Category Archives: Cruises

Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in a review meeting for the implementation of cruise service said that ‘Ramayan Cruise Tour’ on the Saryu river in Ayodhya will be launched soon. It will be the first-ever luxury Cruise service on the Saryu river (Ghagra/National Waterways-40) in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

Zen Cruises has announced the sale of its premium cruise line brand- Jalesh to Waterways Leisure Tourism, part of Sant Chatwal promoted Dreams Hotel Group. The restructuring also involves the acquisition of the brand’s entire digital interface, technology, customer database, travel agent partner network backend. Waterways have also hired existing executives and employees of Zen Cruises.  

Cruise ship Karnika, operated by Jalesh Cruises, has been sold at an auction in India for $11.65 million. Having debuted in 1990, Karnika has operated for numerous cruise lines throughout her history. It was in April 2019 that a cruise ship Pacific Jewel was renamed Karnika at a ceremony held at the Princess Dock of the Mumbai Port Trust. Jalesh Cruises has suspended operations because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

World Dream, Dream Cruises’ 150,695 gross ton megaship, arrived in Singapore on October 25 with 187 crew members aboard who have completed their 14-day quarantine on the cruise ship prior to arrival in Singapore. The crew will undergo a further series of mandatory COVID-19 testing as stipulated by the local authorities and are required to test negative before signing-up for active duty. Prior to her arrival in Singapore, World Dream has been on hiatus in Rotterdam, the Netherlands after being taken out of service in early February. The cruise ship will undergo thorough cleaning and sanitization prior to her inaugural ‘Super Seacation’ sailings on November 6, to ensure the health and safety of all passengers on board. World Dream will be the newest built cruise ship to call Singapore home and will be the first cruise ship to restart service in the Lion City.  

Genting Cruise Lines has announced that Dream Cruises will be the first cruise brand to restart service in Singapore with World Dream, as she makes her homeport debut from November 6, 2020. World Dream will also be the newest built cruise ship to homeport in Singapore, offering 2 and 3-night experiences for Singapore residents. Dream Cruises continues to be at the forefront as the first cruise brand in the world to resume operations in a safe manner with two key homeports in Asia, starting with deployment in Taiwan in July 2020. A mandatory COVID-19 test will be conducted on all guests aged 13 and above before embarking on World Dream.

Ahead of World Tourism Day, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is celebrating the forthcoming arrival of Norwegian Spirit to Australia & New Zealand waters for the first time. The ship has recently undergone the most extensive bow-to-stern modernisation in the history of the line’s innovative fleet and is designed with the adult cruiser in mind. NCL’s new Australia and New Zealand itineraries allow travellers the opportunity to experience New Zealand’s pristine vistas and Australia’s rugged coastlines from one of the best vantage points in the world – the ocean. The inaugural 2021/2022 summer sailing season sees Norwegian Spirit head Down Under, offering a collection of 8, 10 and 12 day port-intensive itineraries departing from Sydney and Auckland that will reveal breathtaking beauty to even the most well-travelled. From cruising the scenic peaks and tree-lined cliffs of Milford Sound, to exploring the historic buildings and fine food of Akaroa – New Zealand’s only French settlement – or venturing to Eden’s Ben Boyd National Park for some snorkelling in the summer sunshine, guests will be spoilt for choice when it comes to activities to explore ashore. Once onboard the all-new Norwegian Spirit, guests will experience laid-back luxury as they explore a completely enhanced ship, offering reimagined and refined adult-centric spaces, fresh staterooms and 14 new venues. Further updated elements include the second Onda by Scarpetta restaurant at sea, a doubled-in-size Mandara Spa, an expanded Pulse Fitness Center and the adult-only retreat Spice H2O. Guests can enjoy panoramic ocean views from Spinnaker Lounge, or a glass of bubbles in the Charles Rennie Mackintosh inspired Magnums Champagne & Wine Bar. Norwegian Spirit boasts 10 bars and lounges and 14 dining options – from Teppanyaki, an …

Riya Group’s Marine Travel division has seen tremendous growth in the past few months. Manoj Samuel, Director, Riya Group, says, “This is the only unit which has not gone down since the pandemic. We do marine charters all over the world. Riya Marine Travel has been facilitating travel for seafarers since 16 years, offering services like special airfares for seamen, visa, insurance, hotel accommodations near ports, calling cards, etc for crew working on offshore rigs, commercial vessels, and cruise ships.”

Ark Travels, a B2B company specialising in cruise representation business, has penetrated further into the non-cruising space with the acquisition of Outbound Konnections, spearheaded by Anjum Lokhandwala, who will continue as its Director. Kishan Biyani, MD, Ark Travels, says, “I felt this was the right time to enter into the non-cruise space. Along with Ark Travels, we can have a bouquet of products besides cruises, Club Med Resorts and Europamundo Vacations to offer to their B2B network without increasing overheads.”

As part of its ‘Mission Begin Again’, the Indian Government will permit cruise ships to commence sailing from 1 October. In light of this development, Jalesh Cruises announces the commencement of its cruise MV Karnika from 6 November, 2020. Jalesh Cruises will offer free COVID-19 rapid testing to all passengers.

Celestyal Cruises, that sails to the Greek Islands and the Eastern Mediterranean, has added to its fleet the Costa NeoRomantica from Costa Cruises. Built in 1993 and extensively refurbished in 2012, the 1,800-guest ship has 789 cabins, 132 of which feature balconies, as well as a variety of dining and entertainment venues, bars and lounges, two pools, a gym and a panoramic spa. Celestyal Cruises’ CEO, Chris Theophilides, says, “While Covid-19 has brought a temporary pause to our operations, it is important that we look to the future with optimism and continue to deliver on our strategic plan to grow the business and enhance the Celestyal experience through investment. This mid-size cruise vessel is ideally suited to our business model.” Details of the ship’s delivery and deployment will be announced at a later date. Celestyal Cruises’ existing 2021 and 2022 itineraries that were recently launched remain unchanged.