disembarking Hongkong and transfer to Hotel

[hammo]

Trying to find a transfer from the Hongkong Cruise Terminal Kai Tak to our hotel The Langham and having difficulty finding the transfer . 

I can find a transfer using B.com for $AU53 so is this my best option or can anyone recommend another  private transfer ? Thanks 

[little britain]

What’s wrong with a cab 🚕? Plentiful and cheap and metered. 
 

The only time I ever used dot com for a car they never showed up! 
I do use them the whole time for hotels though. 

Edited May 27 by little britain

[monkey@cruise]

Taxi from Kai Tak cruise terminal to Langham TST is 11 km travel, The taxi LPG tank may limit the trunk space but there are 6 seater taxi available. Luggage charge is HK$6/piece.

 

https://www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/public_transport/taxi/taxi_fare_of_hong_kong/index.html

 

[thehowlingroad]

We use Klook (pronounced K-look) in Asia to book transport and attractions; they are a Hong Kong company that's like if Groupon/other "deals" website merged with Booking/Hotels/Expedia, etc. We ultimately chose GoTourHK for our airport-hotel transfers, after a glowing recommendation from a relative who used them last year. Passing the recommendation on to you, as we had excellent experiences and communication with the company and our drivers. 3 passengers, 2 large, and 2 small suitcases all fit in one of their mini-van options for about $60USD each trip, and we were staying on the island side.

[Hlitner]

Not sure why folks turn local transfers into an issue.  Just get your luggage, walk outside, and grab a taxi (plenty of taxis in Hong Kong).  The reality is that taxis are often the best transfer option, around the world, except when the distance from port to destination is quite distant. 

 

Hank

[monkey@cruise]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

Not sure why folks turn local transfers into an issue.  Just get your luggage, walk outside, and grab a taxi (plenty of taxis in Hong Kong).  The reality is that taxis are often the best transfer option, around the world, except when the distance from port to destination is quite distant. 

 

Hank

Hong Kong is small, distance to TST area is under 8 miles, taxi fare is inexpensive. The common issues riding HK taxi are trunk space, language barrier, and taking 'the long way round' on a journey. Do the homework, not a challenge for any first timer to Hong Kong.

[edinburgher]

On 5/26/2024 at 10:25 PM, hammo said:

Trying to find a transfer from the Hongkong Cruise Terminal Kai Tak to our hotel The Langham

A tip you might find useful which we used a number of times..

 

Have the name and address of your hotel written or on your phone in Mandarin  to show a driver where you want to go. Once at the hotel, take one of their business cards from the reception area  where they are usually to be found, and carry it with you at all times to show any taxi drivers at any time.  Most hotels will have their addresses and  business cards in both english and Mandarin, some would also have it showing on their websites.

 

To help before arrival, if you cannot find the name and address in Mandarin on their website, e-mail tham and ask for it to be e-mailed back to you as having it definitely makes life easier.

Edited July 3 by edinburgher

[monkey@cruise]

1 hour ago, edinburgher said:

A tip you might find useful which we used a number of times..

 

Have the name and address of your hotel written or on your phone in Mandarin  to show a driver where you want to go. Once at the hotel, take one of their business cards from the reception area  where they are usually to be found, and carry it with you at all times to show any taxi drivers at any time.  Most hotels will have their addresses and  business cards in both english and Mandarin, some would also have it showing on their websites.

 

To help before arrival, if you cannot find the name and address in Mandarin on their website, e-mail tham and ask for it to be e-mailed back to you as having it definitely makes life easier.

Cantonese is still Hong Kong major language and use traditional Chinese characters writing. If you are from China, then Mandarin and use Simplified Chinese characters (have fewer strokes than their traditional counterparts).

[edinburgher]

15 minutes ago, monkey@cruise said:

Cantonese is still Hong Kong major language and use traditional Chinese characters writing. If you are from China, then Mandarin and use Simplified Chinese characters (have fewer strokes than their traditional counterparts).

Happy to be educated, but whichever, Cantonese or Mandarin, same advice applies.

[thehowlingroad]

On 7/3/2024 at 9:21 AM, monkey@cruise said:

Cantonese is still Hong Kong major language and use traditional Chinese characters writing. If you are from China, then Mandarin and use Simplified Chinese characters (have fewer strokes than their traditional counterparts).

 

On 7/3/2024 at 9:37 AM, edinburgher said:

Happy to be educated, but whichever, Cantonese or Mandarin, same advice applies.

 

I'll add that the use of simplified characters or trying to use Mandarin to get by on a day-to-day basis is a politically charged topic, so it's best to just avoid the whole scenario. Most locals who grew up in HK or have been there a while, especially those working in tourism-adjacent industries, will know a smattering of English, and/or recognize English addresses.

[edinburgher]

4 hours ago, thehowlingroad said:

I'll add that the use of simplified characters or trying to use Mandarin to get by on a day-to-day basis is a politically charged topic, so it's best to just avoid the whole scenario. Most locals who grew up in HK or have been there a while, especially those working in tourism-adjacent industries, will know a smattering of English, and/or recognize English addresses.

Volunteering what I thought was a handy tip, one which served us well a number of times, appears to have unintentionally opened a can of worms.

 

Knowing that Cantonese was the language of choice in HK in the past, but thinking that that the Chinese Govt was nowadays encouraging more use of Mandarin, I chose to suggest  that language.

Edited July 5 by edinburgher

[monkey@cruise]

2 hours ago, edinburgher said:

Volunteering what I thought was a handy tip, one which served us well a number of times, appears to have unintentionally opened a can of worms.

 

Knowing that Cantonese was the language of choice in HK in the past, but thinking that that the Chinese Govt was nowadays encouraging more use of Mandarin, I chose to suggest  that language.

By the same token,  Scots language and English language in Scotland. 

[edinburgher]

21 minutes ago, monkey@cruise said:

By the same token,  Scots language and English language in Scotland. 

Are you referring to Scottish Gaelic or "Broad Scots", neither of which is usually spoken on a daily basis except for in some specific areas or islands.  And over the years, in and around Aberdeen, "Doric" is becoming less and less spoken.

 

Most Scots speak "the King's English" albeit with regional accents, much the same as you will have regional accents in Canada.

 

Certainly on our several visits to Canada we had no difficulty being understood, nor did we have difficulty understanding "Canadian english" although in Quebec and Saguenay it was French all the way.  Confusing is it not when a country has more than one language?.😁

Edited July 5 by edinburgher

[monkey@cruise]

1 hour ago, edinburgher said:

Are you referring to Scottish Gaelic or "Broad Scots", neither of which is usually spoken on a daily basis except for in some specific areas or islands.  And over the years, in and around Aberdeen, "Doric" is becoming less and less spoken.

 

Most Scots speak "the King's English" albeit with regional accents, much the same as you will have regional accents in Canada.

 

Certainly on our several visits to Canada we had no difficulty being understood, nor did we have difficulty understanding "Canadian english" although in Quebec and Saguenay it was French all the way.  Confusing is it not when a country has more than one language?.😁

In Hong Kong, pure Cantonese is now a rare species. Mandarin and Cantonese are not mutually intelligible  English is getting worst, Chinglish or with Philippine accent because most kids are raised by foreign domestic workers. When I was in Taipei and Keelung cruise stop, most Taiwanese understand English better than Hong Kong people.

Before the pandemic, had a cruise stop in Gibraltar. Took a bus and asked the driver for direction and he replied: "No English". Using a Queen's head banknote in a non-English speaking place???  The bus driver was a foreign worker from Spain 😜

Edited July 5 by monkey@cruise

[edinburgher]

24 minutes ago, monkey@cruise said:

Before the pandemic, had a cruise stop in Gibraltar. Took a bus and asked the driver for direction and he replied: "No English". Using a Queen's head banknote in a non-English speaking place???  The bus driver was a foreign worker from Spain 😜

Malta is another dual language country with Eeglish and Maltese both classified official languages, so perhaps the driver only spoke Maltese?   And the Gib/Spanish border is a a busy one as many Gribraltarians who work in Spain cross daily, and Spaniards who work in Gib cross in the opposite direction.

 

hammo.  Very sorry that you original thread appears to have been highjacked and gone very off topic. Wishing you success organising a transfer, but really, a simple taxi would be an easy option..

Edited July 5 by edinburgher

[monkey@cruise]

10 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

Malta is another dual language country with Eeglish and Maltese both classified official languages, so perhaps the driver only spoke Maltese?   And the Gib/Spanish border is a a busy one as many Gribraltarians who work in Spain cross daily, and Spaniards who work in Gib cross in the opposite direction.

 

hammo.  Very sorry that you original thread appears to have been highjacked and gone very off topic. Wishing you success organising a transfer, but really, a simple taxi would be an easy option..

If not mistaken, Kai Tak Cruise Terminal sometimes arranging Hotel shuttles (paid services), will notify incoming cruises. So in additional to taxi, there may be coaches drop off for major Kowloon Hotels. Also when taking a taxi, always ask for a ride receipts (in case excessive fare), some bad apples either take you for a ride or no change for large denomination banknotes. I like the Japanese disembark taxi queue, the dispatcher will ask you in English and instruction the driver.

[edinburgher]

spot the obvious error above? 

 

I initially referred to Malta rather than Gibraltar., having experienced a "senior moment" and with no alcohol involved!😁  I expect that not all who cross daily  to Spain to work will be Spanish speakers, and not all who cross from Spain to Gibraltar to work will be english speakers, although i agree that one would expect a public bus driver to have at the very least, a few words.

[monkey@cruise]

Also taking a taxi in Honk Kong, make sure is a  metered taxi. Get off the car is not metering.

14 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

spot the obvious error above? 

 

I initially referred to Malta rather than Gibraltar., having experienced a "senior moment" and with no alcohol involved!😁  I expect that not all who cross daily  to Spain to work will be Spanish speakers, and not all who cross from Spain to Gibraltar to work will be english speakers, although i agree that one would expect a public bus driver to have at the very least, a few words.

British origin in Gibraltar is only 25% of the population, and most Gibraltarians can speak Spanish, they walk across the border for grocery shopping.