Chennai has of late emerged as a favoured port of call for cruise ships. While only seven to eight vessels used to dock in the port each year on an average, as many as five cruise ships will be arriving in Chennai port in March, says Chennai Port Trust chairman Atulya Misra.

On Friday 4, 2011, a cruise ship – MV Astor – carrying nearly 373 passengers from six countries – Austria, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the UK – reached Chennai Port at 6 am and left by the evening. The ship was the second one to dock this week, after MV Minerva had docked at the Chennai Port for three days.

“It is an interesting to see that after Mumbai, Kochi and Goa, Chennai is now slowly emerging as a routine stop over for cruise liners,” said Mr Misra. He attributed the security concerns in the Middle East to the sudden interest shown in this route.
Mr Misra added that the Chennai passenger terminal is one of the best in the country, with facilities like duty free shops, and pointed out that the terminal regularly handles two ships each bound for Andaman and Kolkata every week.

For MV Astor’s cruise director Silvia Ritter, the trip to Chennai has been a memorable and pleasant experience. She spent her day visiting the beach, seeing the large monuments and shopping in the crowded markets. “For us Germans, having many people in a place creates a negative atmosphere, but here in Chennai, things are very different and I relish this crowded atmosphere,” she added.

The ship’s chief cook Hdy Oberdorfer did not miss the opportunity to pick up exotic herbs and spices from the city. “Chennai is little too crowded, but we were able to buy quite a few things to help in our cooking,” he added.

Source: Deccan Chronicle