Kochi: Nearly 3600 foreign tourists will arrive at Kochi on Wednesday when two big vessels including the world’s largest ocean liner, MV Queen Mary 2, will call on the Kochi port.
The 345-m long Bermuda-flagged vessel, with a gross tonnage of 1, 49, 215 GT, is carrying 2483 tourists while MV Coste Neo Riviera will come calling with 1110 passengers.
Both the luxury vessels will arrive early morning and will depart in the evening. The District Tourism Promotion Council and private operators have scheduled various tour programmes including visits to Alap-puzha and Kumbalangi.
Queen Mary 2, arriving from Chennai (last port of call), will berth at Ernakulam wharf (Q-7) where 30 temporary counters will be provided. The vessel is faster than other contemporary cruise ships and has 13 decks and houses 15 restaurants and bars, five swimming pools, a theatre and a planetarium.
“We’ll extend traditional welcome with ‘singaarimelam’ percussion. The tourists can avail the ‘Tuk Tuk autorickshaw’ and taxi tours to Fort Kochi and Mattancherry. The DTPC has already provided training to the empanelled auto and taxi drivers to work as Cha-uffeur,” said Ernakulam DTPC Secretary S. Vijayakumar.
While MV Queen Mary 2 will depart at 6 pm and sail to Abu Dhabi, next port of call, MV Coste Neo Riviera will leave for Male from BTP berth of Kochi Port around the same time.
