January 7, 2016
Cruise service connecting Kolkata to Murshidabad flagged off by WB CM
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged off the Ganges Voyager-II cruise at the Millennium Park from Salboni through video-wall connectivity on Wednesday. The cruise will start from Kolkata and go to Murshidabad, stopping at historical spots dotting the banks of the river.
This cruise has been started to attract prospective investors who come to the state. The seven-night and six-day trip will offer amenities like spa, bar, lounge, cafe, restaurant and a library. The ship with 28 luxury cabins of ethnic theme will be of international standard. The first commercial cruise will set sail on January 14. It is already houseful with all foreign tourists on board. Operators said their travel partners from abroad have already booked their tickets for the first four years. The cruise is slated to be the main highlight of foreign investment at the three-day Bengal Global Business Summit starting from Thursday.
The ship is built at BN Bose Shipyard in Ghushuri, Howrah. The shipyard itself is a part of the state’s heritage. It was built for Rs 25 crore.
In Bengal, Ganga has two other similar cruises – from Kolkata to Allahabad and from Kolkata to Varanasi. Such cruises are very popular at Alleppey in Kerela where tourists enjoy a cruise through the backwaters on luxury houseboats.
