Set sail on a floating city

The secret to happiness, they say, is to focus on the journey and not the destination. If you want to go by this age-old adage, cruise holidays are definitely the way to go. And if you pick the right luxury liner, you can forget about the destination, and just enjoy the ride. 

The tradition of seeing the world on a cruise ship is more than a century old — one that was preferred mostly by the rich and those with a penchant for luxury. Imagine a holiday where you have to do very little — no checking in and out of hotels, no running to catch flights on time, and still managing to cover multiple destinations, and soak in the flavours of each new port. That’s exactly what a cruise holiday offers, and although not a traditional holiday for most Indians, it is certainly catching on. 

Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive of TIRUN Travel Marketing, believes that Indians are getting over their misconceptions and are slowly showing a greater inclination to take up cruise holidays. “Indian travel-lovers have understood that whether it is sight-seeing, tasting international gourmet cuisines, enjoying cultural events from top performers across the world or sipping superlative spirits on the deck, the cruise experience allows them to do it all,” she says. 

Globally, the cruise industry is booming, with over 23 million passengers expected to sail this year, according to the annual State of the Cruise Industry Report released by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), and just 8.5 per cent of these passengers are expected to be from Asia. To service about 1,000 ports of call, there are 22 new ocean, river and speciality ships debuting in 2015 at an investment of $4 billion.

 “Cruises are fast becoming the new vacation,” says Kiran Bhandari, co-founder of the Cruise Club, “a new way for Indian guests to explore the world. Nearly 150,000 Indian guests are taking cruises around the world.” And the numbers are showing an increasing trend. “Of the 15 million outbound travellers from India, approximately a little over 1,00,000 are cruisers, so the potential cruise market is huge,” says Ratna Chadha. 

Another reason why cruise holidays find an increasing number of takers in India is the hassle of finding food to suit their palate is taken care of completely. “Most cruises catering to Indian consumers also have Indian chefs cooking vegetarian food to suit their requirements,” says Manmeet Ahluwalia, Marketing Head, Expedia India. According to Kiran, cruising has established itself as a holiday option thanks to its three main USPs: Value for money, convenience and pampering. When a holiday option lets you dine on food by Michelin-starred chefs and stages Broadway musicals for entertainment, all in one package, what’s not to love, she asks. “It offers a convenient ‘pack unpack once’ floating city experience that takes you across the many destinations in one vacation,” says Kiran, adding that cruising has amongst the highest satisfaction levels in all of travel. 

A major draw of cruise liners is that they provide myriad options — whether it’s food, entertainment or activities — to ensure that guests don’t get bored while on board. And some speciality ships take their “wow factor” to whole new levels. Like, for instance, the Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas that promises to be the world’s most technologically advanced cruise ship. A digital art collection, robot bartenders, a glass viewing pod that lifts you 300 ft above sea level — and 18 different restaurants, including a Jamie Oliver special, this one is all set to please every taste. 

Each suite of the Quantum cost more than $200,000 to build and can cost about $1,500 to stay a single night.

Another big player in the cruise industry Carnival Corp has planned for next year the most extravagant ship ever — the Vista. With plans lined up including an onboard brewery, the first IMAX theatre at sea, an 800-ft long rope course sky ride, and more. It promises to be one ride patrons will not want to end. 

The world’s largest cruise ship is the 225,282 tonne, Allure of the Seas, that’s also the most expensive, costing about $1.5 billion. One night on this ship will cost at least $795 per person, but considering that it comes with a thousand-seater theatre, an ice skating rink, 25 restaurants and a two-deck dance hall, it could be quite the indulgence.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises, owned by major name Norwegian Cruise Line, too has grand plans for next year. It is being touted as “the most luxurious ship ever built”. Called the Seven Seas Explorer, the 56,000-tonne ship will host just 750 guests — if you think that’s too much space, that’s because each suite comes with its own in-room spa area and a 270-degree viewing area. And at $10,000 per night for a couple, it is going to be a very luxurious summer 2016 for some lucky passengers. “Popular destinations among Indians are Singapore because of its proximity to Indian shores,” says Ratna Chadha, while Manmeet believes that well-travelled Indians look for longer itineraries and more luxurious cruises like the Antarctic cruise.

The Mediterranean region is an old favourite among seasoned travellers. Kiran adds that Indians are getting more adventurous with their choices. “Whether it’s a group to the North Pole, or Polar Bear Safaris, or honeymooners to Antarctica or Tahiti & Bora Bora , or three or four-day Great Barrier Reef Cruises in Australia — Indian guests are rapidly diversifying their cruise experiences,” she says. 

Globally, trends point towards romantic cruise destinations like the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, French Polynesia in the South Pacific, and the classics like Venice or Portofino in Italy. For the adventure-seekers, cruise liners are navigating the remote corners of Iceland, but only if wildlife and unexplored topography are in your line of interest. 

If you’re ready to take on the high seas, the choices are unlimited and there’s no limit to the luxury options onboard. So, on which sea will you be crossing the equator this summer?