India's MV Ganga Vilas Cruise: What would the world's longest river cruise mean for travel enthusiasts?

India's MV Ganga Vilas Cruise:The world's longest river cruise, the MV Ganga Vilas, was launched in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conference.The first cruise ship ever built in India, the MV Ganga Vilas, will set sail from the holy town of Varanasi with 32 Swiss tourists on board and travel via Bangladesh to Dibrugarh in Assam.Addressing the event through video conferencing, PM Modi said: “The beginning of the world’s longest river cruise service on river Ganga is a landmark moment. It will herald a new age of tourism in India.”

“I want to tell passengers onboard the river cruise liner MV Ganga Vilas that India has everything you can imagine. It also has a lot beyond your imagination. India can’t be defined in words. India can only be experienced from the heart because India has opened her heart to everyone,"he added.

An Antara Luxury River Cruises ship, the Ganga Vilas Cruise will depart from Varanasi and travel 3,200 kilometres in total. Before laying its final anchor in Bogibeel in Dibrugarh, the ship will sail through Kolkata and Dhaka.

Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, stated earlier on Thursday that Varanasi will embark on a new era with the launch of the Ganga Vilas river cruise."Along with being the biggest centre of education and health, Kashi is now ready to be connected by land as well as waterways. The journey of 52 days covering a distance of 3,200 km is starting from here," he said.

We take a deep dive into the special features of this ship and what this voyage would mean for travel enthusiasts.

Features of MV Ganga Vilas

The MV Ganga Vilas ship has a 62-metre length, a 12-metre breadth, and a 1.4-metre depth that allows it to sail comfortably. It embodies luxury to the fullest. The ship is designed in a mid-century modern style and contains 18 suites with indigenousfurniture and fixtures, some of which are also created along the Ganga.

The inside of the ship is painted in bold hues of magenta, blue and yellowthat gowell with the rich cultures of the places the cruise will travel.

The cruise's director, Raj Singh toldPTIthat thecruise has facilities such as spa, salon, and gym andwill cost₹25,000 to₹50,000 a day, with the total cost for the 51-day journey totalling to around₹20 lakhs for each passenger. The cruise is equipped with a pollution-free system and noise control technology, he added.

The massive floor-to-ceiling windows onboard will let passengers can take in the grandeur of the river throughout the day, according to CNN Traveller. Travellers' experiences will be improved by a dining room, an observation pavilion, and a panoramic lounge.

Along with the aforementioned amenities that characterise the ship's luxury, Ganga Vilas Cruise also includes an open sundeck where guests may sit and a spa where they can unwind while travelling.Additionally, passengers will be able to enjoy mouthwatering cuisine that draws inspiration from the various locations the ship visits.

Journey of MV Ganga Vilas

The 51-day voyage will commence in Varanasi, and after travelling via Ghazipur, Buxar, and Ramnagar, the cruise ship will arrive in Patna on the eighth day.

In order to go to Bogibeel in Dibrugarh, passengers will spend 15 days in the neighbouring nation of Bangladesh before re-enteringIndia.

The Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route, which has previously opened up commerce and transit lines between the two neighbouring nations, will allow the ship to go over 1,100 kilometres across Bangladesh.

"The journey will give the foreign tourists an opportunity to embark upon an experiential voyage and indulge in the art, culture, history, and spirituality of India and Bangladesh," Union Minister for Port Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal told news agency ANI.

"The tourists also come with different mindsets — some want to stay for the full journey while some may move from one point to another. The service will facilitate all kinds of tourists. Moreover, with the amendment to Indian Vessel Act, cruise lines would have a national permit to move seamlessly across states,” he added.

It will make 50 stops along the way, including places like national parks, river ghats, and sites that are considered to world heritage sites.

MV Ganga Vilas: An experience in itself

As per Raj Singh, travel enthusiasts who are interested in seeing different cultures will appreciate the trip's opportunity to do so.

“Each experience has been personally vetted and designed by me for fellow enthusiastic travellers. The historical route has been finalised with the support, assistance and cooperation of the governments of India and Bangladesh, which are working together to ensure seamless travel between the two countries,” he added.

The iconic and widely regarded "Ganga Aarti" on the banks of the river Ganga is one of the tour's highlights. History buffs will get the opportunity to study about the effects of French and Dutch influences on West Bengal's architecture during the tour.

Passengers on board will learn about making handcrafted textiles and brassware in the West Bengal hamlet of Matiari. The boat will also make stops for celebrations featuring folk music and dances in a few different places.

Also watch |'A Landmark Moment', says PM Modi as he flags off world's longest river cruise

Travel aficionados have the ideal chance on this trip to experience the varied cultures of the many destinations visited.

One of the numerous stops on the journey is Bagerhat, where visitors may see the 60-dome mosque constructed by Khan Jahan Ali during the Bengal sultanate era.

Other cruises in India

There are other cruise ships that go through Indian rivers besides the Ganga Vilas Cruise.

The 10-night Brahmaputra river Cruise sails from Guwahati to Jorhat-Dibrugarh. The former Ahom rulers' domain, Sibsagar, Majuli island, and Kaziranga National Park are all visited by this cruise. The itinerary also includes heritage trips in the renowned silk-weaving villages of Tezpur and Sualkuchi.

The Mandovi River Cruise in Western India allows visitors to explore the Goan culture. The cruise ship provides a thrilling ambience complete with folksongs, dances, and cuisine as guests travel past Chorao and Divar Islands, according to Times Travel,even if the journey only lasts a few hours.

The Mangalore River Cruise in southern Indialets visitors unwind in the tranquil Phalguni River. The three-hour boat passes through Karnataka's coastal villages with its tourists. The Mangalorean food provided onboard, however, is the highlight of the cruise excursion.

(With inputs from agencies)

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