Royal Caribbean International 'Ovation of the Seas' carrying 4000 passengers and 1600 crew members arrives at the Cochin Port. (PTI Photo)
A mega luxury cruise vessel 'Ovation of the Seas' called at the Cochin Port for a two-day stop-over in its circuit of Dubai-Muscat-Kochi-Penang-Singapore.
"The vessel with 4,000 passengers and 1,649 crew was given a warm and colourful reception at the Cochin Port...," the Ministry of Shipping said in a statement on Thursday.
The 'MV Ovation of the Seas' is a brand new ship of Royal Caribbean Lines which was floated out in April this year. It is 348 m long and is in the second largest class of cruise vessel.
"Ninety passengers from Dubai/ Muscat disembarked at Cochin Port and 80 passengers will embark from the Port," the statement said.
It may be noted that a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Cruise Shipping was notified by the Ministry of Tourism during the Maritime India Summit held during April, 2016.
The tourists visited various parts of Cochin and about 500 tourists went to Alleppey for the House Boat ride, it said adding the vessel is casting off on Thursday.