Most of us once in their life dream of a holiday on a cruise ship, I was no different. A holiday on a cruise ship has always been on my bucket list. Being a traveler, I have always known what the land holds for me but on the ocean everything would be all fresh, new, and exciting. So I decided to tick it off. This blog is about how all this started and what it feels to be on a cruise ship.
Jalesh Cruises introduced cruising in India with their full-fledged cruise ship named Karnika. It's a multi-destination cruise with international standards. With no delay, I booked a sailing from Mumbai to Diu. I was one step closer to my dream come true.
Finally, after the days of uttermost excitement I was at International Cruise Terminal Mumbai, restless to see the cruise ship. After Documentation, Security checks, I got an access card to my room.
Massive it is!! That was my first reaction after seeing the gigantic vessel. Around 250 m long with 14 decks, it was so elegant. Discovering what's inside that vessel was an adventure by itself. Hopped on the cruise.
I was astonished to see how it looks from inside. It did not feel like we were inside a boat at all. It felt more like a luxury hotel. Everything was just wow. It has the most luxurious ambiance and world-class settings I have ever seen. The staff welcomed us with garland and a drink and escorted me to my room.
The room was nice, comfortable bed, safe box, mini bar, balcony, and bathroom which are small but pleasant. After an hour of relaxing, there was an announcement for everyone to attend the safety drill in their respective muster room on their floor.
After the drill, it was time to sail out of Mumbai. Ship honked the horn and started sailing towards Diu in the vast Arabian Sea. You do not even realize that you are sailing until you see the displacement of water by the vessel. Slowly the port, the Mumbai city, and the docked ships started disappearing. The cruise was in open water now. There was dark all around but the ambiance of the cruise was lit up with people exploring the cruise, having food, drinks, dancing on loud music, clicking pictures, making new friends. Hung around there till late night and at last, hit the hay.
Woke up with the sunshine on my face. The room balcony became my favorite spot to relax. The endless sight of the blue ocean, cool sea breeze hitting the face, a mug of coffee in hand, penning down the emotions, the perfect morning I always wished for. Dressed up, got in the elevator, pressed deck 12 – The Food Deck.
The cruise was a paradise for foodies as it has a wide range of restaurants and bars, with a countless variety of food from casual to relish dining. Whenever you feel hungry, just go and grab a bite. You can also hit the onboard gym to burn those calories.
The vessel was so big that it almost took around a few couples of hours to explore it completely. Different genres of live music were playing on different decks. The complete interior was eye-catching, so much to see.
Topdeck of the cruise is open to sky having an open bar, Jacuzzis, and even a jogging track. Stand there, stare at rolling waves, let the wind blow your hair, an implicit feeling it was.
Life on the cruise has no boring moments. There were wide varieties of entertainment programs on board throughout the day like pool parties, Dj night, casino, and a theatre that has different types of international shows every night.
All pink sky, watching the uninterrupted sunset, laying down on sunbed, having a drink, made my evening. After some games, the theatre show, the day ended with the simple pleasure of gazing at the stars, relive the moments, and fall asleep.
The next morning we have docked a few miles away from the port of Diu. You have the option of taking the excursion for the city or stay on cruise only. I chose excursion. We were taken to the port by ship's tender boat. Looking that huge one from a distance make you feel blessed that you are actually on it. After exploring the Diu all day we started sailing back to Mumbai. It was last evening on the cruise so I treated myself with a full-body massage while looking at the sea horizon line in a distance.
So this was the life I lived on the cruise ship. It's the variety on the cruise that I found so pleasurable. You don't have to think, just enjoy it. You can wander up to get food without making a decision, you can sit in the balcony, you can find a guitarist playing your type of songs and when you feel like doing something fresh, there are always plenty of options available to you.
No matter how much you read, seen, heard about cruising but I bet you have no idea what awaits you inside these magnificent ships until you have cruised yourself. For me it will always be unforgettable.
