18 Surprising Facts about Jalesh Cruises

The Jalesh Cruise experience is the ultimate in Extravagance. Travelers who love a touch of modern luxury and classic style will relish their time onboard with Jalesh Cruises who pride themselves on their remarkable accommodation, fabulous entertainment, exceptional customer service, impressive itineraries, and delicious dining. They offers fabulous cruise vacations with sailings to exotic locations throughout the world. Perfect for groups of adults, solo travellers and families, their versatile activity packages cater for all. If you’re looking for an elegant, sophisticated cruise experience, Jalesh is a great option to consider. But before you go ahead and book, learn some fun facts about Jalesh Cruises.

We’ve compiled a list of 18 facts about Jalesh Cruises that may surprise you. So test your knowledge and tuck these away. You never know when they’ll come in handy.

Jalesh Cruises is India’s First Premium Luxury Cruise Ship owned by Zen Cruises.

The Cruise ship was christened ‘Karnika’ in an official naming ceremony on April 19^th, 2019 in Mumbai. The naming ceremony was attended by five (5) renowned Indians who are credited to international fame to the country by being the first ones to achieve pinnacle in their respective fields – Mr. Milkha Singh, First Indian Athlete to win a Gold at Commonwealth Games (1958), Mrs. Subhash Chandra, Rajya Sabha MP, Actor Ms. Sushmita Sen, First Indian Miss Universe (1994), Mr.Mahesh Bhupati, First Indian to win Grand Slam Tournament (1997) and Ms. Mary Kom, First Indian Woman Boxer to win Asian Games (2014).

First launched in 1990 as Crown Princess, MS Karnika ship was part of P&O Australia’s fleet as ‘Pacific Jewel’ between 2009-2019, before finally being acquired by Zen Cruises (company established by Essel Group, India).

While ‘Jalesh’ is named after the Lord of Water, ‘Karnika’ has been named after a celestial nymph, who according to legend appeared when gods and demons stirred the ocean for Amrit, the elixir for life. The name also reflects a true Indian identity, drawing inspiration from the first Indian ghat (a flight of steps leading down to a river), Manikarnika in Varanasi, considered one of the oldest Indian cities.

Karnika, operated by Jalesh Cruises, calls Mumbai, India, its home port. It is the first Indian cruise ship to make a stop in the region, marking a significant milestone for both the Indian domestic and international cruise industry.

The 70,285-ton, 14 deck ship can carry up to 2,000 passengers and has a total of 837 cabins; housed in 36 mini suites, 162 balcony rooms, 430 ocean view rooms and 209 interior rooms. There are also special cabins and facilities for senior citizens and differently abled passengers.

Jalesh Cruises sailed on its maiden voyage from Mumbai to Goa on April 17, 2019 and undertook its first International sailing from Mumbai to Dubai on May 24th, 2019 where it was port until mid-September 2019 before returning back to Mumbai.

The cruise ship offers onshore destinations and excursions across Indian port cities such as Mumbai, Goa (Mormugoa), Ganapatipule (Jaigad), Diu and international destinations such as Muscat, Dubai and High Seas with more destinations being added in the 2020 itineraries. Its future shore excursions program includes tour options in large port cities like Kochi, Chennai, Vizag (Visakhapatnam), Abu Dhabi, Colombo, Ras Al Khaimah, Singapore, Penang. The cruise ship aims to carry at least one million passengers per year by 2025.

On select voyages, Karnika will cruise an 8-night itinerary from Mumbai to Dubai, with the cruise ending in the city, and another return voyage coming back to India.

The top-selling itineraries of Jalesh Cruises are the Mumbai to Goa cruise and Mumbai to Dubai cruise.

Lucky guests can enjoy high-quality accommodation such as mini-suites, cabins with ocean view and balcony, interconnecting rooms; all featuring plenty of amenities, gourmet cuisines, live entertainment, broadway musicals, a breathtaking pool deck, multiple spa treatments, exciting excursions, world-class service and much more all included. Additionally, the cruise offers land based excursions at different ports for passengers.

Jalesh Cruises offer hours of entertainment while sailing from destination to destination, right from Burlesque performances to Broadway musicals, family-friendly and kid activities, movie shows to stand-up comedy, adventure sports and casino among others. Travelers can look forward to an exciting night of Bollywood dance moves, amazing tunes, tons of laughs, and more than a few surprises!

Located on Deck 8, the Player’s Casino, which opens 35 minutes into sailing, will spoil you for choices. From most popular games like Blackjack, Poker, Scratch-off and Slot Machine Games to some amazing table games, there is not a single moment of boredom. Nothing stirs your sense of excitement quite like the sound of cards being shuffled, chips being stacked and slot machines paying out. Consider the Player’s Casino to be your little slice of Vegas right at sea – with thousands of square feet of lights, action, slots and tables. The Casino is only functional for international destinations and does not operate in Indian waters.

The highlight of the Cruise is the Burlesque performances, a late night 45-minutes award winning Las Vegas show experience that promises a thrillingly up-close and stimulating evening for the adults onboard. With the finest burlesque and dazzling artists from around the world, the Burlesque show presents an intoxicating blend of glamour, high-end value, and titillating acts to illuminate the audience with delight. The audience gets to enjoy not only solo performances, but troupe acts as well. All acts are showcased with only the finest couture costuming – dazzling ensembles dripping in crystals that catch the light perfectly.

Exquisite Food is available at all times during the trip. Jalesh Cruises boasts three (3) fine dining restaurants, which include Indian Cuisine at Waterfront and Chef’s Table and Thai, Malay, Korean, Mongolian, Taiwanese and Japanese Cuisines at Chopstix. It also hosts eleven (11) different buffet and food stations offering a variety of delicacies ranging from street food (famous Indian pav bhaji, pani puri etc), barbeque, international grill to patisserie and frozen desserts. The ship also has dedicated cuisine for Jain guests. The restaurants are Essence of India, The Far Eastern Kadhai, Kettle & Bun, Jain Haven, Vegetarian Bang, Sugar & Spice, The International Grill, Hot Clay Tandoor, The Café, Frozen and Street Food at Karnika.

There are nine (9) bars onboard the cruise to offer a full range of bar menu and international premium spirits, namely The Dome, The Oasis Bar, The Marquee Bar & Show Lounge, The Chairman’s Club, Jalesh Bar, The Pool Bar, The Casino Bar, Connexions Bar and Mix Bar. Smoking is only allowed on the 7^th and 11^th Deck area. Heavy penalty will be applicable for smoking in other areas including cabins.

Jalesh Cruises is also the first Indian cruise to provide therapeutic relaxation facilities onboard. Theon board Spa offers a host of aromatic and natural techniques for relaxation. A state-of-the-art fitness studio and multi-purpose salon facilities are also available to guests.

Apart from leisure holidays, Jalesh Cruises also serve as a venue for hosting big weddings, corporate events and more, making it possible for all to enjoy the cruise life.

It is true that Jalesh Cruises is one of the most luxurious and exclusive-feeling ships at sea. If you’re now more excited than ever to sail on Karnika, start planning your cruise! You have different destinations to choose from in the coming 2019-2020 season: Dubai, Muscat, Goa, Diu and so on.

Still thinking??

Don’t settle for the many images that have saturated the internet. Why not book a Jalesh Cruise and witness the magnificent spectacle in person? Start browsing all our exciting Jalesh Cruise packages and find the itinerary that’s best for you. We can’t wait to have you on board!

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Prisca Vaniyapilly

Travel is in Prisca’s DNA, and she is always looking to explore new places and share those experiences through writing. Off the page, she spends her free time baking, nurturing her garden, and enjoying long movie marathons to unwind and relax.