world's longest cruise

Itanagar, Jan 11: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu shared a video of the world’s longest river cruise MV Ganga Vilas will set sail from sacred Kashi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh on January 13.

While sharing the video on Twitter, CM wrote, “The world’s longest river cruise MV #GangaVilas will set sail from sacred Kashi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh on January 13. A journey through the ancient heritage of India & the extraordinary spirit of Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on January 13 flag off the 51-day luxury Ganga cruise from Varanasi to Dibrugarh, via Bangladesh, a 3,200-km river voyage being pitched as the world’s longest.

Ganga Vilas reaches Ramnagar

Varanasi Braving bone-chilling cold waves, hundreds of locals thronged the Ramnagar port where Ganga Vilas, the longest river cruiser, docked. Excited residents were seen clicking selfies and making social media video clips with the cruiser in the background.

Also Read: Magh Bihu: Why you should visit Assam on Makar Sankranti?

The Ganga Vilas Cruise, which departed from the coast of Kolkata on December 22 with 32 Swiss visitors on board, will arrive in Varanasi on January 6. The 2,300-kilometre-long world’s longest river cruise would sail from Bangladesh to Dibrugarh. The cruise was promoted in 2018 and was supposed to be launched in 2020. However, the project got delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 50 days, the luxury boat will travel 3,200 kilometres alongside 27 river systems in India, which include the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly, Brahmaputra, and West Coast Canals.

What are the facilities to enjoy on this cruise?

The capacity of Ganga Vilas, according to the official website, is 80 passengers. The yacht is a luxurious river cruiser with 18 suites and all necessary amenities.

There will be a lavish restaurant, spa, and sundeck on the ship as well. There are a few buffet counters with Continental and Indian cuisine in its 40-seat restaurant on the Main Deck.

According to officials, the Upper Deck’s outdoor setting includes a bar with Real Teak Steamer Chairs and coffee tables that are sufficient to provide passengers with a one-of-a-kind cruise experience.

There are 18 elegantly decorated suites on the ship. It was constructed with a distinctive style and a futuristic outlook. Ganga Vilas pioneers the boutique experiences on the river by fusing traditional and contemporary conveniences with minimalistic decor. The apartments feature tranquil interiors with chosen colour schemes.

According to representatives of the UP tourism agency, these are equipped with a variety of facilities like a bathroom with a shower, convertible beds, a French balcony, an LED TV, a safe, smoke alarms, life vests, and sprinklers.

Ganga Vilas Ticket price

To give an idea, the fare price of the “Incredible Benaras” package by the same company, Antara, starts from ₹1,12,000. The four-day journey takes place between Varanasi and Kaithi.

The fact is that all the tickets have been sold for the next couple of years to Swiss tourists, who have paid a whopping ₹38 lakh for each suite. It’s worth noting that the prices are at least 1.5 years old since it is from the time when the company closed the deal.