HYDERABAD: Starry moonlit night, waves splashing against the ship’s hull, music playing in the background — a perfect setting for a holiday on a cruise for the Hyderabadis. Adorning India’s west coast till now, Cordelia Cruises is now operating on the east coast — Visakhapatnam to Chennai via Puducherry. The excitement of boarding a cruise ship from Visakhapatnam Port, was palpable amongst all the travellers mostly from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Bon Voyage
From Hyderabad we took an early morning flight for Visakhapatnam. Once we reached, we headed for Dolphin Hotel, where all the Cordelia guests were asked to report at 8.30 am. But nothing happened till 12 noon, when finally the officials started the security checking and the boarding process. We then headed towards the port in buses and before boarding the ship, there was again a series of security checking, where we got our room keys. The staff of the cruise welcomed us with tilak and welcome drinks made us calm down in the scorching summer and soon we were directed towards our rooms.
The floors are referred to as decks on a ship and so our rooms were located on the 3rd deck. The rooms were mostly a compact and cosy cubicles. We stayed at ‘Ocean View Staterooms’ which had a lovely oceanic view. The Empress, as the ship is fondly called is 692 ft long with 11 floors, 796 cabins with the guest capacity of 1,800 people (including crew) and looks like a 7-star hotel from the inside. From the plethora of restaurants and bars to comfy staterooms, DJ pool parties, movie nights, theatres, shopping, spa and salon treatments, gym facilities, learning zones for kids, rock climbing, casino, and more, the Empress offers an all-rounded experience.
The only buzz kill for some may be the lack of proper Internet connection on board, but what else can be expected in the middle of the ocean! The cruise ensures safety by following mandatory evacuation drills in case of an emergency. The ship also has an infirmary that can cater to a passenger’s medical needs 24/7. What does surprise us is that all transactions on the ship are in USD and one can convert rupees to dollars for no extra fee at the reception desks, by loading it onto a prepaid card that also acts as the room key.
After a quick freshening up and lunch at one of the speciality restaurants, we put on our exploring caps and went in search for one-of-its-kind experiences on board. Throughout the evening we got a glimpse of three restaurants catering to our gourmet cravings. With well-chosen buffet menus from different cuisines, Starlight and the Food Court were a hit. The more specialised menu was available at Chopstix, the Pan-Asian restaurant and for the gastronomically adventurous there’s also the Chef’s Table, a special spread curated for a limited number of guests along with wine pairing. After exploring so much across the 11 decks, our energy wore off and we decided to call it a night.
Ahoy captain
The Empress was full of entertainment like — Indian Cinemagic, Balle Balle, Magician’s Cut, Burlesque-The Bollywood Way, Romance in Bollywood. Not to forget the DJ nights on deck 10 where there is the pool and a bar, the guests were in for some great fun. We saw a few of the guests trying their hand at rock climbing amidst the beauty of the majestic ocean and breeze.
And for those who wanted to test their luck, the in house Casino was the place to visit. For one to sip on their favourite poison, one can choose from The Chairman’s Club, the Connexions Bar, The Pool Bar or the Dome — each with their own unique menus, happy hours and drinks of the day. Even though we were supposed to dock at Puducherry on the third day, the ship was denied permission and everyone had to settle in to enjoy the day leisurely learning salsa, yoga or simply reading from the well stocked library. One of the special moments for us on cruise was to visit the bridge, where we learned how the captain navigates. And as if on cue, when we were just finishing the bridge tour, a pair of dolphins made their presence felt as they made their way towards their journey. We docked in the Port of Chennai next morning. As we walked on the gangway and said our farewells, however, only one thing was sure — we’re definitely coming back!
Package starts from Rs 15,000 per person