IRCTC launches India’s first indigenous luxury cruise liner

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on Saturday launched the country’s first indigenous cruise liner, in partnership with Cordelia Cruises – a private company.

The bookings can be done from the IRCTC web portal soon as the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) normalises and international cruises can resume their normal operations, reports the PTI news agency.

The luxury travel offering in the form of the indigenous cruise will take guests on-boards to some of the most popular Indian and international tourist destinations – such as Goa, Diu, Kochi, the Lakshadweep islands, and Sri Lanka.

Cordelia Cruises is one of India’s premium cruise liners and aspires to promote and drive the cruise culture in India through experiences that are “stylish, luxurious, and most importantly, inherently Indian.”

In a statement issued earlier this month, the IRCTC said that it has joined hands and signed the agreement with Cordelia Cruises being operated by Waterways Leisure Tourism for marketing and promotion of the first indigenous luxury cruise in India.

“This is another incredible luxury travel offering under IRCTC’s umbrella of tourism services to the public,” it noted.

Some of the most popular tour itineraries of Cordelia Cruises are:

• Mumbai – Goa – Mumbai (2N)

• Mumbai – Diu – Mumbai (2N)

• Mumbai – at sea – Mumbai (2N)

• Kochi – Lakshadweep – at sea – Mumbai (3N)

• Mumbai – at sea – Lakshadweep – at sea – Mumbai (4N)

• Goa – Mumbai – at sea – Lakshadweep – at sea – Goa (5N)

• Chennai – at sea – Colombo (2N)

• Chennai – Jaffna – Chennai (2N)

• Chennai – at sea – Colombo – Galle – Trincomalee – Chennai (5N).

Facilities aboard the luxury cruise

Cordelia Cruises offers opportunities for lots of recreational and leisure activities – such as restaurants, swimming pool, bar, open cinema, theatre, kids’ area, gymnasium, etc.

According to reviews, the kind of luxury opportunities provided aboard Cordelia Cruises matches the standard of international cruise liners.

Schedule

The IRCTC cruise liner, which is travelling to tourist spots like Goa, Diu, Lakshadweep, Kochi, and Sri Lanka, will allow its guests to sail to the Indian destinations in the first phase, with its base in Mumbai.

In the second phase, starting from May 2022, the cruise will be shifted to Chennai and it will be sailing to the Sri Lankan destinations like Colombo, Galle, Trincomalee, and Jaffna.

(Hindustan Times)