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Karnika celebrates yet another pioneering step with its campaign ‘India

First’~

~ Commemorative Postal Stamp of 5 released to mark historic sail~

 ~ 15 sailings between Mumbai-Goa and Mumbai-High Seas till May 2019 ~

~ First International sail from Mumbai to Dubai on May 24, 2019 ~

Saturday, April 20, 2019: Jalesh Cruises, India’s first premium cruise catering to the Indian

domestic and international cruise business, christened ‘Karnika’ in an official naming

ceremony in Mumbai on Friday, April 19th

. Mrs. Shreyasi Punit Goenka took on the mantle of

the Godmother of the ship and showered blessings of good luck, success and safety on the

magnificent liner.

A special postal stamp of 5 was also released on the occasion to commemorate the historic

occasion on Indian waters. The National Flag was hoisted and the National Anthem was sung

onboard the ship.

Karnika marked the occasion while celebrating the achievements of five Indians who are

credited to bring international fame to the country by being the first ones to achieve

pinnacle in their fields. The personalities included, Mr. Milkha Singh, first Indian Athlete to

win a Gold at Commonwealth Games (1958), Shri. Subhash Chandra, Chairman, ZEE & Essel

Group, the first Indian to launch a private satellite TV channel (1992), Actor Ms. Sushmita

Sen, the first Indian Miss Universe (1994), Mr. Mahesh Bhupati, first Indian to win Grand

Slam Tournament (1997) and Ms. Mary Kom, the first Indian woman boxer to win Asian

Games (2014).

Shri. Chandra was the chief guest of the occasion. Mr. Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, ZEEL and

Mr. Amit Goenka, CEO, International Broadcast Business & Z5 Global were also present on

the occasion.

Karnika has been named after a celestial nymph, who according to legend emerged when

gods and demons churned the ocean for Amrit, the elixir for life. Apsara Karnika, a celestial

maiden stood for exquisite beauty and alluring charm for carrying treasures and pleasures

to reward and indulge those engaged in hard labour. The name also reflects a true Indian

identity drawing inspiration from the first Indian ghat - Manikarnika in Varanasi, which is

considered as one of the oldest Indian city.

The christening ceremony began with a group of priests chanting hymns as the head priest

broke the traditional coconut. This was followed by the age-old maritime ritual of the

Godmother naming the ship by stating, “I name this ship Karnika. May God bless her, her

officers, her staff, her crew and all who sail on her.” The traditional cracking of a

champagne bottle on the bow of the ship followed the blessing.The naming ceremony is a maritime practice and is considered a good luck charm for the

captain, crew and passengers sailing the ship.

Mr. Jurgen Bailom, President & CEO, Jalesh Cruises, said, “Jalesh Cruises is immensely

proud to give India its first premium ship Karnika, which has been curated to indulge and

entertain you in the true Indian style. She is a beautiful ship designed to enthrall both

domestic and international guests with the famed Indian hospitality. Our ship will make it

possible for Indians to experience cruise vacations closer home with high level of

customization that touches the sensibilities of people here.”

The naming ceremony saw an electrifying performance by singer Aakriti Kakkar who sang

“Never Enough”, the electric track from the musical drama ‘The Greatest Showman’ for the

audience and a special act by stand-up comedian Papa CJ. An after party was held on board

with performances by several artists and celebrity DJ Bally Sagoo.

Details of Karnika

The 70,285 ton ship sailed on its maiden voyage from Mumbai to Goa on April 17th

. Karnika

will undertake 15 sailings for Mumbai-Goa-Mumbai and Mumbai-High Seas-Mumbai

between April and mid-May 2019. The ship will undertake its first international sail from

Mumbai to Dubai on May 24th, 2019 where it will port until mid-September 2019 before

coming back to Mumbai.

On board the ship, passengers will have a variety of cuisines, entertainment, adventure and

relaxation to choose from. Additionally, the cruise offers land based excursions at different

ports for passengers.

The ship has three fine dining restaurants, which includes Indian cuisine at Waterfront and

Chef’s Table and Thai, Malay, Korean, Mongolian, Taiwanese and Japanese cuisines at

Chopstix. The ship also hosts nine different buffet and food stations offering a variety of

delicacies ranging from street food, barbeque, international grill to patisserie and frozen

desserts. The ship also has dedicated cuisine for Jain passengers.

There are nine bars on board the ship to offer a full range of bar menu and international

premium spirits.

Karnika provides a host of on board entertainment for children as well as adults. The ship

will offer Broadway shows, Burlesque performances, casino, music and dance nights, movie

screenings and adventure activities among others.

The ship offers features that make it convenient and easy for senior citizens and

differently abled passengers to enjoy the cruise.

Karnika is also the first Indian ship to provide therapeutic relaxation facilities on the high

seas. The on board Spa offers a host of aromatic and natural techniques for relaxation. A

state-of-the-art fitness studio and multi-purpose The ship has high-end retail therapy for guests to take home duty free products from a host

of prominent international brands.

Karnika is also equipped with state-of-the-art venue, modern technology and 24x7 Wi-Fi

access, which coupled with exotic cuisine and international hospitality will offer the best

corporate parties, off-sites as well as family celebrations.

Jalesh Cruises has initiated bookings for its 2019 itineraries on its website

www.jaleshcruises.com or directly through its holiday advisors at 1800 266 8927 in addition

to its Sales Business Partners.

About Jalesh Cruises

Jalesh Cruises is the owner and operator of India’s premiere cruise liner – Karnika, which

commenced operations from April 17th in Mumbai. Jalesh Cruises is India’s first multi-destination

cruise line that has the best of entertainment shows, adventure activities and exotic authentic

cuisines packed with international hospitality on the high sea. The cruise is designed & customised

especially for the Indian audience and also for the foreigners visiting India to experience the flavour

of Indian culture, food & hospitality.

For further information, please contact: