Hong KongCruise Port Guide
Dock at Ocean Terminal and the harbour, the Star Ferry and Tsim Sha Tsui's museums are on your doorstep; dock at Kai Tak and a bus takes you in. Either way, the skyline is the show.
Welcome to Hong Kong
Pro Picks
Food tour · 3 hrsHong Kong street and restaurant food tour
Seven tastings through Sheung Wan's old Chinese quarter, from dim sum to wonton noodles, with the stories of its dried-seafood streets. It meets at Sheung Wan MTR exit E2 (pick the exit on the platform), and it can't cater for vegetarians.
From $57.34/ person
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Day trip · 6 hrsLantau Island: cable car, Big Buddha and Tai O
Ride the cable car up to the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, then visit the stilt houses of Tai O fishing village and take a boat ride. It runs 10:00 to 16:00 from Tung Chung MTR, so it only suits a full day in port.
From $70.07/ person
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Peak Tram · 1–3 hrsPeak Tram to Victoria Peak
The funicular has climbed from Central to Victoria Peak since 1888, 1.4 km up to 396 m above the harbour, and combo tickets add the Sky Terrace 428 viewing deck. Klook suggests one to three hours; from Ocean Terminal, cross on the Star Ferry first.
From $10.55/ person
Book Now →Your time ashore
Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
Hong Kong in 3 hours
Walking tour
Caged homes walking tour
A guide takes you through a working-class Kowloon district to see how subdivided flats and caged homes work. It starts inside Prince Edward MTR station at exit D, a few stops from Tsim Sha Tsui.
From$36.95
Time required2 hours
Peak Tram
Peak Tram ticket
Ride the funicular up Victoria Peak for the view back over the harbour; allow one to three hours. From Ocean Terminal, take the Star Ferry to Central first.
From$10.55
Time required1-3 hours
Hong Kong in 5 hours
Food tour
Dim sum, roast goose and local tastings
A three-hour food walk with seven-plus tastings, including dim sum and roast goose. It meets at Tin Hau MTR exit A1 on Hong Kong Island; tell them about dietary needs in advance.
From$105.97
Time required3 hours
Boat tour
UNESCO Geopark sea arches by boat
Cruise out to the volcanic sea arches of the Hong Kong Geopark, with island landings on the longer option. It leaves from Sai Kung Public Pier, berth 5, in the New Territories, so allow travel time each way.
From$40.77
Time required2.5 - 4 hours
Hong Kong in 7 hours
Day trip
Ngong Ping cable car, Big Buddha and Tai O
Ride the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, then a guide shows you the Big Buddha and Tai O fishing village. Redeem the cable-car ticket at Tung Chung by 11:00; if the cable car stops for weather, the tour is cancelled.
From$67.53
Time required5 hours
Walking tour
Six-hour city walk with lunch
A full walking day through Central's financial district and St John's Cathedral, up on the Peak Tram, with lunch included. It meets outside Central MTR exit K.
From$66.25
Time required6 hours
Within a stroll of the boat
This walk starts at Ocean Terminal in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, where the Star Ferry and the harbourfront museums are minutes away; there's no beach within a walk. Ships at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal are a bus or taxi ride from here.
Ferry · 0.1 mi · ~2 min
Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier
The pier for the Star Ferry to Central or Wan Chai, a cheap harbour crossing with the skyline all around.
Landmark · 0.2 mi · ~5 min
1881 Heritage
The restored former Marine Police Headquarters compound, now a heritage site, just across Canton Road.
Museum · 0.3 mi · ~8 min
Hong Kong Space Museum
The egg-shaped dome on the waterfront, with hands-on exhibits and a planetarium.
Museum · 0.3 mi · ~8 min
Hong Kong Museum of Art
Next to the Space Museum, with more than 17,000 objects from Chinese calligraphy to local artists.
Promenade · 0.5 mi · ~11 min
Avenue of Stars
The harbourfront walk with film stars' handprints and a Bruce Lee statue, facing the island skyline.
Handy Helpers
Small things that make a port day easier.
Private Driver, Waiting at the Dock
A pre-booked driver meets you at the dock for a fixed price. No haggling, no waiting for a taxi to fill.
Bike rental
Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.
Travel eSIM
Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in Hong Kong.
Quick answers
Facts last checked .
How we checked these answers
Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.
- Hong Kong Tourism Board: Maximise your time at Ocean Terminal
- Hong Kong Tourism Board: Maximise your time at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal
- Hong Kong Tourism Commission: LCQ18 Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (2014)
- Harbour City (Ocean Terminal operator): nearby attractions
- Kai Tak Cruise Terminal: getting here
- Hong Kong Tourism Board: Star Ferry
- Hong Kong Tourism Board: traveller essentials
- Hong Kong Immigration Department: visit visa requirements
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection: travel documents
- US State Department: Hong Kong travel advisory
- Hong Kong Observatory: basic terms of time services
- Hong Kong Observatory: Hong Kong summer time
Getting ashore
Where do cruise ships dock in Hong Kong?
Cruise ships in Hong Kong dock at one of two terminals on the Kowloon side: Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui, a 2-minute walk from the Star Ferry, or Kai Tak Cruise Terminal on the old airport runway, about 3 miles east, whose two berths were built for the world's largest ships. Your cruise documents name the terminal.
Where do Princess, Celebrity or Royal Caribbean cruise ships dock in Hong Kong?
Check your cruise documents: a Princess, Celebrity or Royal Caribbean ship calling at Hong Kong docks at either Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui or Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, and the itinerary names which. Ocean Terminal puts you a 2-minute walk from the Star Ferry; Kai Tak's two berths were built to take the largest cruise ships afloat and are a bus or taxi ride from town.
Is the Hong Kong cruise port walkable to transit?
From Ocean Terminal, yes: the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry pier is a 2-minute walk and the Clock Tower and Cultural Centre are 3 minutes, according to Harbour City. Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is about 3 miles from Tsim Sha Tsui and not a walk; take Citybus 22S to Kai Tak MTR station or green minibus 86 to Kowloon Bay MTR. The stroll map covers Ocean Terminal.
How do I get from Kai Tak Cruise Terminal to the city? Is there a free shuttle?
From Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Citybus 20X goes straight to Jordan and Tsim Sha Tsui for HK$10.30, about every 20–30 minutes; Citybus 22S (HK$7.30) and minibus 86 (HK$7.1) link to the MTR. The terminal's own getting-here page lists no free shuttle. Taxis pick up out front and most want cash in Hong Kong dollars; buses also take credit cards.
Is there anything to do at the Hong Kong cruise terminal?
Yes, especially at Ocean Terminal: it's part of Harbour City, with more than 450 shops and about 70 places to eat, and a short walk brings you to the Space Museum, the Museum of Art and the Avenue of Stars. The Star Ferry across the harbour costs under HK$5 on weekdays. At Kai Tak, the Tourism Board points to Chi Lin Nunnery, Kowloon City's Thai food and the Lei Yue Mun seafood bazaar.
Around Hong Kong
How do I get to Hong Kong Island from the cruise terminal?
Take the Star Ferry: from Ocean Terminal the Tsim Sha Tsui pier is a 2-minute walk, and boats cross to Central or Wan Chai for under HK$5 on weekdays and under HK$7 at weekends, paid by Octopus card or token. From Kai Tak, ride the bus to Tsim Sha Tsui or the MTR first.
How do I get to Victoria Peak from the cruise ship?
Ride the Peak Tram, the funicular that has climbed from Central to Victoria Peak since 1888, rising to 396 m above sea level. From Ocean Terminal, cross on the Star Ferry to Central first. Klook lists Peak Tram tickets from $10.55 and suggests one to three hours for the visit. See the 3-hour plans.
Money, documents and safety
Do I need Hong Kong dollars, or can I use US dollars or cards?
Hong Kong's currency is the Hong Kong dollar, pegged at about 7.8 to the US dollar, and the Tourism Board says international credit cards and contactless payments are accepted at many hotels, shops and restaurants. Buses take credit cards and the MTR accepts Visa, but most taxis want cash in Hong Kong dollars, so carry some.
Do US citizens need a visa for Hong Kong?
No: US passport holders can visit Hong Kong visa-free for up to 90 days, according to Hong Kong's Immigration Department. Your cruise line tells you whether to carry your passport ashore. If you ever had to fly home from Hong Kong, US Customs requires a passport book or another accepted air-travel document.
Is it safe for US citizens to travel to Hong Kong right now?
The US State Department rates Hong Kong Level 2, 'exercise increased caution', because of the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including national security laws that apply to foreigners as well as residents.
What time zone is Hong Kong in?
Hong Kong is on Hong Kong Standard Time, UTC+8, kept by the Hong Kong Observatory, and it doesn't change its clocks for summer. Check whether your ship keeps local time; the all-aboard time it announces is the one to follow.