Category Archives: Cruises

With the aim of Viksit Bharat by 2047, the Interim Budget 2024 yet again showcased a lofty imagery of the ‘new and improved’ India. However, it does fleetingly mention tourism and its development – directly and indirectly. To build a foundation for future development, the FM underlined its Startup Credit Guarantee Schemes that will encourage new businesses in various sectors including, hopefully, tourism. She mentioned that the country ‘is capable of creating more opportunities’ which cannot be further from the truth. Sitharaman added that the focus will be on ffostering and sustaining growth to create great opportunities for all and to fulfil aspirations. She said that the MSME will be an important element of this policy. Coming to aviation, she said that it has been ‘galvanized in the past 10 years’ with number of airports doubled, expansion of the UDAN scheme, 517 new routes carrying 1.3 crore passengers, and the expansion of existing and new airports that will continue, she committed. Mentioning the success of G20 meets that took place across India, she said the country has made itself an attractive destination for MICE. ‘The corporates want to explore India and religious tourism offers great opportunities.

A lot is riding on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s 7th Union Budget presentation, to be aired today. This makes her the first FM to present seven Union Budgets in a row! This Budget is an important one for ‘Amrit Kaal’ and will decide the direction for India’s economy for the next five years. It has the potential to build a strong foundation of our dream of Viksit Bharat, the Prime Minister has said. As the industry braces itself for it, it does so with cautious hope – afraid of being let down yet again due to the absence of any mention of tourism, yet hopeful that perhaps this could be the moment when the sector begins to appear in the FM’s horizon. Watch this space for more updates and industry reactions on the Budget.

Jurgen Bailom, President and CEO of Cordelia Cruises, shares his comments on what the FM can do to help develop the cruise tourism industry in India. He says, “We at Cordelia Cruises are optimistic about the positive changes it could bring to our industry. The government’s support has been instrumental in fostering growth and development within the cruise sector. We believe that a reduction in the GST rate for cruise ticket sales and onboard services, or the introduction of a tax holiday similar to what was done for the IT industry, would not only make cruising more accessible to a broader audience but also boost the overall travel and tourism sector.” “Continued investment in port infrastructure development is crucial to support the growth of the cruise industry and improve connectivity. We believe these measures will significantly contribute to positioning India as a premier cruising destination, benefiting both the economy and tourism. We are confident that the government’s continued support will drive the industry forward.” “Furthermore, we request that cruise services should not qualify as providers of Overseas Tour Program Packages (OTPP), which mandates the collection of TCS from customers purchasing cruise packages. Unlike airlines, which are exempt from TCS for international flights, adding TCS over and above the 18% GST increases the overall cost of a cruise ticket and is not favourable for passengers. This change will significantly increase bookings and contribute to the growth of the cruise industry in India.”

Thomas Cook India & SOTC in its India Holiday Report 2023 highlighted a 70% surge in cruise holidays. Speaking on this, Daniel D’souza, President, SOTC Travel, said, “Cruise holidays offer an all-inclusive experience onboard a luxurious floating hotel.These include a wide range of services, from entertainment and exciting activities to diverse cuisines, wellness spas, shopping, and exploring new locales. We are witnessing strong growth in this segment from regional India’s tier II-III markets, besides metros and mini metros.”

Sailing from Singapore in 2025, the one-of-a-kind Disney Adventure will offer families throughout the region the ultimate holiday at sea. The first Disney Cruise Line ship to homeport in Asia will be a destination itself, sailing on three- and four-night voyages designed with magical days at sea and filled with immersive storytelling and captivating entertainment like only Disney can do. “We’re bringing the magic of Disney Cruise Line to Asia for the first time ever, and we want to give our guests the cruise relaxation and Disney fun they can only experience aboard one of our ships,” said Sharon Siskie, senior vice president and general manager, Disney Cruise Line. “When they set sail on the Disney Adventure, guests will find incredible, immersive areas that bring the worlds of Disney, Pixar and Marvel to life in ways like never before – and these uniquely Disney experiences will inspire families to reconnect, recharge and make unforgettable memories that they’ll cherish forever.”

CLIA research indicates that younger generations are the future of cruise, with 88% of millennials and 85% of Generation X travellers who have cruised before plan to do so again. Kelly Craighead, President and CEO, says, “In addition, there is more interest than ever before among millennials (77%) and Generation X travellers (73%) wanting to take their first cruise.”

Holiday Moods Adventures Pvt Ltd, a DMC for Scandinavia, Arctic Circle Countries and Antarctica, based out of New Delhi, India, is thrilled to announce the launch of its newest offering from the Pure Northern Collection: “The Norway Summer FlyCruise Arctic Adventure”. Holiday Moods Adventures Pvt Ltd is the distributor in India for Havila Voyages. Experience the Arctic Like Never Before: Guaranteed fixed departures are being offered from June till September 2024. The Norway Summer FlyCruise Arctic Adventure begins with a seamless morning flight from Oslo to Kirkenes. Upon arrival, guests will be warmly welcomed and transferred to the luxurious Kirkenes Snowhotel, where they will check into cozy Gamme Cabins. The first day includes a unique Arctic adventure of king crab fishing, followed by a sumptuous feast of the day’s catch. Guests can also enjoy interactions with friendly huskies, explore the surroundings, or relax in a traditional sauna.. Throughout the journey, guests will be treated to full-board á la carte dining, stunning sea views from superior cabins, and numerous opportunities for unforgettable excursions. Highlights include a visit to the North Cape, the majestic landscapes of Vesterålen and Lofoten, and crossing the Arctic Circle. The Norway Summer FlyCruise Arctic Adventure is meticulously planned including air transfers, accommodations, and meals with prices starting at EUR 1926.00 per person (twin share). Managing Director, Mr. Tejbir Singh Anand of Holiday Moods Adventures Pvt Ltd says- This exclusive 6-day journey will take travellers from the enchanting Arctic wonderland of Kirkenes to the historic city of Trondheim, showcasing the unparalleled beauty of Norway’s northern coast. Director, Holiday Moods Adventures Pvt Ltd, Ms. Arshdeep Anand commented – The adventure begins with a morning flight included in the package …

Sailing on the high waves of success of its small ship river cruising experiences – Avalon Waterways recently hosted a residential River Cruise symposium at a luxury resort near Mumbai. An august group of 35 travel companies attended this 3-day conference which had one of Avalon’s highly experienced & senior Cruise Director fly-in all the way from Budapest – Hungary as a primary speaker and educator. At this “special invite” conference, hand-picked leisure travel leaders got a unique opportunity to gain insider insights and deepen their understanding of what makes Avalon the leader in River Cruising and why it is also becoming the unrivalled choice for experienced cruisers looking for boutique luxury experiences on the legendary European rivers and even beyond. “We are committed to working with the travel trade and completely invested in our mission to provide agents the most updated knowledge and trends on the River Cruising space. We believe Avalon waterways has influenced the river cruising space for the better and forever and with its emphasis on “Relaxed Luxury” and our truly one of a kind “Suites with a view” – we have set the bar really high. This conference was a perfect setting as not only a grand thank-you event for our supporters but also another step towards our hard-core training commitments towards the travel trade. The travel agents got over a year’s worth of education, in just a short period of time, through the meticulously planned educational sessions as well as their one-to-one interactions with our Cruise Director and the entire Avalon waterways team, said Varesh Chopra – Managing Director, Avalon Waterways, South Asia & Middle East. “The first-hand product knowledge the agents received, will …

The International Congress of Event Industry (ICEI), in collaboration with Resorts World Cruise; Fort Rajwada, Jaisalmer; Wedding Vows; and Black Rock Hotels & Resort will organise Cruisesthan 2024 in Singapore. The aim is to showcase the immense potential of cruises as spectacular venues for future weddings and conferences

The World Economic Forum published its 2024 edition of its Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) which measures factors and policies that enable sustainable and resilient development of the tourism sector. It offers insights into tourism economies’ strengths and areas for improvement, and the interconnected nature of tourism development, as well as facilitating strategic planning and multistakeholder dialogue to encourage sustainable growth.     United States The United States is the top scorer in the TTDI and the largest contributor to T&T GDP, both within the Americas region and globally. While the recent increase in sector wages has helped contribute to climbing operation costs, it has also helped partially bridge the T&T sector’s historically low wages in countries such as the United States. Thanks to typical advantages ranging from favourable business environments and open travel policies to well-developed transport, tourism and ICT infrastructure and natural, cultural and non-leisure attractions, United States ranked highest.   Portugal The growth in ‘bleisure’ travel and digital nomads has created new opportunities for businesses and destinations that can offer favourable conditions for business travel and leisure activities. In particular, economies that combine strong ICT infrastructure and healthcare standards, relatively reasonable cost of living, favourable visa policies and rich tourism attractions rank among the most attractive for digital nomads, with countries like Portugal and Spain ranking among the top for attractiveness for this new market.   Uzbekistan Newly ranked developing country of Uzbekistan experienced the greatest growth in TTDI scores between 2019 and 2024. While most high-income economies have experienced slight changes in their TTDI scores, the performance of Uzbekistan (+7.8%, 94th to 78th) has shown the most improvement in both score and rank compared to …