“Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.”

Cordelia Cruises made its debut in India during a challenging period when the global travel industry was slowly recovering and the future of the cruising industry remained uncertain. Despite confronting formidable obstacles posed by travel restrictions, Cordelia Cruises moved ahead by actively engaging with Indian port authorities, the shipping ministry, and the travel community. Today, after 15 months of operation, Cordelia Cruises has achieved a remarkable milestone, generating revenue of Rs.1200 crore from ticket sales through over 300 sailings. The company has proudly served more than 400,000 passengers and made port visits to 7 destinations across India. Moreover, the brand is starting international sailings with Sri Lanka in June 2023 and to the Middle East in June 2024.

According to Jurgen Bailom, President & CEO, Cordelia Cruises; the success was not possible without the support from the travel trade partners. He said, “Our aim is to foster the expansion and growth of the cruise tourism market in India, and our travel partners have been instrumental in this endeavour. In recognition of their invaluable support, we have initiated two significant initiatives: the Big Sea Bash and the Honors of the Seas Recognition Awards. Through these events, we express our gratitude, appreciation, and acknowledgement towards our travel partners while also encouraging them to persevere and strive for greater achievements. Furthermore, as Cordelia prepares to set sail to international destinations starting next month, we urge our partners to continue their dedicated efforts and work even harder to ensure our collective success.”

In August 2022, Cordelia Cruises hosted its inaugural Recognition Awards ceremony aboard the magnificent ship, the Empress. This event took place during a voyage departing from Chennai, marking a significant milestone for the company.

Incentives for travel partners

During the event, Oneel Verma, COO, Cordelia Cruises announced additional commission rates for travel partners for selling Sri Lankan sailings. Verma said, “We are elated to announce our upcoming voyages to Sri Lanka, with sailings departing from Chennai and calling at three distinct ports (Jaffna, Hambantota, and Trincomalee). As we continue our efforts in promoting this exciting venture through billboard marketing and digital platform branding, we also seek the support of our esteemed travel community. To express our gratitude and appreciation for their invaluable assistance, we have decided to enhance the incentives for the next 30 days specifically for the Sri Lanka sailings. This initiative serves as a reward to our travel partners while also encouraging them to actively promote and sell cruises, thereby cultivating a vibrant cruise holiday culture among Indian travellers.” According to Bailom, the Sri Lanka sailings between June – mid-September 2023 will fuel close to USD 70 million in Sri Lankan economy.

Cordelia Cruises to start sailings the Middle East from June 2024

Cordelia Cruises, as the sole cruise brand in India, is eagerly preparing to offer Indian travellers a unique global experience. Starting in June 2023, the cruise company will embark on voyages to Sri Lanka, presenting a variety of itineraries. Furthermore, they have recently disclosed plans to introduce seasonal sailings to the Middle East from June 2024. The sailings will cover destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain. The itineraries will range from 3 to 7 nights, offering a diverse selection for travellers (the final itinerary details will be released soon as the brand finalizes its plans). Despite presently possessing a solitary vessel, The Empress, the brand intends to augment its fleet with the induction of additional ships in the coming months, thereby expanding its operations.

The Middle East cruise market is experiencing remarkable growth, driven by prominent destinations such as Dubai and Qatar. These destinations are betting big on cruise market and are actively inviting international cruise operators to establish a presence in their market. Cordelia Cruises, despite facing formidable competition from larger global brands operating in the region, will set itself apart by entering the market during the summer season, while the others primarily focus on winter sailings.

Jurgen Bailom, President & CEO, Cordelia Cruises said, “The ultimate plan is to introduce extensive Asian cruise itineraries that span 180 days, encompassing destinations ranging from Egypt to Africa, continuing on to Singapore, and finally returning to India. In the next five years, Cordelia Cruises will be operating multiple fleets sailing across the world, giving Indians a global cruise experience in India style.”

Meanwhile, below is the list of all the winners of the Honours of the Seas Awards:

Category – Best Retail Partners:

Runner up – North India – FIESTA TRAVELS
Best Retail Partner – North India – AD BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
Runner up – East India – OM LEISURE HOLIDAYS PVT LTD
Best Retail Partner – East India – TRAVEL LOVER
Runner up – West India – NITYA TOURS AND TRAVELS
Best Retail Partner – West India – Odyssey Vacations Pvt Ltd
Runner up – South India – VIHARI TOURS
Best Retail Partner – South India – TOURS INFINITY
Runner up – Pan India – Jollyday Tours
Best Retail Partner – Pan India – WM TRAVEL SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED

Category – Best MICE Partners:

Best Mice Partner – North India – GLOBE ALL INDIA SERVICES LIMITED
Best Mice Partner – East India – NUVEQ HOLIDAYS PRIVATE LIMITED
Best Mice Partner – West India – ZENITH LEISURE HOLIDAYS LIMITED
Best Mice Partner – South India – THE HOLIDAY COMPANY

Category – Emerging Partners: 

North India –  THRILLOPHILIA
West India – SERENITY GLOBAL HOLIDAYS

Category – Top Business Partners: 

Runner up – West Zone – AKBAR HOLIDAYS PVT. LTD.
Best Business Partner – West Zone – JAGSONS TRAVELS PRIVATE LIMITED
Runner up – North Zone – DPAULS TRAVEL & TOURS LTD.
Best Business Partner – North Zone – TEK TRAVELES PVT LTD (TBO)
Runner up – South Zone – SANTAMONICA TOURS AND TRAVELS PRIVATE LIMITED
Best Business Partner – South Zone – ALHIND TOURS AND TRAVELS PRIVATE LIMITED
Runner up – Pan India – THOMAS COOK (INDIA) LIMITED
Best Business Partner – Pan India – TRIP JACK PVT LTD

Category – Special Recognition: 

North India – MAKE MY TRIP (INDIA) PVT. LTD.
North India – YATRA ONLINE PRIVATE LIMITED
West India – SSR TRAVEL SOLUTIONS
West India – FCM Travel Solutions India Pvt. Ltd.
West India – RD Luxury Destinations
West India – Easy Voyages
West India – Travel & Ease
South India – Skyhind
South India – MANTHRA HOLIDAYS & EVENTS
South India – TravelInk

Category – Cordelia Cruises Team
Best Sales Manager – Third Runner Up – Dinesh Chettithodi
Best Sales Manager – Second Runner Up – Neha Sharma
Best Sales Manager – First Runner Up – Sulekha Singh
Best Sales Manager – Gunjan Khanna

Category – Internal Awards (SPECIAL RECOGNITION)
Special Recognition – Ninad Sahasrabudhe
Special Recognition – Manish Anand
Special Recognition – Jaya Rawat
Special Recognition – Vasant Sharma
Special Recognition – Gaurav Singh Chouhan