Category Archives: Cruises

The global cruise capacity is forecast to grow 19 per cent to more than 746,000 lower berths leading up to 2028, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said in its recent report ‘State Of The Cruise Industry 2023’. The task of attracting four million new-to-cruise travellers now lies with the industry to meet the increase in global cruise capacity projected from 2023 to 2025. At least 14 new member ships will enter service during 2023 itself and projected to exceed 300 ocean-going vessels in 2024.

Rajiv Jalota, Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust, has said that with the upgradation of the Mumbai port passenger terminal, he expects the international cruise traffic to increase this year, with more than one million passengers per annum. He added that Mumbai port has one of the lowest cruise tariffs in the world.

Cordelia Cruises recently started sailings to Sri Lanka from India for the first time ever, touching the ports of Hambantota, Trincomalee and Jaffna from Chennai. Present at the debut sailing were Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways. Jurgen Bailom, President & CEO of Waterways Leisure, Cordelia Cruises, says, “In the year 2023, we hope to host over 50,000 passengers for our Sri Lanka sailings alone between June 2023-September 2023.”

The transportation and logistics arm of the Hayleys Group, Advantis announced a partnership with India’s cruise line, Cordelia Cruises to usher in a new wave of in-bound luxury tourists to Sri Lanka. Advantis Travel and Aviation will serve as the General Sales Agent, while Advantis Group subsidiary Clarion Shipping will serve as Port Agent for Cordelia Cruises in Sri Lanka. Cordelia Cruises aims to revolutionise the tourism market in the region by offering an extraordinary cruise experience that exudes style and luxury through its crown jewel – “The Empress”, an iconic vessel with 796 cabins in 5 distinct categories filled with state-of-the-art amenities, the ship is capable of accommodating 1,800 passengers. The luxury cruise line will embark on its inaugural sailing to the island, in June 2023. The collaboration marks a milestone in Sri Lanka’s efforts to revitalise inbound tourism and capitalise on the island’s significant untapped potential as an international hotspot for cruise tourism. Embarking on a cruise journey to Sri Lanka opens up a world of thrilling shore excursions for travellers, with Jaffna, Hambantota, and Trincomalee serving as bases. These exceptional locations offer an opportunity to embark on unforgettable adventures that showcase the very best of Sri Lanka’s rich heritage, breathtaking natural beauty, and vibrant cultural diversity. A significant boost to the Sri Lankan tourism industry is anticipated, attracting an estimated 80,000 tourists within the first four months alone. This surge is set to unlock significant commercial opportunities for the tourism value chain, drive economic growth and position Sri Lanka as a premier destination for discerning travellers, providing a timely impetus to the country’s travel and tourism industry. Cordelia Cruises President and CEO, Jurgen Bailom stated: “Sri Lanka …

Disney Cruise Line and Singapore Tourism Board today announced magical cruise vacations to Southeast Asia for the first time, revealed by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro and Singapore’s Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, S. Iswaran. Under a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding, Disney Cruise Line and Singapore Tourism Board agreed to collaborate to homeport a brand-new Disney cruise ship exclusively in Singapore for at least five years beginning in 2025. More details about the maiden voyage, itineraries and onboard experiences will be announced later. “This is a very exciting year for The Walt Disney Company — 2023 marks our 100th anniversary,” D’Amaro said. “As part of this, Disney Cruise Line is currently undergoing an ambitious expansion with new ships and new destinations around the world. We are incredibly excited to make Singapore the home port to our seventh-launched ship, which will sail from here year-round starting in 2025.” “We look forward to welcoming the magic of Disney Cruise Line to Singapore in 2025,” said Keith Tan, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board (STB). “This is an important milestone for STB and reflects Disney Cruise Line’s strong confidence in Singapore and Southeast Asia. The new Disney cruise ship will be an attraction itself and is expected to boost the tourism sector in Singapore for many years to come.” Singapore’s strategic location, world-class air connectivity and port infrastructure make it a thriving cruise hub in Southeast Asia, a diverse region that is home to over 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The addition of a Disney Cruise Line ship in Singapore has the potential to add millions of local and foreign cruise passengers across the five-year period, including fly-cruise passengers who …

There’s a luxurious new way to cruise through Vietnam’s Halong Bay, Paradise Vietnam owns the most luxurious cruises in Vietnam, confirming its leading position in the luxury cruise industry. Pioneering in the Indian market to redefine luxury and create brand awareness, Paradise Vietnam selects IRIS Reps as its India representative to position and increase their visibility in the travel industry. In a statement regarding the appointment, Cao Anh Tuan – Director or Sales , stated, “We are pleased to have IRIS Reps on board to help us establish a strong foundation for Paradise Vietnam in India. Our joint efforts will enable us to gain greater visibility and penetrate the vast and diverse Indian market. Paradise Vietnam will continue to uphold its mission of bringing premium and quintessence cuisine to tourists with the desire to reach new heights. We always try our best to bring Paradise Vietnam to new successes and maintain our leading position in Vietnam’s tourism industry. Paradise Vietnam is the pioneer in setting the standard for world-class leisure at sea with 12 most luxurious cruises in Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay, along with experienced staff capable of quality event services, Paradise Vietnam is the first choice for events of various styles, sizes, and occasions.” Commenting on the appointment, Alefiya Singh, Director IRIS Reps said, “We are elated to have entered the partnership with Paradise Vietnam. I am delighted to see Vietnam become one of the best tourism market for India, we aim to still derive greater growth into the region through strategic sales initiatives, marketing partnerships and working closely with the travel trade in India. We look forward to further strengthening Paradise Vietnam as the first choice of destination from …

One Above Global with its presence in over 30 countries has now ventured into cruise liners, we are now the preferred selling agents for Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Costa Cruise Line, Genting Dream Cruise Line. Sharing this news is Rahim Aslam, its Founder Director, who says, “With One Above, our partners can look at land plus cruise packages making us the one-stop solution for all their B2B requirements. We are excited to announce that soon  we will be joining hands with other cruise companies such as Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises to expand our services. Ensuring to offer more destinations, more packages, and more discounts to our agents, making it easier for them to plan their perfect cruise. Preeti John comes with immense knowledge and experience in handling sales and operations for cruises. We are confident to support our B2B customers and help grow our businesses mutually.”

Tripjack will now offer Resorts World Cruises to its customer base that include travel agents and leading corporates. Resorts World Cruises is an established Asian luxury and dynamic lifestyle cruise brand that is rich in Asian heritage, offering a personalized cruising lifestyle with diverse international experiences. The partnership aims to give a boost to the international cruise category in the B2B space by improving awareness and discovery, providing seamless booking experience and personalised support. Tripjack will tap its strong B2B presence across India and offer these unique travel experiences. Resorts World Cruises aims to redefine the cruising experience altogether by providing exciting and unique offerings, a variety of accommodations, including the world-class luxury accommodation, “The Palace” – a luxury ship-within-a ship private enclave with its own exclusive restaurant and private amenities, as well as European style butlers a theme park with multiple attractions, on board entertainment and international performances, retail outlets and luxury boutiques, popular and fine-dining and bars, MICE facilities and more. Speaking on the announcement, Abdul Thingna, Vice President, Hotels & Holidays, Tripjack said, “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Resorts World Cruises. With our extensive B2B network, cutting-edge technology, and excellent customer service, we are a natural fit with one of the most recognisable cruise lines in the world. At Tripjack, we are committed and consistently working towards providing a plethora of travel experiences that cater to the B2BC market.” “We are excited to partner with Tripjack to offer and expand cruising options to its customer base, which will further boost the Fly-Cruise sector across different market segments, including the MICE segment. With an added and valuable partner like Tripjack, we are confident that our …

Resorts World Cruises commences cruises to Phuket Introducing Genting Dream’s 3 Night and 5 Night itineraries from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (via Port Klang), starting November 2022 until April 2024 – 7 November 2022

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has announced that it will pay travel advisors commission on non-commissionable fares (NCFs), showcasing its industry-leading commitment to the travel agent community worldwide. NCL is the first major contemporary cruise line to compensate travel advisors on NCFs for reservations booked outside of the 120-day window. Since the establishment of the Brand’s Partners First philosophy, Norwegian Cruise Line has been committed to being the easiest cruise line to do business with by providing agents with educational tools, promotions and marketing assets to help them grow their businesses. “Our Partners First philosophy remains top of mind, and our decision to pay commission on NCFs is further proof of our commitment to this community,” said NCL President and CEO Harry Sommer. “We want our partners to thrive; we want to see their businesses grow all around the world.” The Cruise Line has been dedicated to equipping the travel agent community with the tools and information to provide their clients with exemplary service. This revolutionary choice will further help travel partners establish a stronger relationship with their clients and increase brand loyalty, resulting in repeat business and higher earning potential. “Our travel partners are incredibly important to us and our business; it is a true partnership,” said Braydon Holland ,Senior Sales Director , Norwegian Cruise Line “Advisors know why NCL offers the best cruise experience at sea and when they can speak to our unique, bucket-list itineraries, one-of-a-kind Free at Sea promotion and incredible 18-ship fleet with unparalleled onboard offerings, they are providing immense value to the business. We see this value and we wanted to reward our travel advisors like never before.” The payment of NCFs will go into effect …