Cruise Liner experience memorable, but lower fares can make it better, say tourists

A first-time voyage on a cruise liner, with unlimited food, is a memorable experience, and an added attraction for the guzzlers is the liquor onboard. The travellers can move all around the 10-storeyed luxury ship, enter the game zones and enjoy the standard menu of the star hotels.

“I travelled with my friends for the first time on a cruise and we had an exciting experience. At an average price ranging between ₹18,000 and ₹20,000 per person for the three-night cruise from Visakhapatnam to Chennai via Puducherry, we felt, was a pinch on our pockets,” said Patnala Sampath Kumar, a businessman from Srikakulam district.

“We booked flight tickets from Visakhapatnam to Chennai, and opted for the two-night direct cruise from Chennai to Vizag, which we felt was comparatively affordable. The ship, which can carry 2,000 persons, had a large swimming pool,” he said.

“After dark, you get nothing to see outside from the ship. A day-long cruise or a single night, or a two-night trip is more than enough. I feel that the morning to evening sight-seeing at Puducherry on the Vizag-Chennai trip can be skipped to cut down on the fare,” he added.

More cruise liners operate for a greater part of the year between Mumbai and Goa in view of the high demand from tourists, particularly foreign tourists, said Raja Ramesh Balla of Aakasa Veedhilo, a travel company.

“These cruise liners avoid the west coast during the rainy season as the Arabian Sea would be very rough. The Bay of Bengal is comparatively calm. Hence, they utilise the downtime to operate on the east coast. The fares should be lowered to attract more travellers,” he opined.

The fares vary based on the class of travel. The interior cabin, which does not have an ocean view is cheaper. Those who book early may get a chance to upgrade to a higher class at no extra cost.

The next is ‘ocean view’, which offers a partial view of the ocean. The ‘balcony’, which offers the full view, is costlier, while the most expensive is the ‘Presidential Suite’, which offers a lot of luxuries.

“The cruise operator should explore new routes to get repeat customers. Some of our clients feel that US $60 for the local tour in Puducherry is high,” Mr. Raja Ramesh said.

Local tours to Simhachalam temple, the Buddhist heritage sites of Thotlakonda and Bhavikonda, Kailasagiri, Rushikonda and Araku can be promoted to draw more tourists to Vizag,” said K. Vijay Mohan, president of Tours and Travels Association of Andhra.

The last trip of Cordelia Cruises for this season is on July 14 from Chennai to Vizag, and from Vizag to Chennai via Puducherry on July 16.