VASCO: After journeying for 16 hours, the Mumbai-Goa cruise liner ‘Angriya’ berthed on Sunday at the international cruise berth terminal of the Mormugao Port Trust at the Mormugao harbour, bringing in 220 passengers and 67 crewmembers.
Deputy MPT chairman G P Rai, Mormugao municipal council chairperson Kritesh Gaonkar and other MPT officials on Sunday afternoon welcomed the passengers and chairman of Angriya Sea Eagle Pvt Ltd Kiran Thakur and its managing director Capt Nitin Dhond at the MPT terminal.
Speaking to media persons, Capt Dhond said the first trip from Mumbai to Goa was a challenging one. However, the voyage was “extremely good”.
Union Minister for Shipping Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had flagged off the cruise liner in Mumbai on Saturday. There was a ‘laser show’ in Mumbai after the flag-off.
There were 220 passengers onboard the cruise liner, which arrived in Goa after journeying for 16 hours.
Hoping for good response to the cruise liner in the future, Capt Dhond said the passengers were seen happily disembarking from the cruise liner at the harbour.
He said that many more domestic cruise liners have planned to launch Mumbai-Goa services.
Asked whether the ASEPL will launch cruise line services on other routes in the country, he said that Angriya Group service on the Goa-Mumbai sector brings back memories of Konkan Shakti and Konkan Sevak that operated in the past.
The Angriya cruise liner will visit Goa thrice a week, and the fares for the trip run between Rs 6,000 to Rs 11,000.
The ASEPL chairman said the tourists arriving Goa by Angriya will gave a pleasurable journey as they will be entrained during their 12-hour-long voyage.
The passengers were entertained on their arrival. A naval band enthralled the tourists by playing song tunes.
Former Panaji MLA Sidharth Kuncalienkar, who was among the passengers who travelled to Goa on the cruise liner, observed that ‘Angriya’ will give a touch of quality to the tourism sector of the state.
There have been three modes of transport for tourists to visit Goa – road, railway and air. And now the central government gave a push to the fourth mode of transport through the cruise line service, Kuncalienkar said.