Visakhapatnam: Excitement soars for a new experience on high seas

Visakhapatnam: At a time when the tourism industry had gone through an unprecedented crisis for the past two years owing to Covid-19 pandemic, cruise tourism is all set to provide relief to the sector.

As Cordelia Cruise's Empress arriving in Visakhapatnam on June 8 from Chennai, the bookings for the cruise from Visakhapatnam have already been brimming to the full, indicating a huge demand for a generous dose of entertainment and a new experience on high seas.

Authorised travel partners said that they did not expect such a tremendous response for the voyage. "Initially, Visakhapatnam was not there in the schedule as the cruise trip was confined between Chennai and Sri Lanka. However, with the economic crisis in Sri Lanka going from bad to worse, Visakhapatnam was added to the itinerary at the last minute," recalls V Lokesh, managing director of Leisure Time Holidday.

With the growing demand for the cruise, the schedule of the sailings has been extended till September. However, depending on the weather conditions, it will either be extended till December later or diverted to the West Coast.

Booking for the June month, the travel operators said, is almost complete. "Travellers are looking forward to the trip as it offers a novel experience to them. Every Wednesday, the ship departs from Visakhapatnam and arrives in Chennai on Saturday. As of now, September 21 is scheduled as the last sailing. There are many travelling from Vizag. Almost 85 percent of the bookings for this month have been closed," shares K Vijay Mohan, president of Tours and Travels Association of Andhra (TTAA).

Those who have marked the travel calendars for the voyage said that they could not wait to pack their bags and board the majestic Empress. "After two years, we are excited to sail which is scheduled on June 13. Along with my family, we are embarking on the three-day maiden voyage from Chennai to Vizag.

Another interesting aspect is that we are going along with 60 of our friends and their family members who are part of Rotary Clubs," said M Jagan Mohan, a freelancer in Visakhapatnam.

Also, with the cruise terminal at Visakhapatnam Port expected to be commissioned by April next with the right infrastructure upgradation and ecosystem, Visakhapatnam is sure to become a promising cruise destination in the years to come.