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Mumbai’s new Domestic Cruise Terminal opens

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Angriya will operate regular sailings between Mumbai and Goa from the new Domestic Cruise Terminal
Shipping and Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were among dignitaries who attend the inauguration of Mumbai’s new Domestic Cruise Terminal last Saturday.

The building is one of numerous ambitious cruise related projects being undertaken by Mumbai Port Trust.

Converted ferry Angriya to operate Mumbai-Goa

These also include a sailing between Mumbai and Goa using newly converted 400-passenger cruise ship Angriya. Tickets start at INR 7,500 (US$103).

The service will operate on alternate days, leaving Mumbai at 5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and reaching Goa at 8 the next morning, and departing from Goa at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and arriving at Mumbai at 8 the following morning.

‘The distance of 277 nautical miles between Mumbai and Panaji ports can be covered in under six hours, but that would entail heavy fuel usage,’ said Captain Nitin Dhond, the owner-cum-master of Angriya. The former ferry underwent a conversion and car decks have been removed, and the space utilised for other amenities.

Overnight cruise

‘By resorting to slow steaming, and taking 15 hours to reach Panaji port, we are killing two birds with one stone – conserving precious fuel, and giving the passengers the full pleasure of an overnight cruise,’ he added.

Angriya is owned by Angriya Sea Eagle Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sea Eagle Cruises, a company devoted to helping eco-tourists learn about the biodiversity of Goa. The cruise aims to tap both domestic and foreign tourists.

136 cruise ships visited India 2017-18

At the moment, official statistics have placed the number of cruise ships visiting India during the financial year 2017-18 at 136.

The six ports of Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Kolkata, New Mangalore and Mormugao logged a total of 162,000 cruise passengers.