Category Archives: Cruises

The deepening work of the Ganges is underway and big ships will be able to cruise on the Ganges by 2021, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while briefing about his government’ integrated waterways policy in Kolkata. He also said that 625 projects worth Rs. 6 Lakh crore have been identified under the Sagarmala Scheme of the government to improve connectivity as well as infrastructure of ports, out of which 200 projects worth Rs. 3 lakh crore are already underway. He revealed that 125 projects have already been completed by the government by modernising existing port infrastructure and integrating it with other modes of transport in a seamless way. Commenting about Kolkata’s unique positioning as the ‘Sangam Sthal’ of the Sea and the River Ganges, Modi said that Kolkata will be the biggest beneficiary of the connected and integrated transport policy of the government. Ports, he said, have always been considered to be the gateways to prosperity in India.

Genting Cruise Lines will be launching their new cruise ship- Global Dream in 2021. The bookings for the same will start this year. Michael Goh, President, Dream Cruises & Head of International Sales at Genting Cruise Lines, revealed that the new ship has been made in their own building facility in Germany and can accommodate as many as 9000 guests. He says, “The Global Dream will allow the guests to open the cabin doors via their smartphones, has many configurations for luxury guests, the biggest roller-coaster ride ever built on a ship and many more features that will make it as one of the most unique and biggest cruise ships ever.”  

32 million global passengers are expected to cruise in the year 2020, reveals Cruise Line International Association’s 2020- State of the Cruise Industry Outlook. In 2019, the projected number of passengers taking cruises globally is 30 million, which was 1.5 million more than what it was in 2018 (28.5 million). CLIA also revealed that 278 ocean cruise line ships are projected to be in operation in 2020, while 19 are scheduled to debut next year.

India’s first full-fledged international cruise terminal will open at the Ernakulam wharf in Willingdon Island in Kochi and will be commissioned in February 2020, said M Beena, Chairperson, Cochin Port Trust (CPT). The Rs 25.72-crore cruise terminal with facilities to handle 5,000 tourists will be spread over 12,200 sq. ft. There are also plans to have regular helicopter services from the terminal to different tourist spots in Kerala. The wharf, after the revamp will have an area to stage traditional art forms, ATMs and food kiosks on the premises. There will also be a permanent space for selling artefacts and others to tourists, aimed at improving visitor experience.

Union minister of state for shipping Mansukh Mandaviya, recently said, two more ports including Kolkata and Vizag are being developed for cruise traffic and would soon start getting calls besides Chennai, Cochin, Mumbai, Mangalore and Mormugao. He said, “Cruise tourism is currently one of the fastest developing verticals in the Indian tourism sector. Over the years, cruise tourism has been recognised as an active component in the economic growth of any country and we also see it as a major source of employment because of its labour-intensive nature and the significant multiplier effect on employment in related sectors.”

In the last two years, almost a four-fold jump in cruise callings on Indian ports has been recorded as a result of initiatives undertaken to bring in synergy in the functionality of various stakeholders, revealed Mansukh Mandaviya, Union minister of state for shipping. The total cruise callings on five ports including Chennai, Cochin, Mumbai, Mangalore and Mormugao were 138 ships carrying a total of 1.76 lakh passengers in fiscal 2017-18, which increased to 285 callings in FY19 and is projected to rise to 593 cruise traffic in the current fiscal. This number increased to 285 callings in FY19 and is projected to rise to 593 cruise traffic in the current fiscal, he revealed.

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) has launched helicopter services for cruise passengers, which will take them to the nearby tourist spots. The port has hired private operator Chipson Aviation, which will ferry them from the port to Bekal Fort in Kasaragod, thousand pillar basadi in Moodbidri and Sringeri Temple in Chikkamagaluru district, and back to the port. 16 tourists have reportedly booked these services already. In fact, the port has created two helipads for this purpose. NMPT will only be a facilitator and they will allow operators if they have necessary permission from Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Cruise Professionals has launched a special offer for the travel trade on its 11th anniversary. Nishith Saxena, Founder & Director, Cruise Professionals said, “For year 2020, travel agencies just have to sell five cabins (balcony or higher grade cabins) on any of the Princess Cruises year 2020 itinerary, after which, they will be entitled for a free cruise ex Singapore, along with a part of air fare and visa fee of Singapore. The special offer is valid from November 7 to December 6.”

India, with 221,000 cruise passengers and a growth of 28.1%in 2018 as compared to 2017, is ranked at sixth position in Asia, when it comes to number of cruise passengers, according to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). China topped the list with 2,357,000 passengers, despite a decline of 1.6% from 2017. It was followed by Taiwan with 391,000 passengers (+4.7%) and Singapore with 373,000 passengers (+39.9%). Japan ranked 4th with 266,000 passengers (+4.5%)  and Hong Kong ranked 5th with 250,000 (+8.6%).

The average age of Indians going for a cruise vacation is 37 years, according Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). This age group basically includes millennials and those travelling with families. In 2018, 43,000 Indians in the age group of 30-39 took cruises, as compared to 32,000 Indians in the same age-group going for cruises in 2017, which translated into a year-on-year growth of 36% in 2018 over 2017.