Milkha Singh, Sushmita Sen, Mary Kom And Mahesh Bhupati At The Naming Ceremony Of Karnika, India’s First Premium Cruise Ship From Jalesh Cruises.

Jyothi Venkatesh

Jalesh Cruises, India’s first ever premium cruise catering to the Indian domestic and international cruise business, christened ‘Karnika’ in an official naming ceremony in Mumbai on Friday, April 19^th. Mrs. Shreyasi Punit Goenka took on the mantle of the Godmother of the ship and showered blessings of good luck, success and safety on the magnificent liner. A special postal stamp of was also released on the occasion to commemorate the historic occasion on Indian waters. The National Flag was hoisted and the National Anthem was sung on board the ship, in the august presence of Deepshikha (who had come with her son) and Aasif Shaikh, Rohitaksh Gaud and Subhangi Gokhale, who told me while cruising on the gigantic shop with twelve floors that they were given a day off to visit the cruise by their producers of Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hai, especially since it belonged to the Satellite TV Baron Subhash Chandra Goel.

 Karnika marked the occasion while celebrating the achievements of five Indians who are credited to bring international fame to the country by being the first ones to achieve pinnacle in their fields. The personalities included, Milkha Singh, first Indian Athlete to win a Gold at Commonwealth Games (1958), Subhash Chandra, Chairman, ZEE & Essel Group, the first Indian to launch a private satellite TV channel (1992), Sushmita Sen, the first Indian Miss Universe (1994), Mahesh Bhupati, first Indian to win Grand Slam Tournament (1997) and Mary Kom, the first Indian woman boxer to win Asian Games (2014). Subhash Chandra was the chief guest of the occasion. Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, ZEEL and Amit Goenka, CEO, International Broadcast Business& Z5 Global were also present on the occasion.

Karnika has been named after a celestial nymph, who according to legend emerged when gods and demons churned the ocean for Amrit, the elixir for life. Apsara Karnika, a celestial maiden stood for exquisite beauty and alluring charm for carrying treasures and pleasures to reward and indulge those engaged in hard labour.  The name also reflects a true Indian identity drawing inspiration from the first Indian ghat - Manikarnika in Varanasi, which is considered as one of the oldest Indian city. The christening ceremony began with a group of priests chanting hymns as the head priest broke the traditional coconut. This was followed by the age-old maritime ritual of the Godmother naming the ship by stating, “I name this ship Karnika. May God bless her, her officers, her staff, her crew and all who sail on her.” The traditional cracking of a champagne bottle on the bow of the ship followed the blessing. he naming ceremony is a maritime practice and is considered a good luck charm for the captain, crew and passengers sailing the ship.

 Jurgen Bailom, President &CEO, Jalesh Cruises, said, “Jalesh Cruises is immensely proud to give India its first premium ship Karnika, which has been curated to indulge and entertain you in the true Indian style. She is a beautiful ship designed to enthrall both domestic and international guests with the famed Indian hospitality. Our ship will make it possible for Indians to experience cruise vacations closer home with high level of customization that touches the sensibilities of people here.”The naming ceremony saw an electrifying performance by singer Aakriti Kakkar who sang “Never Enough”, the electric track from the musical drama ‘The Greatest Showman’ for the audience and a special act by stand-up comedian Papa CJ. An after party was held on board with performances by several artists and celebrity DJ Bally Sagoo.

 The 70,285 ton ship sailed on its maiden voyage from Mumbai to Goa on April 17^th. Karnika will undertake 15 sailings for Mumbai-Goa-Mumbai and Mumbai-High Seas-Mumbai between April and mid-May 2019. The ship will undertake its first international sail from Mumbai to Dubai on May 24th, 2019 where it will port until mid-September 2019 before coming back to Mumbai. On board the ship, passengers will have a variety of cuisines, entertainment, adventure and relaxation to choose from. Additionally, the cruise offers land based excursions at different ports for passengers.

The ship has three fine dining restaurants, which includes Indian cuisine at Waterfront and Chef’s Table and Thai, Malay, Korean, Mongolian, Taiwanese and Japanese cuisines at Chopstix. The ship also hosts nine different buffet and food stations offering a variety of delicacies ranging from street food, barbeque, international grill to patisserie and frozen desserts. The ship also has dedicated cuisine for Jain passengers. Karnika provides a host of on board entertainment for children as well as adults. The ship will offer Broadway shows, Burlesque performances, casino, music and dance nights, movie screenings and adventure activities among others. The ship offers features that make it convenient and easy for senior citizens and differently abled passengers to enjoy the cruise.

Karnika is also the first Indian ship to provide therapeutic relaxation facilities on the high seas. The on board Spa offers a host of aromatic and natural techniques for relaxation. A state-of-the-art fitness studio and multi-purpose salon facilities are also available to passengers. The ship has high-end retail therapy for guests to take home duty free products from a host of prominent international brands. Karnika is also equipped with state-of-the-art venue, modern technology and 24x7 Wi-Fi access, which coupled with exotic cuisine and international hospitality will offer the best corporate parties, off-sites as well as family celebrations.

Jalesh Cruises is the owner and operator of India’s premiere cruise liner – Karnika, which commenced operations from April 17^th in Mumbai. Jalesh Cruises  is India’s first multi-destination cruise line that has the best of entertainment shows, adventure activities and exotic authentic cuisines packed with international hospitality on the high sea. The cruise is designed & customised especially for the Indian audience and also for the foreigners visiting India to experience the flavour of Indian culture, food & hospitality.

Unveiling Of The Stamp At The Naming Ceremony Of Karnika, India’s First Premium Cruise Ship

The Crew At The Naming Ceremony Of Karnika, India’s First Premium Cruise Ship

Shreyasi Goenka

Milkha Singh, Sushmita Sen, Mary Kom, Mahesh Bhupati And Gauhar Khan

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