Mangalore : The beginning of the cruise season was marked with two cruise ships  M. V. Aida Diva  with 1810 passengers and a crew of 617 on board, and M. V. Clipper Odyssey  with 60 passengers and a crew of 70 on board, called at New Mangalore Port on Saturday

M. V. Aida Diva, is  one of the biggest luxury cruise vessels to call at the port. This is the third time that this ship is calling at the port. All 1438 passengers on board this cruise vessel visited tourist spots in and around Mangalore including the Savira Kamba Basadi,  Soans Pineapple Farm among other places.

The tour arrangers were M/s Globe Travels.

This is the third time that even  V. Clipper Odyssey is calling in at the port. All 60 passengers went on a sight seeing tour arranged by M/s Lia Travels.

The tour operators M/s Royal Caribbean International, pleased by the success so far, plans to bring none more cruise vessels to Mangalore this year.

Even NMPT Chairman Dr P Tamilvanan is happy with the developments and said world class cruises are calling on the part encouraged by the best of facilities available here. The port is expected to see two more cruise vessels early December.