Words by Priya Pathiyan
The Chennai cruise terminal in India is seeing history being made, as an immigration centre has popped up to service passengers on an Indian cruise’s first foray into an international itinerary. Priya Pathiyan takes a trip on the Empress to find out more.
The excitement was palpable as we got our paperwork looked at, smiled at the camera in anticipation, and were handed an access card to board Cordelia Cruises’ Empress. The mandatory photo-op done, we ascended a ramp to enter the belly of the beautiful beast. Stepping right into the reception area on Deck 5, we were greeted with a traditional Indian welcome, with an oil lamp in a thhaali, pretty flowers, and a warm namaste from a saree-clad hostess.
The Empress, part of Royal Caribbean’s fleet from 1990 until 2020, has sailed across the world before coming to Indian shores. A picture of famous singer Gloria Estefan, who christened her, hangs prominently in the reception area. Now, after a major refit in 2021, she is owned by the Essel Group (via Sant Singh Chatwal’s Dream Hotel Group) and operated by Waterways Leisure Tourism Pvt Ltd (via Cordelia Cruises India).
New lands, ahoy
The Empress, with captain Denis Korop at her helm, aided by staff captain Walter Gloria, has been sailing to multiple ports including Mumbai, Goa, Kochi, and Lakshadweep on the West coast (October to June), and Vishakhapatnam and Chennai on the East coast (July to September).
Cordelia Cruises is also hoping to schedule visits to other Indian ports such as Kolkata, Port Blair, Diu, New Mangaluru and Porbandar, once their infrastructure comes up to speed. Not surprising, considering India has an extensive coastline, the third longest in the world, filled with ancient ports, picturesque forts, and beautiful beaches. But the company is looking much further afield too.
“My dream is for Cordelia’s guests to arrive at the Civitavecchia port, enjoy freshly made hot and crisp dosas for breakfast with perfectly made chutney, and head out on a shore excursion to see all the sights of Rome,” shares Jurgen Bailom, president and CEO, Waterways Leisure Tourism. Clad in a bandhgala jacket and having perfected the Indian head roll, he is certainly all-in when it comes to the Indian, Indian diaspora, and Indophile market.
The first steps towards achieving his dream already seem to be in place. After the inaugural cruise in June 2023, the Empress will dock at Galle, Hambantota, Jaffna, and Trincomalee in Sri Lanka several times between July and September. She will also be calling at the Middle Eastern ports of Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Khor Fakkan, Oman, Qatar, and Yas Island from June 2024 onwards. Bailom has set his sights on the Maldives next, a destination that has caught the world’s imagination in post-pandemic times.
Ship shape
We’ve been on plenty of cruise ships before, so the grand stairways, the glittering atrium, the busy carpets, and even busier elevators gave us a sense of the familiar. A salt-water pool, morning yoga and rock-climbing wall on the open deck, state-of-the-art gym, magic shows and varied group activities, lounges with live music, sunset parties, and an on-trend nightclub ensure that this cruise is perfect for all types of travellers. From relaxed to active, from groups of friends to young couples and parents with kids to multi-generational families.
This Empress-class cruise ship named, well, The Empress, boasts 11 passenger decks, and 796 suites and staterooms across 18 categories, of which three cabins are wheelchair accessible. The ship is equipped to accommodate 1,800 guests at full capacity.
Our junior suite is spacious and tastefully done. Think dreamy blues and artsy black-and-whites, smooth cottons, and luscious satins. A spacious couch with plenty of cushions is great for a relaxed read as well as to catch up on TV even if you aren’t inviting friends over for a chat. The balcony, with loungers and a little coffee table, is the perfect way to unwind as you gaze at the horizon.
The combined shower and loo area is handkerchief-sized, as you’d expect on a cruise, but laid out well, so you don’t feel the space crunch quite as much. Handy shelves with rails promise to keep your toiletries secure, perhaps even on the rare rough sea day. Opposite, a concealed wardrobe offers ample hangers and a few shelves for your clothes as well as enough space to stash your suitcase after you’ve unpacked. There’s even a dressing table and drawers, with a seat, a proper mirror, and a hair dryer, so you have all you need to dress up.
An urge to splurge?
While this is a casual cruise that doesn’t offer gala luncheons and Captain’s Table black-tie dinners, there are plenty of opportunities to go glam if you want to. Head to the casino, catch a show at the opulent Marquee Theatre, or book ahead for a sit-down meal at Chopstixs, their fine dining multi-cuisine restaurant.
The luxurious spa onboard gives you all the pampering you need after a shore excursion, with therapies ranging from the sinful Chocolate and Wine scrub and wrap to advanced facials. There’s a tangible Indianness here, with treatments like the Pavitra scrub, which uses natural beeswax mixed with beautifying marigold and purifying tulsi, or the Sama Yama deep tissue massage, or an Iyasya Hastaratini massage using the forearm, which offers truly deep relaxation.
Indian at heart
Those are not the only Indian touches, though. The Cordelia Empress has recently hosted quite a few Indian weddings, giving the marriage parties all that they need for the big fat wedding of their dreams, right down to the holy fire for the ‘pheras’. The last one even had the bridge and groom starring in their own personalised version of the Balle Balle Bollywood musical at the Marquee Theatre!
But you don’t need to be a wedding guest to feel the Indianness that is at the heart of Cordelia’s operations. With 85 per cent of the hospitable crew being handpicked from across India, they are literally speaking the language of the world’s most populous nation.
The very capable hotel director Lydia Almeida understands the needs of the Indian – as well as international – traveller and leads the team with her precision planning and vision. On food and beverage director Sreedhar K’s watch, all the unlimited buffets in the restaurants — Starlight and Food Court — both of which are open for all guests, serve up delicious and authentic Indian dishes from across the country. And for the ‘pure vegetarians’, there’s even a separate kitchen and entire level of Starlight dedicated to plant-based dishes.
On our voyage, breakfast every day had a rich selection that ranged from Kanchipuram idlis to pohe to aloo paratha, apart from the standard eggs, sausages, pancakes, and French toast, that you see on every cruise. The salad counter had chaats and chutneys to tantalise your tastebuds.
Our sailing from Chennai had plenty of regional South Indian delicacies to delight guests with the tastes of home. The soup station boasts a different rasam (spicy lentil soup) at every meal, mains include tangy Tamilian Murungakkai Sambar (made with moringa), peppery Chettinad chicken, coconutty Kerala Pumpkin Eriserry, and the dessert counter always has some halwa or payasam. If, like us, you are not up for the heat, there are a few non-spicy but tasty options, too.
Apart from the warm smiles, multi-lingual staff, desi dishes, and spa selections, the entertainment too (done by a team from Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt Ltd under the guidance of the ship’s entertainment director Jeshron Tao), is as Indian as it gets. The exuberant Balle Balle show has the audience in splits, a pulsating pan-Indian dance extravaganza brings in diverse sounds, colourful costumes, and clever choreography, while the brilliance of the team’s ‘Burlesque – the Bollywood Way’ leaves you wanting more.
As if all this were not enough, a little birdie tells us that the ship’s next drydock work will include a hygiene faucet upgrade in every loo, so finicky Indian travellers can choose between toilet paper and water. Now, that’s real Indi-core for you! But, quips apart, this only emphasises the cruise line’s commitment to giving their guests a truly Indian-style vacay even as they travel to diverse destinations.
Factbox
For more details of upcoming cruises visit cordeliacruises.com
