India has home porting cruise ship

December 2009 saw the first Indian based international cruise ship to homeport in India. MV Aquamarine is owned by Louis Cruises India, a subsidiary of Louis Cruises, which is the fifth largest cruise operator globally.

Her maiden voyage was from the Southern Indian city of Kochi to the Maldives, following an official launch by India’s Minister of Tourism.

While she’s unlikely to become a major player in the UK cruise market, the luxury liner, which carries 1200 passengers is likely to appeal to many families of UK citizenship who are organising weddings or attending religious festivals in India and she offers world class facilities to rival any of the major cruise lines, such 525 spacious state rooms and suites, several restaurants, a swimming pool and fitness centre with massage and sauna facilities, a casino, duty free shopping and .. very typically … a cricket pitch!

It’s estimated that around 60,000 Indian tourists, alone will take a cruise on MV Aquamarine in her inaugural season because she is the first international class cruise liner to offer holidays targeted at the Indian tourism market. But India’s great natural beauty and diversity, plus her long coastline with many ports that can be visited, are making the country a destination that is growing in popularity with seasoned cruise passengers from around the world. The prices are also attractive – around £50 per passenger per day for the three night cruises that are currently sailing from Kochi to the Maldives or from Kochi to Colombo.