Hong Kong unrest...

[luvtahoma]

Greetings all !  We have an upcoming cruise from Hong Kong in a couple of months and of course we are concerned about the on-going problems there now.  We have scheduled 4 days in the city prior to the cruise and we are fast approaching the final payment/final decision date!  I realize Seabourn has not changed any departures from that port, but I am more concerned about the 4 days prior to the cruise.  Anyone have any thoughts on this situation?  Would appreciate your input......

[CruiserfaeFife]

We are perhaps on the same cruise as you - departing 4 January.  We have two nights booked pre-cruise, staying in Central on Hong Kong island. We intend to make the most of our time in HK but stay alert to what is happening around us and move away from any large groups that may gather.  It would be a pity to stay holed up in our hotel given there is so much to see and do around the island. 

[raphael360]

41 minutes ago, luvtahoma said:

Greetings all !  We have an upcoming cruise from Hong Kong in a couple of months and of course we are concerned about the on-going problems there now.  We have scheduled 4 days in the city prior to the cruise and we are fast approaching the final payment/final decision date!  I realize Seabourn has not changed any departures from that port, but I am more concerned about the 4 days prior to the cruise.  Anyone have any thoughts on this situation?  Would appreciate your input......

I’m no political expert nor do I have a crystal ball but i don’t see this situation the same as in Peru where the leftist party wins an election and antifa stops rioting and goes home.  This isn’t going to end soon or end well for HK. If I were a betting man I’d bet heavy on the favorites - the PRC. The world has abandoned Hong Kong IMHO

Edited October 28, 2019 by raphael360
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[sfvoyage]

It's hard to predict what will transpire in January, but I am not optimistic for the protesters.

 

I'm heading there next week and will have a busy schedule visiting and dining with friends for a week.  The riots mostly happen on weekends, and it is possible to avoid the impacted areas.

[koalapanda]

7 hours ago, sfvoyage said:

It's hard to predict what will transpire in January, but I am not optimistic for the protesters.

 

I'm heading there next week and will have a busy schedule visiting and dining with friends for a week.  The riots mostly happen on weekends, and it is possible to avoid the impacted areas.

 

Hi sfvoyager, we are guessing that you are au fait with HK. Would you mind reporting your veiwing (non political)

on the current freedom of movement, airport arrival and observations of how HK is coping?

By the way in which area will you be staying? We would appreciate your words as we are needing to make a visit soon.

[sfvoyage]

40 minutes ago, koalapanda said:

 

Hi sfvoyager, we are guessing that you are au fait with HK. Would you mind reporting your veiwing (non political)

on the current freedom of movement, airport arrival and observations of how HK is coping?

By the way in which area will you be staying? We would appreciate your words as we are needing to make a visit soon.

 

I've been messaging with my HK friends daily for the past few weeks.  They told me it's best to avoid flying in and out of HKG on weekends - even though the protesters haven't targeted the airport itself in a while, there may be interruptions with public transport to/from the airport.

 

Normally, weekdays and weeknights are relatively calm, except for holidays.  On weekends, the protesters have been consistently causing trouble.  Last Saturday, all was calm, and then on Sunday they targeted Kowloon (Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok, etc.).  In general, I'd avoid Kowloon.

 

I'll be staying on HK Island, a few days in Central area, and a few days in Tin Hau area.  There have been troubles in those areas as well, but you can ask your hotel concierge for a daily update.  Usually there is some advance notice ( a day or a few hours prior) about where and when the protesters will congregate; apparently they use an app to coalesce.  They don't target tourists, except for mainland Chinese ones (who live in HK or are visiting the city) - many of them refrain from speaking Putonghua in public and try to keep a low profile.  The protesters tend to target government offices and businesses with ties to mainland China and to business owners and leaders who have spoken out against the protests, e.g. the Maxim chain of cake shops and restaurants, whose founder's daughter had criticized the protesters a while back.  Again, your hotel concierge can help point those out to you.

 

I have family friends who live in Happy Valley, a calm residential district near Causeway Bay that is not on the radar of protesters.  However, there are not any tourist hotels in that neighborhood.

 

I wouldn't be too concerned about visiting Hong Kong, although it wouldn't be a normal experience.  Shops and restaurants may close earlier than usual if business is slow, for instance, even if they are not affected by the riots.

Edited October 29, 2019 by sfvoyage

[koalapanda]

14 hours ago, sfvoyage said:

I wouldn't be too concerned about visiting Hong Kong, although it wouldn't be a normal experience.  Shops and restaurants may close earlier than usual if business is slow, for instance, even if they are not affected by the riots.

sfvoyage We just woke up to your detailed response, many thanks.

We have had some personal conact with HK and certainly there has been barrage of coverage on our TV . Your analysis is valued as media often does not give a true portrayal of the current status and locals are understandably a bit "Mum" about the situation. To those who know HK it is a big shock and very sad.

We usually stay in Causeway Bay at Lanson Place.  Family live on HK Island friends all over.

Appreciate your thoughts. 

Edited October 29, 2019 by koalapanda
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