IRCTC to launch India's first luxury cruise liner. Check date, itinerary

IRCTC said guests onboard the ship will have an experience of sailing to some of the best Indian and international destinations like Goa, Diu, Lakshadweep, Kochi, and Sri Lanka.

IRCTC will start India's first indigenous cruise liner from September 18 and bookings can be done on its website, the railway PSU has said. "IRCTC has joined hands and signed the agreement with Cordelia Cruises being operated by M/s Waterways Leisure Tourism Pvt Ltd for promotion and marketing 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," IRCTC said in a statement earlier this week.

IRCTC said the number of guests will also be limited according to the official mandate. (Cordelia Cruises Photo)

"Cordelia Cruises is India's premium cruise liner. It aspires to promote and drive the cruise culture in India through experiences that are stylish, luxurious, and most importantly, inherently Indian. It is a cruise liner for Indians catering to the way Indians love to holiday," the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation said.

IRCTC said guests onboard the ship will have an experience of sailing to some of the best Indian and international destinations like Goa, Diu, Lakshadweep, Kochi, and Sri Lanka. Cordelia Cruises’ first phase will sail through Indian destinations with its base at Mumbai and the cruise will be shifted to Chennai from May next year and set sail to Sri Lankan destinations like Colombo, Galle, Trincomalee and Jaffna. Mumbai-Goa-Mumbai, Mumbai-Diu-Mumbai, Mumbai-At sea-Mumbai, Kochi-Lakshadweep-At sea-Mumbai and Mumbai-At sea-Lakshadweep-At sea-Mumbai are some of the popular tour itineraries of Cordelia Cruises.

"While travelling on Cordelia Cruises, one can enjoy a lot of recreational and leisure activities such as restaurants, swimming pool, bars, open cinemas, theatre, kids area, gymnasium," the IRCTC statement said.

Crew members are fully vaccinated according to Covid-19 protocol and their daily health checks, hourly sanitisation of the facilities, air filtration and social distancing norms would also be followed, IRCTC said. The number of guests will also be limited according to the official mandate. There is also a fully functional medical centre onboard the cruise equipped with all the required essential items.

According to PTI, IRCTC is also in the process of signing agreements with all major international cruise liners. The news agency reported that IRCTC will provide their bookings on its web portal as soon as the Covid-19 situation normalises and the international cruises start their operations.