 The
world has always been fascinated by the seas, oceans
and long voyages to faraway, exotic lands. World literature,
history and folk stories abound with the travails of
seafarers sailing on the sea to distant lands, their
encounters with deadly tempests, dangerous sea demons
and beautiful mermaids. From the romantic adventures
of Sindbad the Sailor to the levels of human
degradation in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness
to the high sea looting by the pirates, voyages became
synonymous with extreme testing of human perseverance.
So is it any wonder that sea voyages still continue
to fascinate people? Of course, these voyages are less
of adventure and more of a luxury cruise these
days. Luxury cruise or a rough canoe ride-the deep sea
still beckons many.
Till late, the Indian tourist was notorious for going
in for the most conventional and traditional holidays.
Package tours to hill stations especially Ooty in the
South and Shimla in the North or to the sea beaches
of Goa or Puri were the usual destinations. Fortunately,
over the past few years, this routine is undergoing
a change. People are opting for innovative holidays,
which promise exposure to different countries, different
lifestyles and different holiday experiences. Tour packages
to romantic Europe, exotic Africa, or the Far East,
adventure holidays and surprisingly in the last two
years, cruise travels have been on the rise.
And now newly married couples, families, singles - almost
everybody seems to be smitten by the cruise bug. Says
Rony Thomas, a PR executive, who plans to go
on a cruise for his honeymoon, "A cruise sounds
exotic, interesting. It is something both of us haven't
done. You see it is the novelty of the whole thing which
is attracting us. Plus you get to see a lot of things
at a relaxed pace unlike package tours. You might be
cooped up in a ship but then you can do lots of things
at your own pace." Even travel agencies report
increase in the number of tourists requesting for cruise
packages and travel magazines are reporting exciting
cruise stories and cruise reviews.
 Initially,
if the Indian tourist wanted to go on a cruise, he had
to opt for cruises which operated mostly around the
United States and Europe. This meant that he/she
takes a flight to US or any of the European cities to
start off on the cruise. The market for this was definitely
niche, not everybody could afford the expensive airline
tickets and then cough up for the cruise as well. Perhaps,
a significant change came when Star Cruises started
their operations in India, offering cruises in the Far-East.
Suddenly cruises were available at affordable prices
and people who went on these cruises recommended them
to everybody. Says Sandhya Lewis, Assistant Manager
- South India, Star Cruises, "It was the
cost factor that led to such a huge popularity of cruises
in the Far East. An airline ticket from Bangalore to
Singapore was cheaper than the ticket from Bangalore
to Delhi." Besides the Far East is also an
exotic holiday option. Virgin beaches, water adventure
sports like scuba diving, snorkeling etc., cheap food
and variety of shopping options - all of this are an
irresistible lure.
Most of these cruises are around the islands of
Thailand - Phuket being the most popular
here, Malaysian and Singaporean islands. These cruises
usually start from either of the above countries, cruise
around the islands specified in the itinerary and back
to where it started. The cheapest Star cruise is a two
night cruise to Thailand which comes to about US $190
per person. They have several other packages which will
take you around Singapore, Bangkok, Malaysia and Thailand.
 The
other fascinating aspect of these cruises are the ships
themselves. They are almost like mini-cities with
an average of 15 decks, casinos, beauty centres,
swimming pools, tennis courts, shopping centres and
many restaurants. Most ships have variety of lodging
facilities. There are cabins without windows - they
are the least expensive, cabins with one window - they
are not-so-expensive and cabins with a balcony,
which are most expensive. Each of these cabins are compact
and are beautifully done with a comfortable bed, a writing
table, a well furnished bathroom and in suites, a mini
bar as well. Radhika, who recently went on a cruise
on the Star Virgo says, "Well, our bathroom
was small but terrific. It was well furnished and had
a shower with temperature adjustment."
 Most
of the ships have a child care centre with all
kinds of fun and entertainment activities for your children.
There are movie theatres as well screening some movie
or the other. If you are tired of the crowd, you can
head here. Or quietly bask in the sun with your favourite
book. Some cruises, like Star Cruises, have Free
Style Cruising as an option. Free Style Cruising
allows you to have your food from any of the buffets
of your choice, provided by some of the restaurants
on the ship. So, all you have to do is check out the
timings when meals are served. Unlike other ships, you
don't have to make any reservations for your place.
And the best part is - you don't have to pay for the
food! It is included in the cruise tariff. Beside these
buffets, there are other restaurants serving specialty
cuisine. These however are paid restaurant and won't
be included in the cruise tariff.
 The
liners drop anchor at the ports that are described
in the itinerary. They offer sightseeing packages (tariff
extra) within those islands. You can either take it
up or opt for sightseeing on your own. Usually they
provide you with enough time to explore the island.
The islands of the Far East are especially famous for
their cheap food and relaxed lifestyles. The natives
are usually very polite and pleasant people.
Some tips:
- Book well in advance. If your cruise plan coincides
with a holiday season like New Years or Christmas
then it is better you book at least a year ahead.
For other cruise plans, it is a must that you book
at least two months in advance.
- Make sure you have got all your papers. Some cruises
insist on nationality identification and visas,
some don't. Confirm this with your travel agent before
you venture out.
- Pack wisely for your cruise. Most cruises will have
luggage specifications. Make sure you know about it
beforehand.
- Along with casual shipboard wear or day wear carry
clothes for sightseeing and evening formal wear. Usually
there will be a formal event every evening and if
you want to attend them then better be armed with
your formal wear.
Well, those were some of the things that you will
have to keep in mind before embarking on your cruise.
And of course don't forget to take your sunglasses,
hat, a strong sunscreen and... anticipation for fun
filled days!
Mischelle Rebello
Sources:
http://www.windstarcruises.com/
http://www.celebritycruises.com/
http://www2.starcruises.com/
http://www.altairindia.com/
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