The cruise ship Piano Land has arrived in Hong Kong carrying about 1,700 passengers, marking the largest overseas inbound passenger group to date for Astro Ocean Cruise.
The vessel returned from Malaysia earlier this month after operating a dual-homeport programme, with itineraries calling at ports in Malaysia and Thailand. The current sailing brought passengers from Malaysia, Singapore and other South-east Asian markets to Hong Kong.
Astro Ocean Cruise said the arrival represents a milestone for the company and for Hong Kong’s cruise sector, as Piano Land is the first Chinese-branded cruise ship to bring international passengers to the city in this capacity. The company also described the return as a sign of confidence in the development of cruise tourism in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.
In 2026, Piano Land is scheduled to operate a new Hong Kong homeport season, offering itineraries of four, five, eight and 12 nights to destinations across South-east Asia. Planned ports of call include Brunei; Sihanoukville in Cambodia; Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia; Manila and Subic in the Philippines; and several Vietnamese ports including Chan May, Danang, Halong Bay, Nha Trang and Phu My.
Astro Ocean Cruise is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Cruises International and is headquartered in Hong Kong. Its flagship vessel, Piano Land, has a gross tonnage of about 70,000 tonnes, 13 decks and 880 cabins, with a maximum passenger capacity of 2,014. The ship was built by Meyer Werft in Germany.
Piano Land began operating from Hong Kong as a homeport in April 2025, offering regional itineraries across Asia. On November 29, 2025, it commenced homeport operations in Malaysia, becoming the first Chinese-branded cruise line to operate international homeport services.
