India’s international cruise services have traditionally been centred around its western ports, but this will soon change this coming July.
Visakhapatnam city, located in India’s eastern coastline, will debut its first international cruise service on 15 July, with Cordelia Cruises sailing a 14-day Southeast Asia itinerary.
Setting off from Visakhapatnam – the only major port in Andhra Pradesh – the ship will sail to Chennai and dock for two days at the coastal city, before entering international waters.
Scheduled stops include Phuket, Langkawi, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.
Visakhapatnam’s market entry opens a suite of benefits, especially for passengers.
Apart from opening a new departure point for travellers in both eastern and southern India, the news also means reduced travel time nationwide to catch international sailings.
Indian passport holders will not need visas for Malaysia and Thailand, while Singapore will provide visa-on-arrival access. The only essential requirement is the usual six months' validity for all passports.
Prior to this July international sailing, authorities will kick off domestic routes first from 22 June. These will be round trips departing from Chennai.
India has 12 major ports, although international cruise departures are traditionally in the west, such as at Mumbai.