Cruise Liner experience memorable, but lower fares can make it better, say tourists
'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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
10 hours ago
- NDTV
Woman Tries To Enter US Airport With Turtles In Bra, Caught By Security Agency
Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a US-based security agency, said on Thursday that a Florida woman was caught hiding two turtles in her brassiere while passing through a checkpoint at the Miami International Airport. The identity of the woman was not revealed. The security agency revealed that one of the turtles didn't survive. "Friends, please - and we cannot emphasize this enough - stop hiding animals in weird places on your body and then trying to sneak them through airport security," the TSA said in a post on Facebook. "We want you to be able to travel with your pets, and you turtle-ly can, but please travel with them safely." The agency, on its website, said that TSA allows travellers to bring pets, including turtles, through security checkpoints. The animals must be removed from any carriers. "Notice we said 'carried' and not 'hidden underneath your clothing,'" the TSA remarked and added that the passengers can also reach out to the respective airline for their rules concerning pets on board a flight. The surviving turtle was turned over to the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife, TSA said in the post. Earlier this year, in March, a traveller attempted to smuggle an invasive turtle through TSA security at Newark Liberty International Airport. The man had hidden the reptile in the front of his pants. According to the officials, the reptile was not harmed. Such incidents are quite common, as a man was stopped in 2024 from bringing a bag of snakes aboard a plane. In another incident, a bag was confiscated in 2023 by Miami airport officials which had smuggled Amazon parrot eggs and live birds. The birds were heard chirping in a duffel bag. Earlier this month, TSA made a significant change in its airport security screening policy. At some airports in the US, travellers will no longer need to remove their shoes at security checkpoints. The rule was in place for over 20 years.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
17 hours ago
- First Post
Beyond the war: Cambodia's hidden Hindu heritage
Turf wars about monuments are not uncommon. But these usually happen when a monument collapses out of lack of upkeep and various departments and entities accuse each other of neglecting the monument. However, a corner of South-East Asia is witnessing the perhaps unprecedented scenario of two sovereign nations coming close to all-out war over control of some monuments and its surroundings. While the Preah Vihear Temple has long been contested between Cambodia and Thailand, the recent conflict has been centred around control and ownership of the Ta Muen Thom Temple. The temple complexes, which lie on the border between the two countries, are the victims of disputes arising from a colonial era border demarcation and a reluctance to accept this border in modern times. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The temples at Preah Ko, part of the Roluos group Tension simmering for years has exploded now with shots fired and worse. Rocket-propelled grenades and even air forces have come into play. Amidst all this, if you are planning to visit Cambodia, there is plenty beyond the Angkor that can be explored. And none of it is controversial, never mind conflicts. Roluos (20 kms south-east of Angkor Wat): The place was once called Hariharalaya. At the end of the 8th century CE, Jayavarman II established the first Khmer capital here. His successors expanded the city and built the lofty shrine called Bakong as well as the smaller Preah Ko, which means 'sacred bull' – a reference to Nandi. Towards the end of the 9th century came Lolei, a temple whose name is said to be a mutation of Hariharalaya itself. It was built on an artificial island in the Indratataka Baray, a water body. The Temple Mountain of Bakong at Roulos. Source: Wikipedia Coming centuries before the globally celebrated Angkor Wat, these examples of early Khmer architecture are a joy to visit. And not just because they are away from the crowds that fill the Angkor and its immediate vicinity. Built mostly with bricks, the Lolei temples are the oldest examples of classical Khmer design. The Preah Ko comprises six shrines standing on a sandstone platform, in two uniform rows. The front row shrines are dedicated to Khmer rulers Prithivindreshvara, Jayavarman II and Rudreshvara, while the back row is in the memory of their respective wives. The carvings on the shrines are intricate and need careful examination. The sandstone shrine of Bakong was the first of the pyramid shaped temples of the Khmers. In some ways, it resembles Borobudur, the giant Buddhist shrine on the island of Java. As per an inscription found here, it was consecrated in 881 CE by the ruler Indravarman I as his state temple. This was a Shiva shrine named Indresvara, the name combining the ruler's identity with that of the God. With a moat as its boundary, the shrine is a vast complex with more than twenty satellite temples in its precincts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Banteay Srei (37 kms north of Angkor Wat): Its name literally meaning 'citadel of women' and figuratively referring to 'citadel of beauty', the Banteay Srei temple lives up to its name being an elegant and somewhat fragile looking temple complex with a water body in front. This is the only temple complex in Cambodia which did not have a ruler as its patron builder, but two courtiers of King Rajendravarman II. A temple inside the Banteay Srei complex Originally built in the latter half of the 10th century CE, the temples saw further expansion in the 12th and 13th centuries CE, with the last inscription found here dating to 1303 CE i.e. the early 14th century. Made of red sandstone, the temple's material was very amenable to rich carving. The result was a vast array of divine icons carved throughout its structure amidst floral patterns. Primarily a Shiva shrine, it also has Vishnu iconography within. The idyllic setting of the Banteay Srei complex Sadly, this extensive iconography meant that the temple complex drew looters and vandals in hordes. The most notorious incident was the theft of four icons by a Frenchman called Georges André Malraux. He was arrested and the idols recovered. That fact that he went on to become a respected author and 'intellectual' shows the state of justice. As has been the fate of many heritage sites in countries that were colonised, many icons and parts of the complex are in the Guimet Museum in Paris. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In its prime, the temple complex had a settlement called Ishvarapura around it. Nothing of this remains. The temple complex itself comprises three concentric rectangular enclosures. Within it lie various shrines, gopuras or gateways and structures popularly termed libraries. Kbal Spean (43 kms north of Angkor Wat): Sometimes called 'Valley of a Thousand Lingas', Kbal Spean is one of Cambodia's most visually striking sites. The place lies in the western part of the Kulein mountains. To reach, a visitor walks through a forest path, up a hill, for nearly two kilometres. And then arrives at a river whose bed is like no other! The Stung Kbal Spean River flows here, later merging into the Siem Reap River before its waters reach the Tonle Sap Lake. At Kbal Spean, leveraging sandstone rocks the river passes over, a stretch of about 200 metres of the riverbed has been extensively carved. The patron of this carving was a minister of the Khmer ruler in the 11th century CE, who created a thousand Shiva lingas on the riverbed. Close by are other carvings believed to have been done by hermits who dwelt here – carvings of Brahma, Vishnu atop his celestial serpent, Shiva-Parvati and others. Their intricacy is breath-taking. On one icon of Vishnu lying on Sheshnag, a lotus flower emerges from his navel and has a Brahma carving touching it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A reclining Vishnu icon at Kbal Spean The elaborate carving at Kbal Spean is no mere embellishment, but had a spiritual meaning attached. The Khmers believed that the water flowing into the Tonle Sap Lake near Angkor had been blessed by touching the sacred carvings at Kbal Spean. It is also mentioned that in 1059 CE King Udayadityavarman II consecrated a golden Shiva linga here. Given how much Cambodia has lost in terms of antiquities being looted, perhaps it is a blessing that the Kbal Spean carvings are on a riverbed, else they too could have ended up in a European museum. The list of Cambodia's less-known heritage nuggets can be a long one. The region has emerged from decades of horrific conflict and welcomed visitors. More and more stunning heritage seems to be emerging from the countryside. One hopes that both Cambodia and Thailand can resolve their differences and the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom temple complexes can also be visited. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The author is a heritage explorer with a penchant for seeking obscure sites. A brand consultant by profession, he tweets @HiddenHeritage. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
India.com
a day ago
- India.com
India's most expensive train's ticket is worth a massive Rs..., name of the train is..., route is...
New Delhi: Train is considered the cheapest and most accessible means of transport in India. Indian Railways subsidizes fares, so passenger tickets are quite cheap. But, there is a train in the country whose ticket fare is Rs 20 lakh and it is India's Most Expensive Train. Which is India's most expensive train? India's most expensive train is the Maharajas' Express, whose presidential suite ticket costs Rs 20,90,760 (about US$24,890). A common man may be shocked to hear this fare, but it is true. Let us tell you on which route this train runs and what is so special about it that Rs 20 lakh is charged for a ticket. Maharajas' Express is a tourist train that takes tourists from India and abroad to important tourist places. Different types of travel packages are available in this train, whose price ranges from Rs 651000 to Rs 2090760. What are the travel packages and prices of Maharajas' Express? According to the information available on the website of Maharajas' Express, this train has The Indian Splendour, which charges up to Rs 20 lakh for a journey of 7 days, 6 nights and 2724 km. There are 4 different categories available in this train, Deluxe Cabin, Junior Suite, Suite and Presidential Suite. The fare for a single passenger in a deluxe cabin is Rs 651000, Rs 834960 in a junior suite, Rs 1217160 in a suite and Rs 2090760 in a presidential suite. What is included in the travel package? The main reason for the Maharajas' Express ticket being so expensive is the facilities available in this train and travel package, which includes food during the entire journey, hotel stay at tourist places, alcoholic drinks and other travel expenses. Maharajas' Express is a grand and luxurious train, the beauty inside its coach is worth seeing and looks no less than the rooms of a five-star hotel. It would not be wrong to say that Maharajas' Express is a 5-star hotel running on railway tracks. Important tourist spots Maharajas' Express mainly takes you to the tourist places of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. During this, Taj Mahal, Ranthambore National Park and the palaces and forts of Jaipur and Udaipur are covered.
