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Luxury liner MV Celebrity Solstice berthed at the Kochi port recently marking the beginning of cruise season in Kerala. The 19-deck cruise vessel had 2,800 passengers and 1,250 crew members on board.
MV Celebrity Solstice was soon followed by German cruise ship Aida Diva which was on its seventh visit to the Kochi port. The vessel had 1,462 German tourists who boarded from Dubai and 617 cruise members. The visitors later left for their home country on chartered flights.
Kochi port, which boasts of numerous advantages, has become a turnaround port for cruise ships to the country. Efficient customs and immigration clearance systems and good supplies of food and other commodities are among the highlights of the port. Also notable is the easy accessibility to tourist attractions like Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and Munnar. The port expects as many as 50 cruise ships this season considering its advantageous positioning near the international shipping route.