Riding on a Cotai jetplane

CotaiJet (Macau) Ltd launched its maiden voyage this morning at 8.30 am from the Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal, carrying a group of Venetian employees and VIPs. Destination Macau went along for the ride. See our video report.

The temporary ferry terminal in Macau’s Taipa island is right next to the airport, accessed by a long narrow road. It’s always fun to watch planes taking off, and it seemed appropriate for the experience we were about to undertake, as the ferry ride turned out to be more like an airplane flight.

The “Grand Canal Shoppes” ferry welcomed us through a double-length door with a wide gangplank. Inside, it was just like boarding an aircraft, except with more space to move around. Leather seats, overhead lockers, flat-panel video screens, and a smiling cabin crew dressed as Venetian gondoliers, holding trays of champagne, suggested we were about to embark on a new travel experience.

We were not disappointed.

Soon after takeoff, it became apparent that Stephen Weaver, president for Asia of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., had taken the helm, so to speak. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking,” came the voice over the intercom, and then a pause. “… I have always wanted to say that.”

After a quick welcome speech, we settled back for the journey in spacious first-class seats, some of which are arranged in rows facing each other for easier conversation. We were soon served a delicious meal prepared by the Venetian’s hotel staff, and later had coffee served in ceramic mugs. Catering will eventually be taken over by Country Garden, a major catering service headquartered in Singapore.

The ride seemed quieter than we had expected, apparently because special noise-reduction materials have been used between decks. A few swerves notwithstanding, it also seemed a very smooth ride, and we were told that the 411-seat ferries, built by Australian company Austal, have special stabilizers to handle rough seas.

Coming into Hong Kong, we docked smoothly at the Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal. Unfortunately, ballards on the edge of the berth are too close together to allow the full width of the ferry’s gangplank to open, so a temporary gangplank was secured first, which took a bit longer than expected. But then we were out, and walking up to immigration.

Inside the main hall, it was not easy to see that the new service had started. CotaiJet staff are not allowed to walk around soliciting passengers, so they had to stick to the area around the CKS ticket office. There was signage around the terminal for the new service, but boarding took place via the East Bridge, which has relatively small traffic flows.

The ride back was on the same boat, so there was nothing much new in the experience, except for the addition of trays of salmon, caviar and pate in first class.

Arriving at the Taipa terminal, we walked out to see shuttle buses from all the major resorts on standby, anticipating the flow of new arrivals.

Schedules can be checked and tickets purchased online at www.cotaijet.com.mo. Ferries depart from both sides at intervals of roughly 45 minutes to an hour throughout daylight hours. Night sailings are awaiting approval. It is understood that another two ferries will arrive in early January to join the fleet, at which time CotaiJet hopes to increase the frequency of sailings.