Dubai welcomes ‘Karnika’, India’s first premium cruise ship from Jalesh Cruises

Dubai has welcomed the first premium cruise in India, "Karnika" of Jalesh Cruises, to Mina Rashid as its base in Dubai for the season.

Last month, baptized at an official appointment ceremony in Mumbai, India, Karnika is the first Jalesh Cruises line ship in the region's port, marking an important milestone for both the national and international cruise industry of India. In celebration of this important occasion, a traditional "Plate and Key Exchange" ceremony was held on board in the presence of the ship's captain and the key industry stakeholders of the Dubai Cruise Committee.

The ship will begin operating the regular itineraries of the Persian Gulf from June to mid-September 2019, and will entertain residents and visitors to Dubai. Cruise enthusiasts can choose between two itineraries a week with Dubai as a base port; Friday's itinerary is scheduled to cover Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, while Monday's itinerary will include Muscat and Khasab.

"By demonstrating its position as the main cruise destination in the Middle East, the arrival of Karnika highlights the value proposition that Mina Rashid offers to luxury cruise lines around the world.Our world-class quality services have proven that Mina Rashid is the preferred tourist destination when observing a 172 percent increase in visitors between 2014 and 2018, "said Mohammed Abdul Aziz Al Mannai, CEO of P & O Marinas and Mina Rashid CEO.

Jamal Alfalasi, Cruise Tourism Director of Dubai, said: "Our support for Jalesh Cruises further strengthens the lasting link between India and the Emirate, which supports our continued commitment to Dubai's highest-yielding source, which generated more than 564,836 visitors during the first quarter of 2019. "

In turn, Jurgen Bailom, president and CEO of Jalesh Cruises, said: "It is an honor and a privilege for us at Jalesh Cruises to take India's first premium boat, Karnika, to its second home, Dubai."

With a weight of 70,285 gross tons, the Karnika ship of Jalesh Cruises sailed its inaugural trip from Mumbai to Goa in April and since then has made 15 trips through India. The ship departed on its first international cruise from Mumbai to Dubai in May and will move to the Emirate until mid-September.