Cruise vessels, ‘Costa Neoriviera’ and ‘Marella Discovery’, called at the New Mangalore Port (NMP) on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.
‘Costa Neoriviera’, an Italian cruise vessel, began her voyage from Mumbai port and ‘Marella Discovery’, a Malta-based cruise vessel had sailed from Murmugoa port.
A total of 1,727 passengers with 500 crew members of ‘Costa Neoriviera’ and 1,839 passengers with 720 crew members of ‘Marella Discovery’ arrived at the port. The passengers received a traditional welcome at the cruise lounge of the port, with Kannada folk dances including Yakshagana and Huli Kunita.
This is the third port call by cruise vessels in this season. The vessels were given a warm reception by the port officials and the shipping agents, and was reciprocated by the captains of the vessels. The vessels sailed to Kochi port later in the evening.
The continuous efforts of port officials and improvements at port have been yielding results with an increasing number of cruise vessels and passengers in every season. The NMPT has handled 24,258 passengers and 22 cruise vessels last year. This year, 32 cruise vessels are scheduled to arrive at the port.
The season will conclude with the final vessel scheduled to arrive on May 7, 2019, said a release from Mausami Padhya, senior manager (Corporate Relations and Communications), NMPT.