India’s first premium cruise line catering to the domestic and international business, Jalesh Cruises, officially christened ‘Karnika’ in an officially naming ceremony in Mumbai on Friday, April 19th. Mrs. Shreyasi Punit Goenka served as the Godmother of the vessel and showered blessings of safety, success, and good luck on Karnika.
Jalesh Cruises christens India’s first premium cruise ship as ‘Karnika’
A special postal stamp of Rs 5 was released on the occasion in order to commemorate the historic occasion. The National Flag was hoisted and the National Anthem was sung on the ship.
Karnika marked the occasion while celebrating the achievements of five Indians who are credited to international fame to the country by being the first ones to achieve the pinnacle in their fields. The personalities included, Mr. Milkha Singh, first Indian Athlete to win a Gold at Commonwealth Games(1958), Shri. Subhash Chandra, Rajya Sabha MP, Actor Ms. Sushmita Sen, the first Indian Miss Universe (1994), Mr. Mahesh Bhupati, first Indian to win Grand Slam Tournament (1997) and Ms. Mary Kom, the first Indian woman boxer to win Asian Games (2014), while Shri. Chandra was the chief guest of the occasion.
Karnika was named after a heavenly sylph. According to legend, she emerged when gods and demons churned the ocean for the elixir for life, Amrit. The celestial maiden Apsara Karnika stood for the alluring charm and exquisite beauty for carrying pleasures and treasures to reward those engaged in hard labour.
This name also draws inspiration from Manikarnika in Varanasi, the first Indian ghat that is considered as one of the oldest Indian cities.
The christening ceremony began with a group of priests chanting hymns as the head priest broke the traditional coconut. This was followed by the age-old maritime ritual of the Godmother naming the ship by stating, “I name this ship Karnika. May God bless her, her officers, her staff, her crew and all who sail on her.” The traditional cracking of a champagne bottle on the bow of the ship followed the blessing. It is believed that the naming ceremony is a maritime practice and is considered a good luck charm for the captain, crew, and passengers sailing the ship.
Mr. Jurgen Bailom, President & CEO, Jalesh Cruises, said, “Jalesh Cruises is immensely proud to give India its first premium ship Karnika, which has been 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 a 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 on board with performances by several artists and celebrity DJ Bally Sagoo.
On board, the Karnika offers the passengers with a variety of cuisines, entertainment, adventure and relaxation to choose from. Additionally, the cruise offers land-based excursions at different ports for passengers. The ship has three fine dining restaurants, which includes Indian cuisine at Waterfront and Chef’s Table and Thai, Malay, Korean, Mongolian, Taiwanese and Japanese cuisines at Chopstix. The ship also hosts nine different buffet and food stations offering a variety of delicacies ranging from street food, barbeque, international grill to patisserie and frozen desserts. The ship also has dedicated cuisine for Jain passengers.
There are nine bars on board the ship to offer a full range of bar menu and international premium spirits. Karnika provides a host of onboard entertainment for children as well as adults. The ship will offer Broadway shows, Burlesque performances, casino, music and dance nights, movie screenings and adventure activities among others.
Jalesh Cruises has initiated bookings for its 2019 itineraries on its website www.jaleshcruises.com or directly through its holiday advisors at 1800 266 8927 in addition to its Sales Business Partners.
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