Jalesh Cruises, India’s first premium cruise catering to the Indian domestic and international cruise guests, christened the Karnika in an official naming ceremony in Mumbai on Friday.
Shreyasi Punit Goenka was the godmother of the vessel.
Jurgen Bailom, President and CEO, Jalesh Cruises, said: “Jalesh Cruises is immensely proud to give India its first premium ship Karnika, which ha sbeen 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 onboard with performances by several artists and celebrity DJ Bally Sagoo.
A special postal stamp of ₹5 was also released on the occasion to commemorate the historic occasion on Indian waters. The Indian flag was then hoisted and the national anthem was sung onboard the ship.
The 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, according to a press release. The personalities included, Milkha Singh, first Indian Athlete to win a Gold at Commonwealth Games (1958); Shri. Subhash Chandra, Chairman, ZEE & Essel Group, the first Indian to launch a private satellite TV channel (1992); Actor 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).
Shri. Chandra was the honored guest of the event. Punit Goenka, managing director and CEO of ZEEL, and Amit Goenka, CEO, International Broadcast Business and Z5 Global, were also present.
The ship will offer 15 departures in April and May, including both cruises to nowhere and an itinerary calling on Goa, with all departures using Mumbai for turnarounds.
The ship will then move to Dubai until mid September, before she repositions back to Mumbai.
