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Cruises from/to Visakhapatnam, India

Visakhapatnam, india cruise port.

Visakhapatnam is a seaport city nestled in the rolling hills of the Eastern Ghats. It is also known as Vizag or Waltair, depending on the native language, and is the largest state in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, which is located on the eastern shores of India. With more than 2 million people, the primary religion of the region is Hindu, followed by Islam and Christianity. While very few natives practice Buddhism—less than one percent—a strong history of Buddhist devotion can be observed in the many statues and temples throughout the city. It faces the Bay of Bengal, exhibiting a stunning shoreline with a number of delightful beaches. These unspoiled, endless stretches of sand and surf are great for long walks, swimming, or partaking in various water sports. Tourists are also interested in viewing the beautifully majestic Araku Valley and the impressive Borra caves.

• The Simhachalam Temple dates back to the 11 th century and is an incredible Buddhist structure that lies on top of a hill and promotes the universal ideals of peace and serenity.  
• Yaranda Beach is a calming, quiet beach with bubbling tides and soft, white sand. While swimming is not allowed, there is much enjoyment to be had just taking in the sights and soothing sounds.  
• Of the many museums, the INS Kurusura Submarine Museum, is very special. It’s based in a giant decommissioned sub and the entire inside has basically been left intact.  
• The Araku Tribal Museum is a place to see and learn about the native tribal people of Araku, and observe their art and culture through a wide variety of displays.  

Top 10 Cruises to Visakhapatnam, India

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Andhra Pradesh: Cordelia Cruise Ship Arrives At Visakhapatnam Port, To Start Operations

The luxury cordelia cruise ship arrived at visakhapatnam port on wednesday morning.

Hyderabad: The luxury Cordelia cruise ship arrived at Visakhapatnam port on Wednesday morning. The cruise departs from Visakhapatnam and travels along the Indian Ocean coast, with stoppages in Visakhapatnam, Puducherry, and Chennai before returning to Visakhapatnam.

The Cordelia Cruise has 11 floors with a variety of high-tech amenities. After the engine and cargo, the passenger lounge begins on the third story, and from there, the elevator may take you to the tenth floor. On the tenth floor, there is a big terrace-style deck, followed by a private den on the eleventh floor designed exclusively for sunrise and sunset views.

It also contains a vast campus for children's games called the Cordelia Kids Academy, gym, fitness center, swimming pool, casino, comedy theatres, new movie theatres, and a 24-hour grocery.

Also read| Hyderabad Gang Rape: Police Mull Plea To Treat Juveniles As Adults

Tourism Minister Roja Visited Cordelia Cruise Ship

AP Tourism Minister Roja visited the Cordelia Cruise Ship on Wednesday, which came to Andhra Pradesh's port city Visakhapatnam for the first time. Roja said more such ships are expected to arrive after completing the cruise terminal which is under construction at Vizag port. She added that the cruise terminal would play a vital role in the development of the Andhra Pradesh tourism sector.

విశాఖ నగర వాసులకు కనువిందు చేయనున్న కార్డేలియా క్రూజ్ ఎం.వి.ఎంప్రెస్ విహార నౌకను సందర్శించడం జరిగింది. @CordeliaCruises @Tourism_AP #vizagtourism pic.twitter.com/w4acYym33w — Roja Selvamani (@RojaSelvamaniRK) June 8, 2022

The ship will return to Vizag on June 15. Authorities are planning to run a Vizag-Chennai route every Wednesday until September amid a massive response to the trip from the public.

(With inputs from ABP Desam — It is a Telugu platform of ABP News. For more news, commentary and latest happenings from two Telugu states, follow  https://telugu.abplive.com/ )

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You Can Cruise All The Way To International Destinations From Visakhapatnam Now

With leisure cruise services gaining popularity in india, visakhapatnam aka vizag has got its first international cruise terminal..

By: Pyusha Chatterjee Published: Sep 06, 2023 03:00 PM IST

Leisure cruise services are gaining popularity in India, and as a result of that, Visakhapatnam aka Vizag has also got its first International Cruise Terminal.

The Vizag International Cruise Terminal (VICT) was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, on September 4. The state-of-the-art cruise terminal is part of projects worth INR 216 crore in Vizag .

The International Cruise Terminal to pave way for more options

The posh terminal building offers services such as lounges, immigration facilities, quarantine counters, scanning, restaurants, various entertainment options, shopping spaces, business exhibitions and money exchange outlets among others.

According to reports, the VICT will serve as a cruise terminal and operate luxury ships around the globe between November and March. However, the terminal will serve as a dedicated space for coastal cargo operations from April to October.

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Currently, India is not equipped with many ports except at Mumbai, Kochi and Kolkata but with this addition in Visakhapatnam, the choices will increase.

Here’s how the International Cruise Terminal in Visakhapatnam will benefit the country

A Buinessline report states that the minister also unveiled Covered Storage Shed-2 in the Port area, a truck parking terminal and an oil refinery berth. These have been put in place to make Vizag Port (VPA) a regional hub of both cruise and cargo traffic in the coming days.

According to the report, Sonowal said, “Our ports-led development approach is an important element to realise this vision and we remain at work to modernise, equip and enable our ports to become a vital lynchpin of development of the region.”

He added that the cargo movement capacity was 821 MMT in 2014, which has been increased to 1681 MMT now. Additionally, the time taken to unload cargo from a ship has been reduced to 26 hours now from 44 hours in 2014.

(Hero and featured image credit: Sourav Pandiya/Unsplash)

Related: Visakhapatnam Will Now Be The New Andhra Pradesh Capital, Says State CM

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Pyusha Chatterjee

A journalist, Pyusha has previously worked with media organisations including The New Indian Express and Hindustan Times. A solo traveller by choice, she loves exploring life more than anything else, after food of course. When she isn't gardening, writing, reading, cooking or singing out loud, you can spot her watching films and series, debating with .. Read More friends or organising things unnecessarily. Read Less

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Visakhapatnam Will Soon Welcome Cruise Ships

• March 31st 2023

With the arrival of two new cruise ships from MSC and Cordelia this year, Visakhapatnam is preparing to become a major player in India's tourism industry. These ships will allow visitors to explore South India's scenic coastline and cultural landmarks, resulting in a significant boost to the region's tourism sector. MSC and Cordelia will operate their ships from Vizag beginning in May and June, respectively as the new cruise terminal at the port is being built at a cost of Rs 72.26 crore and is expected to be completed by May, just in time for the first ship to arrive.  

To accommodate cruise ships, the spacious berth being built has a dredged depth of 9.50 meters. The port authorities have agreed to provide berths for cruise ships every three days, and the new terminal will allow for continuous cruise service from Visakhapatnam, with a maximum capacity of 2,500 tourists. The cruises will have 11 floors and can hold between 1,500 and 2,000 passengers at a time. Food courts, bars, spas, salons, theatres, nightclubs, fitness centers, DJ entertainment, live bands, adventure activities, shopping malls, and live shows are among the amenities available to visitors. Special fun programs for children will also be organized.                         

These cruise services are expected to generate significant revenue and job opportunities in the region. Visakhapatnam is already a popular tourist destination in South India, and the addition of MSC and Cordelia cruise services is expected to boost the city's appeal even further. The city has a lot to offer visitors, with its scenic coastline and rich cultural heritage, and the new cruise services will allow them to experience it in a new way.                                                                                                                                                       The arrival of MSC and Cordelia cruise ships at Visakhapatnam's port will be a significant step forward for the city's tourism industry. A variety of amenities provided by cruise ships will provide travelers with an unforgettable experience. Visakhapatnam is well on its way to becoming a top destination for cruise travelers in the region, and the new services are expected to give the tourism industry a much-needed boost.

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Cordelia Cruise maiden trip from Vizag begins

The vessel on its first journey from the city to Chennai and Puducherry was booked for 1,200 passengers for the sailing adventure from late in the evening

Visakhapatnam: 'Entertainment on high seas-' a long awaited dream to put Visakhapatnam on the international cruise map, appears to be moving in the right direction, with Cordelia Cruise taking hundreds of fun-loving adventure tourists from the City of Destiny to Chennai and Puducherry.

Cruise liner Express has world-class food courts, swimming pools, casinos and spas docked at Visakhapatnam Port on Wednesday morning. The vessel on its maiden journey from the city to Chennai and Puducherry was booked for 1,200 passengers for the sailing adventure from late in the evening.

Managing director Leisure Time Holiddays V Lokesh told Bizz Buzz that all the passengers were thrilled to go on a voyage to have fun on high seas in a luxury cruise liner after significant improvement in the pandemic situation.

While Leisure Time Holiddays is the travelling agency for the cruise liner, JM Baxi & Co, which had received a seven star cruise liner at Visakhapatnam on a short visit a few years ago, is the handling agent.

Lokesh said they are also receiving a very good response mostly from families and groups for cruise experience as they will operate the cruise liner from Visakhapatnam to Chennai and Puducherry for a three day and night package on June 15 and 22.

As many as 10 buses were deployed to enable boarding for 1,200 people from the star hotel to the cruise liner. "This is our first trip on a ship. We are very much thrilled to go on a voyage with a family of five," Manisha Das, a software engineer from Bhubaneswar, told Bizz Buzz.

Cordelia Cruise took interest to introduce cruise tourism in this part following cancellation of its regular service between Mumbai and Colombo following uncertainty in the island country.

Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy and State Tourism Minister RK Roja on separate occasions said they are very keen to work hand-in-hand to put Visakhapatnam on the global tourism map. During his recent visit, Union Shipping and Ports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal directed the authorities of Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) to complete work on the International Marine Cruise Terminal ahead of schedule. Rs103 crore is being spent mostly under the Sagarmala project for constructing the terminal with lounge, immigration, duty-free and souvenir areas and waiting rooms and restaurants by April, 2023.

The cruise terminal project was found feasible by Creative Group following which IIT-Madras designed it. Officials from VPA also studied the terminal models of Panaji, Mumbai and Kochi before finalising the layout.

Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) presently operates a passenger ship from Visakhapatnam to Port Blair. VPA sources said once the terminal is inaugurated, there is huge potential to operate cruise ships on a regular basis to South East Asian countries and connect Visakhapatnam to Kakinada, Puri and Paradip by operating smaller vessels.

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2 Holland America crew members die during "incident" on cruise ship

March 23, 2024 / 1:20 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Two crew members on a Holland America cruise ship died during an "incident" in the ship's engineering space, the cruise line said.

The unidentified crew members died Friday while the Florida-based Nieuw Amsterdam was at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, Holland America said in a statement.

Authorities were notified and the cause of the accident is being investigated, the cruise line said. 

"The safety, security and welfare of all guests and crew are the company's absolute priority," the cruise line said. The company also noted reports that these crew members perished in a shipboard fire are not accurate.

The cruise line did not offer any further details about the crew members, nor which agency was handling the investigation. The ship set sail out of Fort Lauderdale on March 16 for a seven-night trip. 

Crew members were being offered counseling.

"All of us at Holland America Line are deeply saddened by this incident and our thoughts and prayers are with our team members' families at this difficult time," the statement said. 

Crew member deaths are relatively rare. Researchers at Bowling Green State University found between 2000 and 2019, there were 623 reported deaths on cruise ships, and 89% of those deaths were passengers while 11% of those were crew members.

During the pandemic, four crew members were killed by non-coronavirus causes on  cruise ships with workers stranded onboard . 

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Six presumed dead after cargo ship crash levels Baltimore bridge

BALTIMORE — A major Baltimore bridge collapsed like a house of cards early Tuesday after it was struck by a container ship, sending six people to their deaths in the dark waters below, and closing one of the country’s busiest ports.

By nightfall, the desperate search for six people who were working on the bridge and vanished when it fell apart had become a grim search for bodies.

“We do not believe that we’re going to find any of these individuals still alive,” Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon N. Gilreath said.

Jeffrey Pritzker, executive vice president of Brawner Builders, said earlier that one of his workers had survived. He did not release their names.

Up until then, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore had held out hope that the missing people might be found even as law enforcement warned that the frigid water and the fact that there had been no sign of them since 1:30 a.m. when the ship struck Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Moore expressed heartbreak after officials suspended the search for survivors.

"Our heart goes out to the families," he said. "I can’t imagine how painful today has been for these families, how painful these hours have been have been for these families."

It was a crushing blow to the loved ones of the missing men, who had waited for hours at a Royal Farms convenience store near the entrance of the bridge for word of their fate. 

Follow live updates on the Baltimore bridge collapse

The tragic chain of events began early Tuesday when the cargo ship Dali notified authorities that it had lost power and issued a mayday moments before the 984-foot vessel slammed into a bridge support at a speed of 8 knots, which is about 9 mph.

Moore declared a state of emergency while rescue crews using sonar detected at least five vehicles in the frigid 50-foot-deep water: three passenger cars, a cement truck and another vehicle of some kind. Authorities do not believe anyone was inside the vehicles.

Investigators quickly concluded that it was an accident and not an act of terrorism.

Ship was involved in another collision

Earlier, two people were rescued from the water, Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said. One was in good condition and refused treatment, he said. The other was seriously injured and was being treated in a trauma center.

Moore said other drivers might have been in the water had it not been for those who, upon hearing the mayday, blocked off the bridge and kept other vehicles from crossing.

“These people are heroes,” Moore said. “They saved lives.”

Nearly eight years ago, the Dali was involved in an accident. In July 2016, it struck a quay at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium, damaging the quay.

The nautical commission investigated the accident, but the details of the inquiry were not immediately clear Tuesday.

The Dali is operated and managed by Synergy Group. In a statement, the company said that two port pilots were at the helm during Tuesday's crash and that all 22 crew members onboard were accounted for.

The Dali was chartered by the Danish shipping giant Maersk, which said it would have no choice but to send its ships to other nearby ports with the Port of Baltimore closed.

The bridge, which is about a mile and a half long and carries Interstate 695 over the Patapsco River southeast of Baltimore, was "fully up to code," Moore said.

National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said that her agency will lead the investigation and that a data recorder on the ship could provide more information.

"But right now we're focusing on the people, on the families," she said. "The rest can wait."

President Joe Biden vowed to rebuild the bridge and send federal funds.

"This is going to take some time," the president warned. "The people of Baltimore can count on us though to stick with them, at every step of the way, till the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt."

Speaking in Baltimore, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg echoed the president's promise.

"This is no ordinary bridge," he said. "This is one of the cathedrals of American infrastructure."

But Buttigieg warned that replacing the bridge and reopening the port will take time and money and that it could affect supply chains.

The Port of Baltimore, the 11th largest in the U.S., is the busiest port for car imports and exports, handling more than 750,000 vehicles in 2023 alone, according to data from the Maryland Port Administration.

Writer David Simon, a champion of Baltimore who set his TV crime drama "The Wire" on the streets of the city he once covered as a reporter, warned online that the people who will suffer the most are those whose livelihoods depend on the port.

"Thinking first of the people on the bridge," Simon posted on X . "But the mind wanders to a port city strangling. All the people who rely on ships in and out."

Timeline of crash

Dramatic video captured the moment at 1:28 a.m. Tuesday when the Dali struck a support and sent the bridge tumbling into the water. A livestream showed cars and trucks on the bridge just before the strike. The ship did not sink, and its lights remained on.

Investigators said in a timeline that the Dali's lights suddenly shut off four minutes earlier before they came back on and that then, at 1:25 a.m. dark black smoke began billowing from the ship's chimney.

A minute later, at 1:26 a.m., the ship appeared to turn. And in the minutes before it slammed into the support, the lights flickered again.

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said the workers on the bridge were repairing concrete ducts when the ship crashed into the structure.

At least seven workers were pouring concrete to fix potholes on the roadway on the bridge directly above where the ship hit, said James Krutzfeldt, a foreman.

Earlier, the Coast Guard said it had received a report that a “motor vessel made impact with the bridge” and confirmed it was the Dali, a containership sailing under a Singaporean flag that was heading for Sri Lanka.

Bobby Haines, who lives in Dundalk in Baltimore County, said he felt the impact of the bridge collapse from his house nearby.

"I woke up at 1:30 this morning and my house shook, and I was freaking out," he said. "I thought it was an earthquake, and to find out it was a bridge is really, really scary."

Families of bridge workers wait for updates

Earlier in the day, relatives of the construction crew waited for updates on their loved ones.

Marian Del Carmen Castellon told Telemundo her husband, Miguel Luna, 49, was working on the bridge.

“They only tell us that we have to wait and that they can’t give us information,” she said.

Castellon said she was "devastated, devastated because our heart is broken, because we don’t know how they have been rescued yet. We are just waiting for the news."

Luna's co-worker Jesús Campos said he felt crushed, too.

“It hurts my heart to see what is happening. We are human beings, and they are my folks,” he said.

Campos told The Baltimore Banner that the missing men are from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.

Active search and rescue ends

The Coast Guard said it was suspending the active search-and-rescue effort at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"Coast Guard’s not going away, none of our partners are going away, but we’re just going to transition into a different phase," Gilreath said at a news conference.

Maryland State Police Superintendent Roland L. Butler, Jr., said it was moving to a recovery operation. Changing conditions have made it dangerous for divers, he said. 

Butler pledged to "do our very best to recover those six missing people," but the conditions are difficult.

"If we look at how challenging it is at a simple motor vehicle crash to extract an individual, I'm sure we can all imagine how much harder it is to do it in inclement weather, when it's cold, under the water, with very limited to no visibility," he said.

"There's a tremendous amount of debris in the water," which can include sharp metal and other hazards, and that could take time, Butler said.

'A long road in front of us'

Built in 1977 and referred to locally as the Key Bridge, the structure was later named after the author of the American national anthem.

The bridge is more than 8,500 feet long, or 1.6 miles. Its main section spans 1,200 feet, and it was one of the longest continuous truss bridges in the world upon its completion, according to the National Steel Bridge Alliance .

About 31,000 vehicles a day use the bridge, which equals 11.3 million vehicles per year, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.

The river and the Port of Baltimore are both key to the shipping industry on the East Coast, generating more than $3.3 billion a year and directly employing more than 15,000 people.

Asked what people in Baltimore can expect going forward, the state's transportation secretary said it is too early to tell.

"Obviously we reached out to a number of engineering companies, so obviously we have a long road in front of us," Wiedefeld said.

Julia Jester reported from Baltimore, Patrick Smith from London, Corky Siemaszko from New York and Phil Helsel from Los Angeles.

Julia Jester is a producer for NBC News based in Washington, D.C.

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.

Corky Siemaszko is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital.

How cruises are impacted by Baltimore bridge collapse

T he Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse  has impacted cruise travel in Baltimore. Carnival Cruise Line had to temporarily move its Baltimore operations to Norfolk, Virginia, as the Baltimore Harbor has been closed to marine traffic — which could cause up to a $10 million monetary loss for the company. 

The company's ship, Carnival Legend, was scheduled to return to Baltimore on  Sunday, March 31, but guests will instead go to Norfolk. There will be a complimentary bus service to get back to Baltimore from that port, Carnival announced on Tuesday . The drive between these cities could be up to five hours long. 

The upcoming Carnival Legend cruise on March 31 will depart and return to Norfolk. 

"Our thoughts remain with the impacted families and first responders in Baltimore," Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said in a statement. "We appreciate the pledge made by President Biden today to dedicate all available resources to reopen Baltimore Harbor to marine traffic as soon as possible. As those plans are finalized, we will update our future cruise guests on when we will return home to Baltimore, but in the meantime, we appreciate the quick response and support from officials in Norfolk."

"We will continue to actively monitor the situation and look forward to getting back to Baltimore as soon as possible," a Carnival spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News.

As for the impact on business, the spokesperson told CBS News the company expects a less than $10 million impact on both adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization as well as its adjusted net income for the full year 2024. 

Cruise Lines International Association , the largest cruise industry trade association, says 12 cruise ships made 115 trips through Baltimore in 2024. And in 2023, about 444,000 cruise passengers moved through the port, the 29th largest in the U.S.

Other cruise companies like Royal Caribbean and American Cruise Lines also have ships that go to Baltimore, however, it is unclear if those lines have been impacted yet. CBS News reached out to several cruise companies for comment. 

The bridge collapsed around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday when a cargo ship, called the Dali , lost power and crashed into one of the bridge's columns. The ship made a mayday call ahead of the crash and first responders were able to prevent cars from driving onto the bridge, but eight construction workers  were on the structure pouring concrete.

Two of the construction workers were recovered alive, but the other six were presumed dead on Tuesday. Two bodies were found in a construction vehicle  submerged in the water on Wednesday. 

Following the incident, Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency and President Biden said the federal government would pay for the entire cost of reconstructing the bridge, which is still sitting in the river, on top of the cargo ship, which had 22 people on board – none of them harmed.

Baltimore is the ninth-busiest port in the nation and handled a record 11.7 million tons of cargo last year,  the Associated Press reports. More than 50 shipping and cruise ship companies do business with the port, mainly moving cars, coal, wood, steel, aluminum, home appliances, furniture, sugar and liquefied natural gas. 

"For everybody who is buying cars, for everybody who is (buying) farm equipment, we're the largest port in the country that does that," Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said . "So this is not just impacting Maryland."

Shipping companies and automakers will likely divert ships heading to Baltimore to other East Coast cities, experts say, according to the AP.

Ships waiting to get into Baltimore were stalled after the incident, with many drifting in the North Atlantic, waiting to be assigned to a new port, according to Windward Maritime, which analyzes maritime data. 

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said rebuilding the bridge  won't be easy or cheap. "That does not necessarily mean it will take five years to replace, but that tells you what went into that original structure going up," he said. "We need to get a sense of the conditions, of the parts that look ok, to the naked eye, but we just don't know yet, especially in terms of their foundational infrastructure."

I've been on 2 ultra-luxury cruise ships — endless caviar and free flights make the $685 per day worth it

• The cruise industry's  new ultra-luxury ships  could be worth the expensive fares.
• Wealthy cruisers get high-end amenities like complimentary flights, caviar, and wine.
• Luxury small-ship cruising has becoming increasingly popular. 

Say goodbye to questionable lunch buffets and tiny, windowless cabins. On ultra-luxury cruises , travelers get mountains of caviar, roundtrip business-class flights, and floating Rolex stores.

When you think of a cruise, you might picture the giant ships run by companies like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. On these family-friendly floating resorts, activities like go-kart tracks, waterparks, and virtual reality arcades are commonplace.

On smaller, more expensive cruises, these large and loud amenities are replaced with peace, quiet, and foie gras.

Cruises are generally considered an affordable vacation option, with necessities like food and a cabin included in the base fare.

However, many mass-market cruise companies are increasingly following the budget airline model : Charge a cheap fare and pile up plenty of irresistible pay-to-play amenities.

Travelers could easily accidentally blow past their budget by the end of the vacation.

But guests luxuriate on high-end cruises, many of which are all-inclusive and don't have this problem.

Sure, luxury cruises have a higher base fare. But you'll never have to reach for your wallet once on board.

That's about as stress-free as you can get with a vacation.

"I'd rather have a few empty beds and get the right guests at the right price," Michael Ungerer, CEO of MSC Group's new luxury cruise line , Explora Journeys, told Business Insider in 2023. "Most of [the amenities] are already included, so we don't have to upsell."

After going on two luxury cruise ships, I now understand why so many wealthy travelers are splurging on these vacations at sea.

In 2023, I spent one night on Explora Journeys' Explora I while it was docked in New York and three nights on Regent Seven Seas Cruises' Grandeur while it sailed roundtrip from Miami. Both were complimentary non-revenue events for travel agents and media.

Seven Seas Grandeur's least expensive 2024 cruise is a seven-night roundtrip Miami voyage in December, starting at $4,800 per person — about $685 per day. (Travelers can book their own flights and pre-cruise hotels for a discounted fare.)

Meanwhile, Explora I's most affordable itinerary is a $3,030-per-person, 10-night November sailing from Barcelona to Bridgetown, Barbados.

Expensive? Yes. But on a cruise, money buys happiness.

On both ships, the fare includes complimentary bottles of Champagne, WiFi, endless alcoholic beverages, and access to the spa.

With Regent Seven Seas, pre-cruise hotels, every on board restaurant, flights to and from the ship (business class if international), and most excursions are also included.

Ironically, a higher price means a smaller ship.

The 922-guest Explora I stands at 813 feet and 63,900 gross-tons. The 746-guest Seven Seas Grandeur is smaller at 735 feet-long and 55,000 gross-tons.

To compare, Royal Caribbean's most popular and the world's largest cruise ship, the 7,600-guest Icon of the Seas , is a casual 1,196 feet long and 248,663 gross tons.

We’ll likely never see Icon of the Seas’ waterslides and theme park amenities across Regent Seven Seas' or Explora’s fleet.

But small ships have two big benefits: exclusivity and the ability to fit in more desirable ports.

The Grandeur is scheduled to sail to destinations like Oranjestad, Aruba, and Castries, Saint Lucia, while Explora I is planned for Hawaii and Casablanca, Morocco.

Icon of the Seas is exclusively sailing in the Caribbean this year.

Luxury ships still have some traditional amenities like pools, restaurants, and bars — just with an upscale flair, of course.

Instead of arcades, Explora I and Seven Seas Grandeur have cigar lounges.

Instead of a kid's playground, the latter has a quiet library.

Even the drinking water is better: No need to travel to Erewhon to sip on crystal-infused water. Just head to Explora I's spa instead.

The devil (quiet references to quiet luxury) is in the ships’ details.

Explora I has the first Rolex store at sea. The Cartier boutique is right next door.

Up a few decks, travelers can workout at the Technogym Artis Line-supplied gym, where a treadmill costs $20,250 and an elliptical $15,500.

Meanwhile, Seven Seas Grandeur is decorated with 503 chandeliers and a $6 million art collection that includes several original Pablo Picasso pieces and a custom Fabergé egg.

As expected, the food on these luxury ships are comparable to Michelin-starred restaurants.

Both floating five-star resorts have lunch buffets of raw seafood, lobster tails, and crab legs.

For dinner on the Explora I, travelers can dine on the six restaurants' wagyu tataki, grilled octopus, and aged prime rib with potatoes and caviar.

The Seven Seas Grandeur's five restaurants all serve some form of black truffle, sturgeon caviar, or foie gras.

For a 10-night cruise, Regent Seven Seas says its new ship carries 1,200 pounds of lobster, 20 pounds of caviar, and 5,000 bottles of wine — the most pricey at $2,500.

Expensive food means expensive service: Like many high-end on-land restaurants, the hostess always offered me a black napkin when I wore dark pants.

Dinners of steak tartare, lobster, and wine were as commonplace as the scrambled eggs at the breakfast buffet.

And, they're free, according to the laws of " girl math ."

By the end of my second night on the Regent Seven Seas ship, "I'm tired of eating caviar" went from being a joke to a serious statement.

If we're stereotyping, cruise ship bars can be less-than-luxe.

But don't call Explora I's Lobby Bar, which looks like it came out of an actual hotel bar, "trashy." After all, its background music comes from the overhead Steinway piano.

Starbucks outposts are becoming increasingly popular on mass-market ships.

But wealthy cruisers don't get to wake up with green siren-decorated cups of caffeine.

Instead, Explora I and Seven Seas Grandeur have their own coffee shops serving delectable espresso-based drinks and a separate afternoon tea service.

Like the lack of mediocre coffee, travelers on these fine ships will never be stuck in a tiny windowless interior cabin.

The smallest stateroom on the 461-cabin Explora I starts at 377 square-feet and flexes high-end amenities like a Dyson hairdryer.

The 373 cabins on the Seven Seas Grandeur start a bit smaller at 307 square-feet. At least it comes with L'Occitane en Provence products.

Both options have walk-in closets, floor-to-ceiling windows, and balconies. That's unheard of in the cheapest cabin on most mega-ships.

But one of the most pleasant differences between ultra-luxury and mid-tier cruises isn't in the amenities or dining.

It's the general ambiance.

Ultra-luxury ships aren't designed for cruising families with young children . The two ships didn't have cartoonish decor, loud lounges, or an unbearable number of children that could've kicked my fight-or-flight response.

Instead, the high-end vessels' common spaces were modern, mature, and relaxing.

If it seems like everyone you know has recently booked a cruise, you’d be correct.

Popular cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Carnival have recently seen off-the-charts bookings.

The same applies to the industry's more niche and expensive peers — especially as travelers have increasingly splurged on luxurious vacations like small-ship cruising.

In February, Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Regent's parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings , said demand for its luxury brands has been "very high."

After eating caviar and black truffles for every dinner on the Grandeur, I now understand why.

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