Travel Lakshadweep
Hundred Thousand Islands
Phuket International Boat Show – March 29th
Jan 27th
Located close to the Andaman Sea, Phuket in Thailand is one of the top five cruising destinations on the planet. The Andaman Marine Triangle comprises Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi provinces of the country. There are scores of cruises available in this area.
To top the tourism ratings of Phuket, coming up end of March is the Phuket International Boat Show (Pimex). It is Asia’s largest in-water boat show and will be held at the Royal Phuket Marina on the island’s east coast. Phuket has four super marinas and 750 boats. The authorities plan to increase of berth capacity by more than 20 percent in the next five years. The Andaman Marine Triangle, when completed, will have about 400 berths.
Sports and marine leisure enthusiasts, wealthy tourists and travellers account for the largest number of visitors here. More than 5500 visitors attended the 2011 Show and more numbers are expected this year. International boat brands and cruise lines will be displaying their products and services at the function, which will go on till the first of April. You can also try your hand at luxury real estate and marina developments at the boat show.
New Year’s Aboard Luxury Liner Queen Elizabeth 2
Dec 16th
How about New Year’s dinner on the cruise liner Queen Elizabeth 2, at Dubai’s Port Rashid? Music, fireworks and laser shows will be the highlight. The black-tie evening will see celebrities, royals and VIP’s walk down the red carpet…
The cruise vessel originally belonged to the Cunard cruise line. In 2007, Dubai’s Istithmar World bought it. There were plans for making it a floating hotel, but that hasn’t taken off yet. This will be a great boost for the cruise vessel which hasn’t seen any activity for the last two years. It has been serving passengers for 40 years since its launch by Queen Elizabeth II, in 1967.
25 New Themed Cruises in 2012 – Crystal Cruises
Sep 3rd
Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, from the Crystal Cruises brood, is out on a theme. Or, rather, themes. The next year will see the cruise line offering 25 cruises with 12 innovative themes. Some of the themes range between music concerts and fine dining. There will be multiple sailing dates for both the cruises.
In the Ocean Views category, leaders and foreign correspondents can meet for debates and discussions. The Big Band and Ballroom Dance theme is self-explanatory. So is the Wine and Food Festival one – guests can meet mixologists, culinary professionals and chefs. Golf and Creative Learning are two other themes for the twice-a-year categories.
Once a year there will be a sailing each on themes such as Film and Theatre, President’s Cruise, Jazz and NFL Legends. Cruise travellers can enjoy complimentary wines and an open bar service.
New Cruise From Kochi To Maldives
Aug 13th
Cruise ports around the world have seen a rise in number of tourists – domestic and international. Ease of travelling, verdant new spots and an increased interest in exotic locations mean that cruise ships are busy throughout the year. This demand has led to the introduction of a cruise service from Cochin to Lakshadweep and Maldives later this year.
Indian-operated AMET Shipping Private Limited, will flag off its ship, mv AMET will be the chosen ship meant to set sail on the very first journey in the first week of October 2011. In the packages involved, there will be one high sea sailing, a two-night trip to Lakshadweep and a four-night one to Maldives each week.
Aboard The World’s Largest Floating Library!
May 27th
Visiting mv Logos Hope was a grand experience for Terence and me. We left with great expectations in our heart: Hope was advertised as the largest floating library in the world. And, it definitely is! Six hundred and ten square metres of book space. I had gone onboard Hope’s sister vessel, Doulos, when it called on Cochin in 2004. But this is a bigger, wider ship.
We picked up our tickets and waited in line to step onto the gangplank. A security person and a crewmember greeted us and welcomed us aboard the huge ship. At the entrance itself there was a ship-like seating area and a wall-mounted screen where we were shown a three-minute video about the vessel. We walked down the large wood-panelled floors into the book fair area, and were struck by the neatly-stacked rows of books.
Mv Logos Hope is under the GBA ships banner, with their headquarters in Germany. They also have a base in the US. We spoke to Sarang Shin at the information desk. He has been onboard Hope for the last eight months. When I asked him how the work was, he was quite excited to add, “We are all volunteers on Hope, including the captain. We work with a two-year contract.” Sarang is from North Korea and has previous work experience on ships. Read the rest of this entry »
Titanic Captain’s Cigar Box Found in the UK
May 19th
A Merseyside home in the UK has become famous for having housed the mighty Titanic’s captain’s cigar box. While valuing some antiques at the Merseyside home, auctioneer John Crane came upon the cigar box atop a cabinet. The item had been lying in the home for more than 20 years now, but the owner had no clue as to its origin!
The cigar box which can hold up to 40 Havanas has the name of the master of Titanic as well as its shipping company, White Star Line, on it. It is believed to have been given to the owner’s father by relatives of Edward John Smith’s widow Sarah. The Titanic sunk in the North Atlantic, after the ill-fated accident on her very first voyage in 1912, from Southampton to New York.
Disney Dream – Disney’s New Luxury Liner
Jan 27th
Disney Cruise Line’s all new Disney Dream, one of their ships launched in a decade, has room for all. Literally! It can hold up to 4,000 passengers. Disney Dream has various sailing options – it sails three, four and five-night cruises from Port Canaveral. There are stop-overs at Nassau in the Bahamas and Castaway Cay, the corporation’s private island in the Caribbean.
Everything on this cruise spells luxury, with sky-rocketing prices, what else can you expect? Read the rest of this entry »
All New Tourist Season In Lakshadweep!
Dec 2nd
Earlier this month, a load of tourists and locals of Lakshadweep were treated to renewed cruise ships. The ‘Mini Coy’, is a weekend holiday cruise ship to the islands that sails from New Mangalore port. Mangalore is only 144 nautical miles away from Lakshadweep and the journey takes 14 hours.
The cruise takes tourists to Kadmat island and returns the next day. This is the first weekend cruise of its kind to Lakshadweep, and had about 140 people on board.
Once on the island, tourists can go around for boating, sea swimming and shopping on the islands. Diving and snorkelling enthusiasts can hire yachts and equipment from agencies on the island. You can go walking on the serene beaches and visit local landmarks before getting back to your ship.
Cruising On The Ice
May 9th
Endless sheets of ice. Ice… and more ice. It might be a pleasing sight. Definitely. On an Antarctic cruise what else do you expect to see? Well, ice is not all. Due to the absence of land predators there are plenty of birds. Gulls and albatrosses and variety of others. Different kinds of whales are another major attraction. You can see them dancing with the waves, in tandem with your ship. Spotting them early in the morning is in itself a relaxing activity.
A typical Antarctic cruise starts from Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina. Between November and March – that’s Antarctica’s summer – is when most of the cruises take place. And don’t think that only scientists and marine biologists go to Antarctica. Any avid traveller with a sense of adventure is bound to say yes to such a cruise.
Most Antarctic cruises last a week or two, maximum. The harsh weather doesn’t permit a longer vacation, sadly. Budget travellers might have to save up a handsome amount of quid for this trip. But, believe us, it’s so worth it.
On A Playground Of Ice – Glacier Cruises
Dec 22nd
The countries near the North Pole are most famous for… Ice! What else?
Well, let’s call them glacial behemoths. Cruises in this part of the world are of a different kind. Cruises along the glaciers and icebergs are a great way to explore these lands. Centered around Alaska, Canada and the Scandinavian nations, glacier cruises are a popular tourist attraction.
And, it’s not just miles of white ice you’ll get to see. Most of the cruises are jointly called ‘Wildlife and Glacier Cruises’. True to the name, you can spot bears, porpoises, sea otters, sea lions, whales, and a number of avian friends.
It’s not a passive cruise at all. You can get down to some neat kayaking, caving, iceberg climbing, jetboat rides, hunting (in the season and with permission), high mountain climbing and fishing.
The catamarans and cruises will take you past snaking rivers of ice, blocks of icebergs, rough seas and fjords. Whoever said ice was boring!