India’s first cruise ship to SL sets sail from Chennai

India’s first cruise ship to Sri Lanka was flagged off from Chennai Port yesterday (June 5), Indian media reported.
The luxury cruise ship named Cordelia Empress will reach Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port on June 7.
From there, it will sail to Trincomalee and dock there for a day before sailing back to Chennai on June 9.
The ship features a luxury shopping area, pubs, a swimming pool, a food court, a casino, a play area, spas, theatres and others.
Addressing a gathering on the ship, Union Minister for Port, Shipping and Water Ways Sarbananda Sonowal said, “It’s the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote cruise tourism in our country. The initiatives taken by the Chennai Port Authority and Tamil Nadu government’s 
tourism department are praiseworthy.”
He said the Union government has started building international cruise terminals in Mumbai at Rs.5,000 crore. “It will be ready soon,” he said.
Cordelia CEO Jurgen Bailom said the ship would carry 50,000 passengers from India to Sri Lanka in the next four months.
The cruise line will offer three-night, four-night and five-night cruise options to Sri Lanka from Chennai.
The transportation and logistics arm of Sri Lanka’s Hayleys Group, Advantis, recently announced Advantis Travel and Aviation, a unit of Sri Lanka’s Hayleys Group, serves as the General Sales Agent for Cordelia Cruises, while Advantis Group subsidiary Clarion Shipping will serve as the Port Agent for Cordelia Cruises in Sri Lanka.