ROYAL Caribbean International's (RCI) 3,840-pax Voyager of the Seas, the largest-ever cruise ship to be based in Asia, made her inaugural call at Hong Kong on June 15.

Hong Kong is the first overnight port-of-call for the ship’s ongoing Asian season, which also includes stopovers in Ho Chi Minh City and Xiamen as part of an eight-night cruise from Singapore and Shanghai.

Liu Zinan, RCI managing director of China & Asia, said: “We hope a ship of Voyager’s size and innovative amenities will once again redefine cruising and bring about a cruise boom in Asia."

"We are also optimistic that her arrival will help push for more and faster infrastructure development for larger cruise ships across the region including in Hong Kong, and in turn, strengthen Hong Kong’s potential and importance to our company as a port-of-call and source market," he added.

Anthony Lau, executive director, Hong Kong Tourism Board, said: “This maiden visit by Voyager of the Seas demonstrates Hong Kong’s position as a cruise hub and a ‘must-visit’ port in the region. Our new world-class cruise terminal, which is expected to commence operation in mid-2013 to serve even the largest vessels in the world, will further expand our capability as a cruise hub.”

The deployment of Voyager of the Seas, together with the 2,076-pax Legend of the Seas currently in North Asia, has more than doubled RCI’s capacity in the region.