi returning thereto with plenty of time to spare.
If you want to spend additional time in town, I will make sure you have the ability to return safely and promptly to ship on your own.
A taxi ride between the Kai Tak Cruise Ship Terminal and the Star Ferry in Tsim Sha Tsui is about 30 minutes.
I have been told by many savvy cruise ship clients that there is absolutely no way the regular bus excursions organized by the cruise companies can possibly cover the terrain covered by my premium cruise ship day excursions.
One thing you can be absolutely certain of, there will be no jewelry factory visits on my route plan.
