Enjoy spice route on cruise
Azamara to set sail from Chennai Dec. 9
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-11-26 03:42 GMT
Chennai: With the Centre keen on encouraging private players, cruise tourism is set to take off in a big way from Chennai where the potential is waiting to be tapped. A private luxury operator, eyeing high-end travellers will launch the ‘spice route voyage’ on December 9. Cruise tourism industry is growing at an annual rate of 12 per cent globally and as per World Tourism Organisation study, 1.4 per cent of international arrivals are cruise tourists. India accounts for about 0.5 per cent of the world’s cruise market, with around 1,00,000 guests taking a cruise holiday annually.
“The response from the BJP government to developing tourism is encouraging. We hope the Centre will put in place a mechanism to include Chennai and Thoothukudi as ports of call for international luxury liners,” says a top tourism official.Hoping to cash in on the untapped potential the Azamara Club cruises, has come forward assuring to provide rich insight into the Indian sub-continent. The cruise being operated for the first time will set sail from Chennai on December 9 for 13 days of voyage across the Bay of Bengal, passing Andaman Islands, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
This first-ever sailing from India begins from Mumbai on November 26, and it passes via Goa, Kochi, Maldives, Colombo, Galle and Chennai. The cruise will then set sail from Chennai on December 9 for another 13 days of ‘Spice Route-II Voyage’ across the Bay of Bengal, passing Andaman islands, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.
According to Ratna Chadha, CEO, Tirun Travel Marketing, the India representative for Azamara Club cruises, the spice route voyage offers an opportunity for Indian guests onboard to experience the Azamara style of cruising which showcases destinations.
“The carefull-crafted itinerary ensures that cruisers get a true glimpse of the best and most outstanding aspects of this geographical area endowed with natural, cultural, and historical wonders,” she said.
Those keen on sailing should be prepared for late-night departures and overnight stays at ports of call. Founded in 2007 and then re-launched as Azamara Club cruises in 2009, the luxury line caters to up-market travellers who love cruising and are interested in new and impressive ways to see the world. Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest are the two European boutique-style ships that can accommodate 694 guests each.